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My dump-and-bake cabbage casserole is everything you love about stuffed cabbage rolls with none of the rolling: tender cabbage, rice, and lentils baked in a tomato-y broth. We top it with a blended cottage cheese layer and melty mozzarella that make the whole thing creamy (and high protein!). Everything goes into one dish raw and the oven does the work.

A plate of baked lasagna with melted cheese on top, served with a fork. Bread and a small dish of chili flakes are visible in the background.
This dump-and-bake cabbage casserole is vegetarian, high in protein, and the lazy answer to cabbage rolls (that tastes anything but lazy).
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Cabbage rolls are one of those dishes I love eating and rarely have the patience to make (especially with a barnacle baby who never leaves my hip).

Blanching leaves, rolling filling, arranging everything just so: it’s a weekend project, not a Tuesday dinner. So I did what I always do with fussy classics and turned it into a dump-and-bake.

If you’ve made my vegetarian unstuffed pepper casserole, this is the cabbage roll version of that same move: raw rice, canned lentils, and vegetables all cooking together in one dish.

The Lazy Casserole That Tastes Like a Weekend Project

  • Everything goes in raw, no browning, blanching, or pre-cooking anything
  • Lentils bring the hearty, protein-rich filling that cabbage rolls usually get from meat
  • The blended cottage cheese layer bakes up creamy like ricotta with double the protein
A baked cheesy casserole is being served from a rectangular dish with a wooden spatula.
A serving of cheesy baked casserole with visible pasta, sauce, and melted cheese on a white plate, with a fork and bread on the side.

The Testing

Blending the cottage cheese with cornstarch
Cottage cheese spooned straight onto a casserole releases water and separates as it bakes. But blending with cornstarch changes everything: the cornstarch binds the moisture and the layer bakes up to be creamy and sliceable, closer to a lasagna’s ricotta layer than to melted cottage cheese.

Rice should be al dente after the first bake
The rice finishes cooking during the uncovered second bake, so it should still have a firm center when you pull the foil off.

The baking sheet on the bottom rack
Don’t skip! A baking sheet on the rack below catches drips before they burn onto the oven floor. Thirty seconds of prep that saves an hour of oven cleaning.

Assorted ingredients on a green surface, labeled: cabbage, onion, garlic, spices, corn starch, white rice, brown lentils, diced tomatoes, broth, mozzarella, and cottage cheese.

Key Ingredients

  • Cabbage: It shrinks dramatically as it cooks, so the dish will look overly full at first. For a rundown of which cabbage does what, my guide to the types of cabbage covers it all.
  • White rice: It cooks entirely in the broth and tomato juices. Don’t swap in brown rice without adjusting: it needs more liquid and a longer bake, and the cabbage will be very soft by the time it’s done.
  • Brown lentils: They stand in for the ground meat in classic cabbage rolls, bringing protein and a hearty, earthy texture!
  • Diced tomatoes: Don’t drain it. The liquid is part of what cooks the rice.
  • Cottage cheese: Blended with cornstarch before going on top. It makes the casserole taste so creamy and indulgent!
  • Mozzarella: Freshly grated and sprinkled over the cottage cheese layer for the final bake. Pre-shredded mozzarella contains anti-caking agents that keep it from melting into the same golden, bubbly finish.
A plate of cheesy baked pasta with a fork, next to a slice of bread and a bowl of red pepper flakes on a green tablecloth.
A baking dish filled with cheesy lasagna casserole, with one square piece being lifted out using a wooden spatula, makes for a comforting casserole recipe perfect for any meal.
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Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole (Vegetarian Dump & Bake)

By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
This vegetarian dump-and-bake cabbage casserole tastes like cabbage rolls without the work. Tender cabbage, lentils, rice, and a creamy, cheesy topping!

Ingredients 

  • ¾ cup white rice, 140
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth, heat before mixing, 360 mL
  • 1 medium head of cabbage, about 2 lbs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, 794 g
  • 1 15-oz can brown lentils, drained, 425 g
  • ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 24-oz tub whole milk cottage cheese, 680 g
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch, 16 g
  • 8 oz mozzarella, 227 g
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a large baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch potential drips. Heat 1 ½ cups vegetable broth in the microwave or on the stove until steaming.
  • Dump: Into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish, dump ¾ cup white rice, 1 ½ cups vegetable broth (heated), 1 medium head of cabbage (cut into bite-sized pieces), 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, 1 15-oz can brown lentils(drained), ½ medium yellow onion (finely diced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp ground black pepper.
    Stir to combine everything, then cover tightly with aluminum foil.
    A baking dish filled with chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes, lentils, minced garlic, white rice, onions, and various dried herbs and seasonings.
  • 1st Bake: Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until cabbage has begun to soften and rice is al dente (should still have a firm center but be partially cooked through).
    Casserole dish filled with baked cabbage, rice, tomatoes, and seasonings, viewed from above on a light-colored surface.
  • Cheese: Using a countertop or handheld blender, blend 1 24-oz tub whole milk cottage cheese and 2 Tbsp cornstarch until smooth.
    Pour blended cottage cheese mixture evenly over the casserole, spreading it into an even layer on top. Grate 8 oz mozzarella and sprinkle it over the dish.
    Casserole dish filled with an uncooked creamy mixture topped with a layer of shredded cheese.
  • 2nd Bake: Return pan to the oven, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese is melty and brown in spots and rice is cooked through.
    A baked casserole dish filled with a golden, bubbly layer of melted cheese, placed on a green surface next to an orange cloth and green glasses.

Notes

Can I use a different bean instead of lentils? Yes. A drained can of chickpeas or white beans works in the same quantity and adds a similar protein boost, though the texture will be firmer than lentils rather than soft and stew-like.
Can I make this ahead? Yes, up to the cheese step. Assemble the base through the first bake ingredients, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to a day before baking. Bring it to room temperature for 20 minutes before putting it in the oven, and add about 10 minutes to the first covered bake since it’s starting cold.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the full dish with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through.
This casserole freezes well after baking: cool completely, portion into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
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