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This Ground Beef Cabbage Skillet is a hearty and budget-friendly one-pan meal that’s full of comforting flavors. Savory ground beef is simmered with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and tender cabbage for a simple, wholesome dinner the whole family will love. It’s quick to make, full of flavor, and perfect for busy weeknights.
One Pan Beef & Cabbage
This easy skillet meal is similar to an unstuffed cabbage roll, but without all the extra work. Everything cooks together in one pan for a flavorful, hearty dinner that’s both nourishing and simple to prepare.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-Pan Dinner – Easy to make and fewer dishes to wash.
- Budget-Friendly – Uses simple, affordable ingredients like ground beef, cabbage, and tomatoes.
- Wholesome & Filling – A hearty skillet meal that’s naturally gluten-free.
- Great for Meal Prep – Makes plenty and tastes even better the next day.
This delicious and easy Hamburger Cabbage Skillet recipe is a low carb meal, if you don’t serve it over rice.
Ingredients in Beef & Cabbage Skillet
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Lean Ground Beef – Or use ground turkey, sausage, or ground chicken.
- Onion – Sweet yellow onion is my preferred, but use what you like.
- Garlic – If you don’t have fresh garlic, use jarred, or garlic powder.
- Seasonings – Black Pepper, Paprika (regular sweet, or smoked), Italian Seasoning
- Worcestershire Sauce – Or use Soy Sauce if you need a substitution.
- Balsamic Vinegar – (optional) Adds a nice tang, and depth of flavor.
- Beef Broth – Or use chicken broth.
- Diced Tomatoes – Or use crushed, or chopped fresh.
- Tomato Sauce – Or use tomato puree.
- Green Cabbage – Or use white.
How to Make Ground Beef and Cabbage
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until mostly cooked. Add the onion and cook until softened. Drain any grease.
- Stir in the garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire, and balsamic vinegar (if using).
- Add the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Pour in the broth. Bring to a low simmer and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks. The sauce should reduce slightly.
- Add the chopped cabbage on top and press it down into the sauce.
- Cover the skillet and bring back to a low simmer.
- Once the cabbage begins to soften, carefully stir it into the mixture. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until the cabbage is tender to your liking.
- Serve hot, over rice if desired.
What to Serve With Ground Beef Cabbage Skillet
This dish is hearty on its own, but is delicious served with:
- Steamed rice or buttered noodles
- Crusty bread for soaking up the sauce
- A simple green salad on the side
- Serve with cornbread to sop up the sauce
Hamburger Cabbage Skillet FAQ
Yes! This skillet reheats really well. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.
Yes, red cabbage will work, but it has a slightly different flavor and will change the color of the sauce. Green cabbage is more traditional for this type of recipe.
Absolutely. It is low carb if you don’t add rice or any other carb. Simply serve it as-is for a satisfying low-carb dinner.
The cabbage should be soft and tender, but not mushy. Taste-test a piece toward the end of cooking and stop when it’s at your preferred texture.
Smoked paprika, caraway seeds, or a pinch of cayenne are all great options if you want to customize the flavor.
More Easy One-Pot Dinners
Ground Beef Cabbage Skillet
Equipment
- Large Skillet with Lid (high-sided)
Ingredients
- 1 pound Lean Ground Beef
- 1 large Onion, chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar (optional, but very good)
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 1 15-ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 1 head Green Cabbage, chopped
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef until mostly done. Then add the onion and cook until softened. Drain any grease.
- Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, Italian Seasoning, Worcestershire, and balsamic, if using. Stir well.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beef broth. Bring to a low simmer and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks. The sauce should reduce a little.
- Add the chopped cabbage on top and press it down into the sauce with a spoon. Then put the lid on the pan and bring back to a low simmer.
- When the cabbage starts to cook down, you should be able to stir the mixture carefully without it spilling over. Just cook and stir occasionally, until the cabbage is soft to your liking.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef to avoid excess grease.
- You can swap ground turkey or pork for the beef.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freeze beautifully.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This reminded me of my childhood. I liked the flavors a lot.