Cabbage Roll Pasta Bake Beef (Printable)
Comforting bake of pasta, ground beef and cabbage in a tangy tomato sauce, finished with melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 pound ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small head green cabbage, chopped (approximately 5 cups)
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
05 - 12 ounces small pasta shells or penne
→ Tomato Sauce
06 - 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
07 - 1 cup tomato sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
→ Dairy
09 - 1 and 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry/Seasonings
11 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional
16 - Salt, to taste
17 - Black pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5–6 minutes.
05 - Add chopped cabbage to the skillet and sauté until softened, 5–7 minutes.
06 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, and sugar if using. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
07 - In a large mixing bowl, gently combine cooked pasta, beef-cabbage mixture, and half of the mozzarella cheese.
08 - Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with remaining mozzarella and all of the Parmesan cheese.
09 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden.
10 - Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It’s the ultimate shortcut to all the flavor and nostalgia of cabbage rolls, but you never have to fuss with rolling anything.
- The cheesy, bubbly top is always the first thing to disappear at the table—and no one argues about seconds.
02 -
- The first time I rushed the resting step, hot cheese and sauce ran everywhere—you really do need those five minutes.
- Adding the herbs while simmering the sauce instead of just before baking made all the flavors taste more developed.
03 -
- Test a noodle before adding—slightly firmer pasta will soak up just the right amount of sauce as it bakes.
- A little smoked paprika gives a whisper of depth that keeps people guessing what’s in the sauce.