Cabbage Roll Pasta Bake Tomato Sauce Beef (Printable version)
Comforting flavors of classic cabbage rolls in an easy, cheesy pasta bake with hearty beef and tangy tomato sauce.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 small head green cabbage, chopped (about 5 cups)
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Pasta
05 - 12 oz small pasta shells or penne
→ Tomato Sauce
06 - 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
07 - 1 cup tomato sauce
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Dairy
09 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
10 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Pantry and Seasonings
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried basil
14 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
16 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
04 - Add ground beef; cook until browned, breaking apart with a spoon, about 5-6 minutes.
05 - Stir in chopped cabbage and sauté until softened, 5-7 minutes.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil, smoked paprika, and sugar if using. Simmer 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
07 - Combine cooked pasta, beef-cabbage mixture, and half the mozzarella in a large bowl. Mix gently.
08 - Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella and all the Parmesan cheese.
09 - Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes.
10 - Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden.
11 - Rest 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the nostalgic comfort of stuffed cabbage rolls without the tedious rolling work
- The pasta absorbs all those sweet tomato-cabbage juices as it bakes
02 -
- Undercooking the pasta is crucial since it continues cooking in the sauce
- The cabbage releases water as it cooks, naturally thinning the sauce
03 -
- Cut your cabbage into uniform pieces so everything cooks evenly
- Let the sauce simmer uncovered if it seems too thin after adding cabbage