Ground Beef and Cabbage - A Sprinkling of Cayenne

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My ground beef and cabbage features stunning, multi-layered flavor surprises in each silky, perfectly seasoned bite, y’all!! A sophisticated dish made from the simplest of ingredients, this easy meal is one the whole family will agree on for dinner any night of the week. Yep and yay…

A green enameled cast iron skillet filled with ground beef and cabbage.

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Ground Beef and Cabbage is One-Pot Comfort Food Deliciousness

This ground beef and cabbage recipe features seasoned ground beef and salted cabbage simmered with chopped browned veggies, garlic, and chicken broth until super flavorful and incredibly tender. The dish is prepared in the traditional South Louisiana ‘smothering‘ style, where small amounts of liquid are added as the cabbage and ground beef cook down. This method concentrates the flavors of the dish into a lush, natural gravy. It also brings out the sweetness of the cabbage as it’s cooked to fall-apart tender in its own juices.

While in appearance very modest, just one bite of this hamburger meat and cabbage is enough to attest to its exceptional flavor profile!! The seasoned ground beef and melt-in-your-mouth tender cabbage have just a bit of sweet, rich, velvety broth in each forkful. So, not only do you get the solid sustenance, but you also get a warm, ultra-flavorful liquid finish! Indeed!!

A round white bowl filled with freshly made ground beef and cabbage alongside a dark green napkin and orange flowers.

What to Serve with Ground Beef and Cabbage

Ground beef and cabbage are one unforgettably delicious dinner of their own! However, you may want to stretch it by adding sides that help you feed more people or make the meal even heartier and more filling.

Freshly cooked white rice makes this ground beef and cabbage a very substantial meal with sky-high comfort food appeal.
Cajun cauliflower rice makes the meal cozier while still remaining lighter.
Cajun smothered yellow squash is also soft, perfectly seasoned deliciousness that pairs well with this main dish.
Roasted broccoli and cauliflower add more veggies to the mix, and are perfect for a low-key side you can whip up at the last minute.

Storage

Store the ground beef and cabbage leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Freezing

Freeze individual portions in small vacuum-sealed bags for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat. You can also use zippered freezer bags or airtight plastic or glass containers, but you may notice more changes in taste and texture than with vacuum-sealed bags.

Reheating

Reheat thawed leftovers in a preheated 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. You can also reheat the hamburger meat and cabbage leftovers in the microwave, stirring after every 45 seconds to ensure even reheating.

Faqs

Can you use purple cabbage instead of green cabbage?

I wouldn’t recommend substituting purple cabbage for green in this recipe. The taste and texture will not be the same, and the color runoff will dye the entire dish purplish red.

Can I use a bag of cole slaw mix instead of the shredded cabbage?

Yes, you can with great success. The extra veggies will make this more of a ground beef and cabbage stir fry, but it will still be just as delicious.

What can you substitute for the ground beef?

You can use ground turkey, chicken, or pork. You can also use any ground sausage you may have on hand. However, each protein will make the prepared dish taste a bit different from the intended ground beef and cabbage combination.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredients for ground beef and cabbage in bowls on a peachy pink background.

Lean ground beef is best for this recipe because you don’t have to drain it during cooking. That said, use what you have and drain the seasoned ground beef and veggies before adding the broth and cabbage, if necessary.
Fresh green cabbage is essential for the success of this dish. Thick-shredded or sliced cabbage works best here, but you can also use chopped green cabbage.
Chopped onion, green bell pepper, celery, and garlic are browned to enhance each bite of the finished dish with rich, smoky background flavors. Use all for the best results. However, use just onion and garlic in a pinch.
Worcestershire sauce brings the perfect salty, tangy, and earthy balance to the sweet cabbage in this recipe. Don’t have it on hand? Honestly, it’s an important ingredient in this recipe. So, it’s worth making a Walmart delivery order to ensure that the dish turns out exactly as intended.
Chicken broth smothers the cabbage while it cooks, soaking up all those unforgettable flavors and bringing essential moisture to the dish. You can substitute beef broth or vegetable broth if needed.

How to Make Ground Beef and Cabbage

To begin the recipe, sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and cayenne over the sliced cabbage.

Shredded raw cabbage with salt, black pepper, and cayenne on top.

Toss to combine.

Pour the Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley flakes, and paprika over the lean ground beef.

Paprika and dried parsley flakes over ground beef in a bowl.

Mix until well incorporated.

Now, pour the chopped onion, green bell pepper, celery, butter, and oil into a large skillet or pot.

Chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery in a skillet with butter and oil.

Cook the veggies until about halfway-browned.

Then, add the seasoned ground beef to the skillet.

Seasoned ground beef with veggies in a pan.

Cook until browned, then add the garlic.

Reduce the heat.

Garlic over browned meat and veggies in a skillet.

Next, add some of the broth.

Chicken broth being poured into the skillet while making ground beef and cabbage.

Then, add the seasoned shredded cabbage to the pan. Add in batches if needed.

Continue cooking until the cabbage is extremely tender, stirring often, and adding small amounts of chicken broth at a time throughout the remainder of the simmering process.

Seasoned shredded cabbage over browned ground beef and Cajun trinity veggies.

And that’s it, y’all!!

The flavors and textures of this ground beef and cabbage are nothing short of amazing!! They just pair together so well!!

From the tender, delicious ground beef to the melt-in-your-mouth cabbage, to the tiny bit of seasoned broth that lingers on your tongue at the finish, this meal truly has it ALL, y’all!! For sure!!

Share with those whose presence lifts your spirits just as much as their memory soothes your soul. Much food love, and see y’all on the yum side…

A closeup image of ground beef and cabbage in a skillet with a whole parsley leaf garnish in the top left corner.

More Comforting Cabbage Recipes

Ground beef and cabbage in a light green skillet.

For the Seasoned Cabbage

1 small green cabbage, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Seasoned Ground Beef

For the Ground Beef and Cabbage

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil or high-heat olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped or white onion
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 fresh celery ribs, trimmed of white parts and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic about 4 medium-sized cloves
2 cups chicken broth, divided into 4 ½-cup portions or beef broth

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Sprinkle the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over the shredded cabbage situated in the bottom of a large bowl. Mix until combined.
Pour the Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley flakes, and paprika over the lean ground beef, then stir until well incorporated.
Heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large cast iron Dutch oven or skillet.
Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, and celery to the pan.
Cook until the vegetables soften and the onions begin to brown.
Add the seasoned ground beef to the skillet, and stir to combine.
Cook until the veggies and ground beef are brown, then add the minced garlic and cook for one additional minute.
Reduce the heat to medium low.
Top the ground beef mixture with the raw, salted cabbage slices. (If you use a smaller skillet, you may have to add it in batches, then wait for it to wilt down into the mixture before adding more.)
Once the cabbage begins to cook down, stir the mixture until combined. Cook for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cabbage is extremely tender, stirring ¼ cup of the chicken broth into the skillet about every ten minutes.

Do not add the chicken broth all at once, or you will end up boiling the cabbage and losing much of the dish’s intended flavors. Therefore, add it in the small amounts stated in the recipe to ensure this ground beef and cabbage simmers until done, concentrating the flavors and yielding a super tender texture.
This dish is ready when you no longer smell the Worcestershire sauce while cooking it. This happens at about the 30-minute simmering mark, when all of the individual ingredients have combined into one distinctive flavor profile.
Make this recipe really easy by chopping all the veggies and slicing the cabbage the night before you plan to make the recipe. Then, store them in the fridge until use.

The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.

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