Description
Polish cabbage beef bake delivers hearty comfort straight from grandmother’s kitchen. Layers of tender meat, cabbage, and rich sauce promise a satisfying meal that connects you to traditional European culinary roots.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 small head cabbage, chopped (about 6 cups)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 can (8 oz / 226 g) tomato sauce
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Ignite the oven to a steady 375F (190C), establishing the perfect thermal landscape for culinary transformation.
- Meat Mastery: Sear ground beef in a hot skillet, browning thoroughly and draining excess lipids, creating a clean protein foundation.
- Aromatic Integration: Sauté onions and garlic until translucent, releasing their nuanced fragrance and developing a flavor-rich base.
- Vegetable Harmonization: Introduce shredded cabbage, gently coaxing it to tenderness while maintaining a subtle textural resistance through careful stirring.
- Flavor Composition: Merge diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper into a cohesive sauce. Simmer until flavors intertwine and intensify.
- Baking Assembly: Transfer the robust mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, creating an even landscape and crowning with a generous layer of shredded cheese.
- Culinary Finale: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, allowing cheese to metamorphose into a golden, bubbling crust while ingredients meld together in gastronomic harmony.
Notes
Drain Beef Thoroughly: Eliminate excess fat completely to prevent a greasy, heavy dish and ensure a lighter, cleaner flavor profile.
Cabbage Cooking Precision: Watch cabbage carefully during sautéing – overcooking leads to mushy texture, while undercooking results in tough, chewy strands.
Cheese Melting Technique: Choose high-moisture cheeses like cheddar or mozzarella for optimal melting and golden, bubbly top that adds creamy richness.
Low-Carb Adaptation: Substitute cabbage with cauliflower or zucchini for a keto-friendly version, maintaining the dish’s hearty essence while reducing carbohydrate content.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg