Cabbage Roll Pasta Bake (Printer-Friendly)
Comforting cabbage roll flavors with beef, pasta, tomato sauce, and melted cheeses baked until golden.
# 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 (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 cup tomato sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
→ Dairy
09 - 1 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, to taste)
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Set oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a neutral oil or spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta two minutes less than package instructions indicate. Drain well and reserve.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until well browned and no pink remains, about 5 to 6 minutes.
05 - Incorporate chopped cabbage into the skillet. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until cabbage softens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried oregano, basil, smoked paprika, and sugar if using. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
07 - In a large mixing bowl, gently toss cooked pasta with beef-cabbage-tomato mixture and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix just until evenly distributed.
08 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Spoon evenly and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and all the grated Parmesan cheese.
09 - Cover dish tightly with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and lightly golden.
10 - Allow to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving to help set layers.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The melted cheese on top turns golden and bubbly, making each serving feel extra special, even if you're just cooking for yourself.
- You get robust flavors and cozy textures without rolling a single cabbage leaf—less work, more reward.
02 -
- Once I forgot to undercook my pasta and ended up with mush—trust me, take those two minutes off the package time.
- Add the cabbage when the beef is just cooked through, or it won't soften properly and will stay too crunchy.
03 -
- Mix the pasta and sauce gently so the shells stay whole and each bite gets that perfect ratio of cheese and filling.
- Bake covered first so everything steams together, then uncover for that irresistible cheese crust.