Cabbage and ground beef is a one-pot, 20-minute, easy, and delicious meal. Bonus: It’s also high in protein and fiber, gluten-free, and low carb!
Some of the best recipes happen when you least expect them to! The day I made this, I planned to make an egg roll in a bowl, but didn’t have several of the things I needed. After rummaging around in my pantry, I decided to go with Southwest flavors, and now my cabbage and ground beef skillet is on regular rotation in our house!
One of the things I love about this dish is how versatile it is. As I said above, this was supposed to be something different. By changing the condiments and seasonings, I made something completely new that my family loved. You can serve it as-is or over rice to stretch it.
It’s high in protein, and the coleslaw mix adds fiber and volume. Why do we care about volume? High-volume, lower-calorie ingredients like coleslaw stretch a dish without packing on the calories. This is one of the reasons why a bag of coleslaw is always in my refrigerator. I love adding it to chicken salad. Not only does it add a delightful crunch, but it also stretches to feed more people!
Cabbage And Ground Beef Skillet
Why We Love It
- One pan. Who doesn’t love that you can make an entire meal in one pan?
- High protein. This simple meal averages out to 28 grams of protein per serving!
- Budget-friendly. Bagged coleslaw makes this a budget-friendly meal!
- Quick. From start to finish, you can enjoy this in about 20 minutes!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredients in my cabbage and ground beef skillet are simple. I provide suitable swaps under “variations and ingredient substitutions” below.
- Coleslaw. A couple of bags of store-bought coleslaw make this meal quick and easy. Feel free to chop a head of cabbage if that’s all you have. I’ve done that many times myself. The bags I buy are smaller, so I use two, which equals 16 ounces.
- Ground beef. I use lean ground beef for this recipe, so there’s no draining involved, and I can keep all the flavors in one pan. Any ground meat you like will work.
- Salsa. It’s one of my favorite shortcut ingredients. It has tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, and seasonings, so it does a lot of the work for you while adding a ton of flavor. I use roasted salsa verde in this because it adds a delightful smokiness and tang to the dish. Any roasted salsa will work!
- Seasonings. Seasonings are your best friend in the kitchen, especially when preparing quick meals. Choosing ingredients with a big flavor like roasted salsa, smoked paprika, and earthy oregano can transform a simple meal like cabbage and ground beef from bland to flavorful and delicious!
- Cheese. Again, I’m choosing a cheese with a lot of flavor so it comes through in our dish. I always suggest buying blocks and shredding them yourself, so the cheese is cellulose and starch-free.
- Red onions and scallions. I like to cook the red onion with the beef and use the scallion tops for garnish. Save the white part to cook with. If all you have is one or the other, that’s fine. You could cook the white part of the scallion with the ground beef and garnish with the dark green tops. If all you have is red onion, follow the recipe and skip garnishing with scallions.
- Olive oil. Since I used lean ground beef, I needed a bit of olive oil, but if you’re using more fatty meat, like 80/20, plenty of fat will be rendered out of the ground beef. If you have an excessive amount in the pan, you can soak the extra up with paper towels or drain some out.
How To Make Cabbage And Ground Beef
This can be ready to enjoy in about 20 minutes! As always, detailed instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Start by placing a large, nonstick skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
- Add olive oil, ground beef, and seasoning when the pan is hot.
- When there is no more visible pink in the beef, add the red onion.
- Cook the beef and onion mixture until the beef is lightly browned and has crispy edges.
- Add the salsa, stir to combine, and cook that mixture for about one minute.
- Add the coleslaw to the pan, stir to combine, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. *see tips
- Taste and adjust the salt.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top, cover the pan, and lower the heat.
- The cheese should be melted after two or three minutes, and you’re ready to serve.
- Garnish with scallions and crushed red pepper for an extra pop of heat.
Pro tip. One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing people cook in a pan or a casserole dish that’s too small! It takes the same time to wash a larger skillet as a smaller one, so make your life easier by using the larger one. You can see in the picture that I changed the pans because the one I started in was too small to add the second bag of coleslaw. Also, by not crowding the pan, you’ll get a better sear on the meat, and any moisture coming out of the coleslaw can cook off. When you crowd your pan, your ingredients steam and boil instead of brown.
Helpful Tips
- My cabbage and ground beef skillet goes quickly, so I like having everything ready. This is almost always the case when I cook, and I urge you to do the same. Most recipes go smoothly, but when they don’t, you’ll be grateful that you don’t have to stop and chop an onion or grate garlic. Having everything ready to go and in place will make your cooking experience much less stressful. The fancy French term for this is “Mise en place,” meaning “everything in its place”.
- When cooking the cabbage, I turn the heat up and almost stir-fry the mixture for three to four minutes. The higher heat cooks off any moisture the cabbage releases. We like ours to be tender but not mushy.
- Another way to add flavor and texture to simple meals is to get some good color on ground meat. We call this crispy beef in my house, and my husband loves it. To make crispy beef, cook your ground beef longer than usual. Instead of pale and dull-cooked ground beef, you’ll have caramelized, crispy deliciousness! It adds flavor and texture, and it does make a difference!
Variations and Ingredient Substitutions
- We like to serve my cabbage and ground beef just as it is for a high-protein, low-carb meal, but it’s delicious over rice, too. That’s also a great way to stretch the meal for less than a dollar.
- As mentioned above, you could take the flavor profile in many directions. Don’t like Southwest flavors and want to make this more like an egg roll in a bowl? Swap the salsa and Southwest seasonings for garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and Sriracha.
- If you don’t have bagged coleslaw and all you have is a head of cabbage, shred or chop it and save yourself a trip to the store. I say this all the time, but to save time and money, don’t run to the store for one ingredient when you can make something you already have work. If you have any other vegetables like carrots or celery, add them if you like them!
- I almost added a can of black beans to this, and I think I will next time. That would be another great way to stretch the meal cheaply while adding extra protein and fiber!
How To Store
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated in the microwave or over low heat on the stovetop. I do not recommend freezing this, as the cabbage’s texture will suffer.
How To Make This More Budget-Friendly
- Stocking up on your most-used items is the best way to save money. I had two jars of salsa and plenty of cheddar cheese for this recipe because I bought extra when they were BOGO at Publix. I stocked up on ground beef when it was $4.99 a pound. Lately, I’ve been loving the bagged coleslaw at Target. It’s always super fresh, and the everyday price is $.98 a bag, making this an incredibly affordable meal!
If you’ve tried my cabbage and ground beef skillet or any recipe on my site, please leave a comment below!
Check out our vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, and low-carb recipes if you have food sensitivities! |
More Recipes You May Like
- High Protein Chicken Salad | Healthy Meal Prep
- Greek Shrimp Salad | Simple 15 Minute Recipe
- Italian Cannellini Bean Salad | 10 Minute Recipe
- Veggie Egg Bake | High Protein Meal Prep
- Foolproof Butter & Lemon Baked Rice Recipe
- Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe | Plus 25 Ways To Use It
If you try this recipe, I'd love to know! Comment below or tag me on Instagram. Be sure to sign up for my email list so you don’t miss out on anything new. Thanks so much for being here, friends! |
Save This Cabbage And Ground Beef To Pinterest
Cabbage And Ground Beef Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 8-ounce bags of coleslaw
- 1 pound ground beef (I used lean)
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (tops only)
- 1 cup roasted salsa verde
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Redmond real salt
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Place a large, nonstick skillet on the stove at medium-high heat.
- Add olive oil, ground beef, and seasoning when the pan is hot.
- When there is no more visible pink in the beef, add the red onion.
- Cook the beef and onion mixture until the beef is lightly browned.
- Add the salsa, stir well, and cook for about one minute.
- Add the coleslaw to the pan and stir well to combine.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how you like your cabbage.
- Taste and adjust the salt.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top, cover the pan, and lower the heat.
- The cheese should be melted after two or three minutes.
- Garnish with the scallions and serve.
Notes
How To Store
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated in the microwave or on low heat on the stovetop. I do not recommend freezing this, as the cabbage’s texture will suffer.
Nutrition
You May Also Like:
High Protein Chicken Salad | Healthy Meal Prep
Veggie Egg Bake | High Protein Meal Prep
Italian Chicken Sausage Recipe
Leftover Pulled Pork Bowl With Cottage Cheese
Chicken Dip Recipe | Healthy & High Protein
4-Ingredient Chicken Salad With Ranch
Italian Sausage Rice Recipe | Easy One Pan Meal
Best Way To Meal Prep Chicken For Quick Meals
Leave a Reply