Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 cups chopped cabbage
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked instant rice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Place the cabbage in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the rice, salt if desired, and pepper; spoon over cabbage.
2. Combine soup and water; pour over beef mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes or until rice and cabbage are tender. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Substitutions

This is such a versatile recipe! Prepare a vegetarian version using plant-based meat crumbles instead of ground beef. You can also use ground turkey in place of beef, or quinoa instead of rice.