Low Carb Keto Cabbage Rolls Recipe Without Rice

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See how to make cabbage rolls without rice that are just as delicious! This easy, whole30, low carb keto cabbage rolls recipe is comfort food reimagined.

By Maya on January 3, 2020

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The full ingredients and instructions are on the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll or jump to the recipe card, don't miss the HELPFUL RECIPE TIPS in the post itself!

Keto cabbage rolls on a plate Detail: low-carb-keto-cabbage-rolls-recipe-without-rice-9

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It’s a classic reinvented! My keto cabbage rolls recipe utilizes cauliflower rice, and makes these low carb cabbage rolls without rice just as satisfying as the original version. Make a big batch of these keto stuffed cabbage rolls for a warm and cozy winter dinner. It’s a classic for a reason!

How To Make Keto Cabbage Rolls

This keto stuffed cabbage rolls recipe has a fair amount of steps, but it’s nothing too hard or complicated!

Here’s how to make keto stuffed cabbage rolls:

Cook the cabbage and peel away the leaves. We need to soften the cabbage leaves so that we can stuff and roll them. They just need to boil until soft, then you can let them cool and peel them. To peel, flip the head of cabbage over and use a knife to cut them away from the core. Then, gently peel the leaves by sliding your hand between the outer leaf and the cabbage inside. The leaves may break if you just try to peel away, so sliding your hand in between helps to avoid this.

TIP: If you find that the inner leaves aren’t soft enough to peel away without breaking, simply peel off the softened outer leaves and boil the remaining inner cabbage for a few more minutes until soft.

Make cauliflower rice. Stir fry the cauliflower rice for a few minutes to soften it up. Here’s a full guide for how to cook cauliflower rice if you need a refresher.
Make cabbage roll recipe filling (without rice, of course). In a large bowl, combine ground beef, diced tomatoes, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined. Then, stir in the cooked cauliflower rice.

NOTE: Unlike traditional cabbage rolls that sometimes use uncooked rice, we cook the cauliflower rice first. This prevents the mixture from getting too watery later during baking.

Prep keto stuffed cabbage rolls baking dish. Spread some tomato sauce into a large baking casserole dish.
Assemble keto stuffed cabbage rolls. Cut a “V” shape in each cabbage leaf to remove the firm stem – this allows the cabbage rolls to roll easily. Place some of the beef mixture into a log shape at the end of a cabbage leaf.

Fold in the sides, then roll up like a burrito…

Place the rolls into the baking dish. Place cabbage roll, seam side down, into the baking dish. Repeat to make 12 rolls.

Add more sauce on top.

Bake best cabbage roll recipe. Spoon the remaining sauce over cabbage rolls, cover dish tightly with foil, and bake until cooked through.

Are Cabbage Rolls Low Carb?

Yes, this healthy cabbage rolls without rice recipe is low carb. Most cabbage rolls recipes are not low carb as they are made with rice.

We swapped out the rice in these low carb cabbage rolls with cauliflower rice. Such an easy swap and it makes cabbage rolls on keto totally doable!

How Many Carbs In Cabbage Rolls Without Rice?

Each serving of low carb stuffed cabbage rolls has 10 grams net carbs (that’s for 2 of them). While this is on the higher side for a keto meal, it’s doable for most people aiming for 20-30 grams per day, and is very filling.

There are 481 calories in cabbage rolls without rice. They are keto, low carb, paleo, and whole30!

Can You Make Low Carb Cabbage Rolls Ahead?

Yes, you can make this keto cabbage rolls recipe ahead of time. There are a few options. You can prep the components, and then assemble right before baking, or you can assemble the entire pan of easy keto cabbage rolls and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Bake as directed.

You can also freeze these keto friendly stuffed cabbage rolls…

Can You Freeze Cabbage Rolls Without Rice

Yes, you can definitely freeze this stuffed cabbage rolls recipe! After assembling the keto stuffed cabbage rolls, but before the final baking step, let cool and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Then freeze for 2-3 months.

When ready to serve, let thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed. If it’s still a bit frozen, you may need to add a little cooking time to ensure the beef is cooked through.

Freezing leftovers after baking is perfectly fine too. Just reheat and eat!

What To Serve With Keto Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This low carb cabbage roll recipe doesn’t need much on the side, but I do love to serve it with some low carb keto bread to sop up the sauce! Here are a few to try:

Low Carb Coconut Flour Bread – This is a great nut-free option for low carb bread!
90 Second Bread – If you forgot about the bread…no worries! This one comes together in just a few minutes!
Low Carb Garlic Bread – The ultimate side dish and you can pack in even MORE vegetables into this meal.
5-Ingredient Paleo Bread – This bread is always a big hit, it’s similar to a classic white bread.

More Keto Cabbage Recipes

If you like these low carb stuffed cabbage rolls, you’ll also love these other low carb cabbage recipes

Keto Cabbage Casserole – Very similar, but in casserole form and a bit faster prep time since you don’t have to roll up the cabbage rolls.
Roasted Cabbage Steaks – A super easy way to enjoy cabbage, grilled or roasted!
Asian Cabbage Salad – So refreshing, plus it stores very well.
Keto Corned Beef & Cabbage – An all-in-one meal in your pressure cooker, great for holidays or weeknights.

Tools To Make Keto Cabbage Rolls:

Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.

Large Pot – You’ll need a pot big enough to fully submerge a head of cabbage for your keto diet cabbage rolls.
Ceramic Baking Dish – Make and serve this cabbage rolls keto recipe in the same dish! I love this ceramic one as it bakes well and looks great on the table.