Cabbage Roll Casserole

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 lbs. 96% lean ground beef
• 1 large onion

  chopped
• 3 cloves garlic

  minced
• 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

  any flavor will work
• 14.5 oz. can tomatoes

  diced
• 1 cup matchstix carrots
• 2 ribs celery

  diced
• 1 leek

  green top removed, thoroughly washed and diced
• 1 bell pepper

  diced, any color
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/2 tsp. dill weed
• 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

  crushed red pepper flakes, or a few shakes of hot sauce, or Sriracha sauce
• 2 cups Cooked rice
• 4 bacon strips

  cooked and crumbled into bite-sized pieces
• 1 medium cabbage

  chopped or shredded (4 cups)
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese

  shredded
• 4 oz. monterey jack cheese

  shredded

Instructions

• 1 Preheat oven to 375°.
• 2 In large skillet, brown beef, leeks and onion over medium heat, until beef is no
  longer pink.
• 3 Add carrots, bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook a few minutes longer.
• 4 Add half of the spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings.
• 5 Cover with lid and bring mixture to a boil.
• 6 Reduce heat and simmer about 5-10 minutes, until veggies are fork tender.
• 7 Meanwhile, fry bacon in another skillet until done but not scorched.
• 8 Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; crumble bacon into pieces
  when cool.
• 9 Add bacon and rice to skillet with ground beef and stir to combine.
• 10 Set aside.
• 11 Grease a 9x13” glass baking dish.
• 12 Layer one-third of the cabbage in bottom of dish.
• 13 Add half of the beef/rice mixture.
• 14 Layer with another third of the shredded cabbage.
• 15 Pour remaining beef mixture over top.
• 16 Sprinkle remaining cabbage over top and pour remaining spaghetti sauce over top
  of cabbage.
• 17 Bake at 375° about 45 minutes until casserole is bubbly and heated through.
• 18 Sprinkle mozzarella & Monterey cheeses over top.
• 19 Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes longer.
• 20 Remove from oven and allow casserole to sit 5 minutes to set up before serving.

Nutrition Info