Ground Beef and Cabbage (Dirty Cabbage)

This easy ground beef and cabbage recipe is made with lean ground beef, tender cabbage, and a lightly saucy tomato base.

Course dinner

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Keyword ground beef cabbage

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 257

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 small yellow onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
½ cup low‑sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ head green cabbage, core removed and chopped into bite‑sized pieces (about 5-6 cups)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the Meat: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add the onion and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, and tomato paste. Cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the Liquids & Cabbage: Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine.
Add the chopped cabbage. Season with black pepper. Push the cabbage down so it’s mostly submerged in the sauce.
Simmer Until Tender: Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender but still has some structure and the sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.
Optional Topping: Chopped fresh parsley, sour cream (highly recommended!), or hot sauce.

Optional Topping: Chopped fresh parsley, sour cream (highly recommended!), and hot sauce.
Cabbage: As much as I love a cabbage slaw mix for convenience, you really do need to chop the cabbage yourself for this recipe, as the finely chopped slaw just melts and turns into mush.
Half a Cabbage: I know it’s annoying to only use half a cabbage for this recipe, but that’s what works best in terms of ratios. You can ask the produce person at your local grocery store to cut a cabbage in half for you though, and they are almost always happy to do it!
Cook Time: For best results, avoid overcooking the cabbage. However, I’ve found that cabbage texture is personal preference, so if you like a bite, cook according to instructions, and if you like it truly soft, keep going until it reaches the desired consistency.
Gluten-Free: Be sure to use a gf Worcestershire sauce.
With Rice: Try my top-rated ground beef cabbage rice casserole.