Unstuffed German Cabbage Rolls | Easy Skillet Kohlrouladen
I love making my German cabbage rolls but don’t always have the time for them. Enter my easy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls that I like to call Kohlrouladenpfanne (literally: cabbage rolls skillet).
This is the kind of recipe that I have made countless times when I wanted something quick, easy, delicious, and hearty. Now you get all the flavor of German cabbage rolls – without rolling. Ground beef, cabbage, tomato paste, and some sour cream, ready in 30 minutes in one pot.
When I first showed it on social media, people asked me for the recipe all the time. What’s funny, though, is that my recipe really is the basis that invites you to make your own version. You can watch me make it in my video Why I Never Meal Plan.
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What makes this Cabbage Rolls Skillet special
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Onion: Regular onions are what I use, but you can also use sweet onions or leeks.
- Ground Beef: The main ingredient but ground pork or ground turkey would work well, too.
- Green Cabbage: You can use regular green, Chinese cabbage, or heirloom varieties.
- Bouillon: I love using Better Than Bouillon but any stock or broth works.
- Tomato Paste: No tomato paste? Simpy use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes.
- Sour Cream: It lends a creamy, slightly tart taste to the final dish. I typically make my own sour cream but of course, store-bought is great, or even sweet cream.
- Oil, Salt, Pepper: I love using my own tallow or any high-heat frying oil and common seasoning.
Helpful Tools
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⭐️ Anja’s Tips For Success
- Since you’re only using a few ingredients, I recommend using the highest quality ingredients you can find.
- Simmer it only until the cabbage is tender; otherwise, it may become mushy.
- Stir in the sour cream after you take the pot off the heat to prevent it from curdling.
- Adjust the taste right before serving. You can add a bit more salt, some soy sauce, a splash of apple cider vinegar, or even your favorite hot sauce.
Don’t fret about exact amounts; this is a base recipe, so make it your own with what’s in your fridge.
How To Make This Cabbage Rolls Skillet
⭐️ This is a summary of the steps involved. For the complete instructions, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
- Add the ground beef and sauté it until brown.
- Add the chopped cabbage and sauté everything for 5 minutes.
- Add the bouillon and tomato paste. Mix everything well.
- Cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add sour cream, salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings to taste.
How To Serve Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
As with most German meat dishes, this is perfect served over boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, Spätzle (German egg noodles), rice, or even alongside crusty bread.
Serving it with a light soup as an appetizer and a green salad on the side makes this a complete meal, just how you would find it in Germany.
How Long Does It Last?
You can easily make this ahead of time and reheat it later. I recommend keeping any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Yes. Ground beef is what I use most, but ground pork or ground turkey work well, too.
Yes, but use less bouillon. If the sauce turns out too runny, you can thicken it with a little flour.
Stir it in after you take the pot off the heat to prevent it from curdling. It gives the dish a creamy, slightly tart taste.
Boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, Spätzle (German egg noodles), rice, or crusty bread. Add a light soup and a green salad for a complete German-style meal.
Yes. Freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. In the refrigerator, leftovers keep for up to 5 days.
Unstuffed German Cabbage Rolls (Easy Skillet Kohlrouladen)
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound green cabbage
- 1 TBSP oil
- 1 cup bouillon
- 2 TBSP tomato paste
- 2 TBSP sour cream
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel and dice the onion.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion. Sauté until translucent.
- Add the ground beef, break it into smaller pieces, and sauté until almost cooked.
- Remove outer leaves from the cabbage. Cut the cabbage into strips or squares. Add them to the beef-onion mixture. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the bouillon and tomato paste, stir well, cover the skillet with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the sour cream and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
- this recipe is very flexible – you can use more or less cabbage and adjust the amounts of the ingredients to your liking
- you can also use tomato sauce instead of tomato paste but then decrease the amount of bouillon (if it turns out too runny, you can thicken the sauce with some flour)
- you can also add some caraway seeds
- you can sprinkle the final dish with some chopped fresh parsley
- serve this over boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes, Spätzle (German egg noodles), or rice
Nutrition
Other German Dinner Recipes You Might Like
- Easy German Cabbage Rolls (Kohlrouladen)
- German Hamburgers (Frikadellen)
- German Meatloaf (Hackbraten)
- German Braised Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)
