This Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole is the easiest way to enjoy all the flavors of traditional Polish Halupkie without rolling a single cabbage leaf. Everything cooks together in the crockpot for a hearty, comforting unstuffed cabbage roll casserole that’s ready in about 4 hours. It’s a family favorite, budget-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights!
Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole
Cabbage Rolls were a big deal in my house growing up. My mom is Polish, so her recipe was passed down through generations and quickly became one of my all-time favorite comfort meals. Just like my Polish Cabbage Rolls, my Baked Cabbage Roll Casserole, and my Creamy Cabbage Casserole, this dish is another one of Mom’s famous recipes that my family loves. And the best part? This Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole gives you all the same cozy flavors of traditional cabbage rolls in an easy, hands-off crockpot version that’s ready in about 4 hours.
My mom’s original halupkie always started with tender cabbage leaves filled with ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce, rolled up tightly, and left in the fridge overnight to let the flavors develop before our Sunday dinner. Just the smell of cabbage still takes me right back to my childhood kitchen. This unstuffed cabbage roll casserole is a direct spin on her classic Halupkie recipe—only we’re turning it into a simple, hearty crockpot cabbage roll casserole that skips the rolling but keeps every bit of that nostalgic, comforting flavor.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Great for meal prep. Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.
- All the flavor of traditional cabbage rolls without the rolling. This unstuffed version gives you the classic Halupkie taste with a fraction of the effort.
- Easy slow cooker recipe. Just mix, dump, and let the crockpot do the work—perfect for busy days.
- Family-loved comfort food. Inspired by my mom’s Polish recipe and passed down through generations.
- Budget-friendly ingredients. Cabbage, ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce make a hearty meal without breaking the bank.
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Slow Cooker Cabbage Roll Casserole
PrintIngredients
- 1 pound raw ground beef
- 1 medium size head of cabbage chopped
- 1 medium sized green pepper chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 15 Oz can of diced or stewed tomatoes undrained
- 2 15 Oz cans of tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup uncooked white rice (not instant)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except white rice in slow cooker. Stir good to combine. Cook on high for 1 hour. Add rice, stir, and cook on high for 3 more hours. Serve in bowls.
Lorraine Runstedler says
Awe so sorry for Matthew – Hope he heals quickly!! – was just talking about your cabbage rolls yesterday with a friend – then, you sent this one – OMG, what timing – I bought a Savoy cabbage yesterday – after clicking , also saw your cabbage casserole recipe – sounds very similar, so will be making the oven version – I have a lot of time on my hands (live alone) love your recipes and take care over there – Get well Matthew
Nat says
What can be used as a substitute for the beef bouillon?
Pamela Reed says
You can use 1 tablespoon soy sauce + 1/2 teaspoon onion powder + 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, this will give it a similar taste.
Nat says
Can I just eliminate the beef bouillon?
Pamela Reed says
Yes, you can eliminate the beef bouillon, but the dish will lose a bit of it’s rich taste.
Marsha Gainey says
This recipe made a lot. It was easy to prepare and very filling. It’s not attractive but it’s a great, cheap, hands-off recipe.
Kathryn Janis says
I’m going to try this tonight for dinner. I wanted to make an easy cabbage roll dinner and this is a easy as I could find with my busy live
Hannah Schu says
Can I make this and freeze leftovers?
Pamela says
Absolutely!
Anna obright says
Can this be made meatless?
Gail McKelvey says
This looks so good! Just what I have been looking for!
Do you have any suggestions on how to convert a raw white rice casserole to crock pot? The original recipe says 1.5 hr or longer to get rice tender and has a 2 to 1 ratio of rice and liquid along with ground beef, onions, celery & peas. I want to take to a pot luck next week. Thank you!!
Cindy says
Could you make it without the worcestershire sauce?
Pamela says
Yes, you can skip it if you’d like.
Lisa R says
Husband made this tonight & we LOVED it. I’m in an arm cast & he’s the cook for now. We love cabbage & hamburger dishes. Of the half dozen + we’ve tried, this is by far the best. Needed no tweaking!
Sam Fiolek says
What is the calorie count per cup of these lazy man cabbage rolls in a slow cooker
Kelly says
Very little, cabbage and tomatoes are next to nothing, hamburger has some. I’m diabetic and watch what I eat and I can eat this and not have my sugar spike.
Stacie says
Can this be cooked on low?
Pamela says
Hey Stacie, absolutely! Enjoy the casserole!
Lisa says
Have you cooked it on low? if so, for how long please?
Mimihelendamota says
Can’t wait to try this recipe
Pamela says
Enjoy! 🙂
Grace says
Love this dish! Thank you for the recipe.
Grace says
Making this today! Would it be ok to add sugar or brown sugar for a sweeter taste?
Pamela says
Absolutely, you can add in 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar. That will taste great with the tomato sauce. 🙂
Grace says
Hi again. I accidentally bought ready made rice. Can I still use thus but add at the end?
Pamela says
Hey Grace, that would be fine. You can also make the rice separately and serve the cabbage on top. Enjoy!
Sue Gruszka says
This recipe is amazing. I always thought it was so much work to stuff the raw cabbage and then they never held together. Thank you for sharing your great cooking ideas recipes.
Bonnie says
Bonnie again…seems I forgot to say it’s the lazy man cabbage for slowcooker
Bonnie says
Hello…trying this recipe and didn’t have I enough tomato sauce.
Want to know if I can use tomatoe soup
Don Stowe says
Can you sub beef broth for the bouillon? I don’t have bouillon. How much beef broth?
Pamela says
Hey Don, the beef bouillon is powder that mixes with the other wet ingredients. If you can’t get bouillon, I would just leave it out all together as adding broth will be too much liquid.
Rick says
Easy great tasting recipe! I just love using cabbage when I can in recipes. Thank you so much for what you do!
Pamela says
Hey Rick, I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe. Thanks for commenting! 🙂
Chelsey says
Can I use jasmine rice instead of white rice
Pamela says
Hey Chelsey, you sure can! Enjoy the casserole!
Noelani says
Halupkie in the crock pot- this recipe is Amazing! Great flavor! Did not have green pepper so subbed jalapeño, also cooked rice on the side, turned out really really good. So simple & easy. Will definitely add this to the repertoire
Helen says
Hi Pamela,
I was just wondering if you can make this recipe ahead with the raw ingredients or cooked & freeze it?
Beth says
So happy I stumbled across your recipes! Polish girl right here and grew up on mom’s stuffed cabbage! In crock pot now. Can’t wait to enjoy it! Thank you!
Pamela says
Hey Beth, so nice to see you here! Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Paula says
Haven’t tried the recipe yet but I will. Sounds great. I have made a unstuffed cabbage recipe in my electric fry pan. I used savoy cabbage. It’s thinner and cooks faster. Think it will work well in this recipe. I also make the rice separately and serve the cabbage over the rice.
Pamela says
That sounds delicious Paula, thanks for sharing!
Mary Becker says
I want to cook this on low for 6 hrs when should I add the rice?
Jan says
With a surplus of freshly ground sausage and all of the other ingredients on hand, I went ahead and made this dish. I did cook the sausage before throwing it into the crockpot. It was fabulous! This is going into my regular meal rotation.
Pamela says
Hey Jan, I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe and now it will be a regular in your kitchen! Thanks for commenting!
Double Delicious! says
Next time I will double this recipe because my family loved it so much! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Jo Ann says
I made this with hot italian sausage. I also did not have a can of stewed tomatoes but had the sauce, so I improvised with about a cup of beef broth to make up for the liquid. It was delicious. My husband loved it! For those that are saying the cabbage came out crunchy, try shredding it instead of just chopping it. Thank you so much for this wonderfully simple recipe!
darlene jones says
My mom didn’t do it in the crock pot. she cut the cAbbage up and put it in a dutch over with all the other ingredients but used tomato soup and brown sugar and lemon juice. covered it and put it in the oven till done. I’m going to try this recipe in the crock pot. I love it.