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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowMy Keto Cabbage Rolls Taste Like The Classic Without The Carbs
I make these keto cabbage rolls when I’m craving the classic version I grew up with, but want something a little lighter. My grandma made ones similar to my regular cabbage rolls recipe, and I just tweaked it a bit to create these cabbage rolls without rice — using cauliflower rice instead. Here’s why these low carb cabbage rolls don’t miss a thing:
- Savory, cozy filling – The beef mixture is rich, garlicky, and packed with flavor, a bit like my keto meatloaf. It bakes up tender and juicy inside the cabbage leaves, with saucy marinara to top it off.
- Just like the classic, but keto friendly – Each roll has just 4 grams net carbs, so you can fit them into your macros even if you have a few. These keto cabbage rolls are naturally gluten free and dairy free, too.
- Easy to make – The steps are simple, and so are the ingredients. It does take some time to assemble the rolls, though, so if you want an even easier option, try my cabbage roll casserole instead.
- Perfect for weeknight meals – These are perfect for easy keto dinners during the week. I’ve also got meal prep options below if you want to make them ahead!
If you love cozy, beefy dinners and are following a low carb lifestyle, you need to add these keto cabbage rolls to your rotation. Make them with me!
“We loved this low carb cabbage roll recipe. The meat is so moist. My mom comes from a village in Ontario, Canada, where this Polish dish is very popular, and even she loved this recipe. So thank you for sharing this carb-friendly recipe.”
-Elise
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my keto cabbage rolls recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Cabbage – You’ll need 12 cabbage leaves, so pick up the largest, sturdiest head of cabbage you can find. I use the big leaves for this recipe, and usually meal prep the smaller leaves for sauteed cabbage or cabbage stir fry later.
- Ground Beef – I prefer 85/15 ground beef because it stays juicy without being too greasy, but any kind you like is fine. You can also use ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or ground sausage.
- Cauliflower Rice – The keto friendly swap! I usually cook fresh cauliflower rice, but bagged frozen cauli rice works, too.
- Canned Tomatoes (2 types) – I use diced tomatoes for moisture and a subtle tangy flavor in the meat filling, and tomato sauce for the bottom of the dish + topping. You can use the same type for both, but I liked the texture best with this combo. If you want, you can use marinara sauce for even more flavor.
- Egg – To bind the meat and rice mixture inside these low carb cabbage rolls.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic has the best flavor, but feel free to use 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic for convenience.
- Spices – Simply Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper.
How To Make Keto Cabbage Rolls
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Soften the cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the cabbage just until the leaves are tender and flexible. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the cauliflower rice like this. Unlike traditional cabbage rolls that often use uncooked rice, I cook the cauli rice first! This prevents the mixture from getting too watery later during baking.
- Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, diced tomatoes, egg, garlic, and spices. Gently mix, then fold in the cooked cauliflower rice.
- Prep the cabbage leaves. Carefully separate the cabbage leaves. I cut them off the base first, then cut a “V” shape in each cabbage leaf to remove the firm stem – this allows the low carb cabbage rolls to roll easily.
- Assemble the rolls. Spread some of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. 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 cabbage roll, seam side down, into the baking dish. Repeat to make 12 rolls. Add more sauce on top.
- Bake. Cover dish tightly with foil, and pop in the oven. I like to serve these keto cabbage rolls with a low carb bread option to soak up extra sauce. Try my cauliflower breadsticks, keto garlic bread, or a slice of 90-second bread!
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t overmix the filling. I mix just until combined, so the beef stays tender and doesn’t turn dense.
- The cabbage leaves are fragile, so remove them gently. I flip the cabbage over and cut around the core, then gently slide my fingers between the layers to release the leaves.
- The leaves on the outside will be very soft and easier to peel, but the inside ones might need to boil for longer. If they are too firm and crisp to bend, I just return the partially peeled cabbage to boiling water for a couple more minutes to soften.
- Use the largest leaves first, and the smaller ones only if you run out of big ones. The largest ones are easier to roll up. For the smaller ones, I usually overlap two of them to fit the filling.
- Don’t forget to trim the thick center rib from each leaf. That’s the V shape you see in my picture above. Cutting this out helps the leaves roll more easily, otherwise they tend to snap at that thick rib area.
- I recommend about 1/3 cup of filling per roll, but it depends on the size of your cabbage leaves. Make sure they can roll up well, with plenty of leaf area wrapping all sides. If they’re too full, they won’t stay closed while baking.
- These keto cabbage rolls are ready when the beef is cooked through, but they don’t overcook easily. That’s because there’s steam circulating inside and plenty of sauce. So, for this recipe, I usually go by timing and don’t need to measure the internal temperature.
Keto Cabbage Rolls
My low carb, keto cabbage rolls taste just like the classic, but without rice. A comforting family dinner with just 4g net carbs each!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the head of cabbage into the boiling water, immersing fully. Boil for 5-8 minutes, just until the leaves are soft enough to bend. They will turn bright green and the outer leaves might come off, which is okay and you can fish them out.
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Remove the cabbage from the boiling water. Set aside to cool. Leave the hot water in the pot for now, you might need it again later when peeling the cabbage leaves.
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In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, diced tomatoes, egg, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined, but don't over-mix. Fold in the cooked cauliflower rice. Set aside.
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Spread half the tomato sauce in a large baking dish. Set aside.
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Carefully peel the leaves from the cabbage. To do this, flip cabbage over so core side is up, and cut the leaves one-by-one from the core, then carefully peel (they are fragile). Instead of peeling leaves back, slide your fingers between the layers of cabbage to release them. The leaves on the outside will be very soft and easier to peel, but inside they may be firmer. If they are too firm and crisp to bend, you can return the partially peeled cabbage to boiling water for a couple more minutes to soften more.
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Cut the thick rib from the center of each cabbage leaf, cutting in a "V" shape. Place 1/3 cup (67 grams) beef mixture into a log shape at one end of a cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides, then roll up, like a burrito. Place the cabbage roll, seam side down, into the baking dish over the sauce. Repeat to make 12 cabbage rolls. (If the inner leaves are too small, you may need to use two to overlap them to fit the filling.)
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Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour, or until the beef is cooked through.
Did You Like It?
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Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 cabbage rolls
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you assemble your keto cabbage rolls easily and get juicy, tender results.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Meal prep & freezing: See my meal prep options below for different ways to make these ahead.
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Keto Cabbage Rolls
Meal Prep Options
- Store in the fridge: Assemble the keto cabbage rolls, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 1-2 days before baking. When ready, just pop in the oven.
- Freeze before baking: Assemble the low carb cabbage rolls, cover tightly with plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, or you can bake from frozen, but they’ll take much longer to cook through.
- Freeze after baking: You can freeze the entire dish for a dinner you just have to reheat, or wrap individual portions for lunch. These are good for up to 3 months as well.
- How to reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen. Once thawed, the timing is the same as the recipe card if raw, or around 20 minutes to reheat the entire dish that’s previously cooked. You can also microwave individual precooked portions.
73 Comments
Gloria
1This isn’t a criticism but a tip. I have occasionally made cabbage rolls for many years, but this spring a friend offered to come help me make a bunch. She is Ukrainian, but she and her parents immigrated to Canada when she was little. Cabbage rolls are in her blood, plus she was a caterer for many years before she retired. She said don’t get the cabbage, she would bring it. She walked in with a frozen head of cabbage that she had in the freezer for about a week. The leaves just came off and were soft and pliable, and there was no need to cook the cabbage ahead of time. What a super trick! I am vision impaired, and was dreading having to pull the hot cabbage out of the boiling water. No need to do that anymore! It all worked beautifully and everything cooked up great once the rolls were made. Just thought I’d pass on that little trick.
April Sherwood
0This is what I wanted to add so easy to deal with defrosted head of cabbage
Sandi
0This was a brilliant tip! made the recipe as described, but froze the head of cabbage before making them. Came out great and was so easy to peel off the cabbage leaves.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you for sharing this tip, Gloria! Cabbage rolls are in my background as well (I’m also a slavic immigrant), but my family has never done it this way. We can all always learn something new! I’m eager to try it now!
Nancy
0Absolutely fantastic recipe. Thank you 😊
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks so much, Nancy! I’m thrilled you thought it was fantastic, that means a lot.
tashdonnelly
0These were great! I used savoy cabbage because I always do when making cabbage rolls, but other than that I followed the recipe exactly. I make cabbage rolls a couple times a year, and this will be my new, low carb recipe. Thanks so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked them, Tash! Yes, any kind of cabbage works great here.
Denise Guidelli
0Great recipe
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks, Denise!
Carol
0I improvised a little on some of the ingredients. I had cauliflower Spanish rice in the freezer that I used. I had some fresh spaghetti sauce that I had made previously but not enough, so I used Pace picante sauce on the bottom. Oh my gosh, it was amazing! My husband complimented me several times and went back for seconds. I love we will have leftovers, too. Another winning recipe!
Kasey
0I made these recently and they were very good. Overall the recipe was easy to follow. I would recommend a blanching pot to put the head of cabbage in because without it, I was very scared to get burnt trying to take a slippery ball of cabbage out of boiling water. I ended up dumping the water and figured I’d boil more if needed. That is my only issue with the recipe! The taste was delightful and my baby even liked the meat filling.
Karen
0What is a good substitute for cauliflower. I just can’t stomach it I’ve tried so many ways.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, You could try shirataki rice, but I’ve only made this recipe using cauliflower rice. I will say the flavor of it is not strong here, as the beef and sauce overpower it.
Roz Slavik
05 out of 5 stars for this recipe! My husband loves cabbage rolls but we’re avoiding carbs. I didn’t have cabbage so I stuffed the meat mixture into peppers and they were a hit!
David
0My mom would add some bacon chopped up – and rice as an extender to save money.
Rozena
0very easy and tasty. will use this recipe again.
Marlene LaRose
0I love this recipe. It is so good I will definitely make it again
Elise
0We loved this low carb cabbage roll recipe. The meat is so moist. My mom comes from a village in Ontario, Canada where this Polish dish is very popular and even she loved this recipe. So thank you for sharing this carb friendly recipe.
Sherri
0Yes, you can there’s a recipe for white cabbage rolls with sauerkraut. It’s delish.
Laura
0I just popped these in the oven. Thank you for taking your time to share this recipe ?
Irene
0Can you cook these in a crockpot?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Irene, I have not tried that, but it should work for you.
Allis Martz
0I used to love tomatoes, but I’m allergic to them… This is not a new development, I’ve been allergic to them and just endured the consequences. But I recently, had a pretty bad reaction. So, I’ve been avoiding them. I had no idea how many dishes actually have some form of tomatoes as an ingredient until I started paying attention to the ingredients.
Do you have any substitute suggestions I could use instead for this recipe? Can I just omit the tomatoes and use bone broth or maybe a gravy instead? And how much should I use… I’m a recipe follower, not a recipe creator. lol
Thank you for any help you can give me.
Wholesome Yum D
1Hi Allis, I have never tried to omit the tomatoes from this recipe, so I am not sure either of those would be great options in this recipe.
Katie
0You can roast red bell peppers for 40 mins at 400 degrees. Cool. Then purée and add a little water to thin if necessary.
Cass
0Do you pre cook the ground beef?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cass, No, the ground beef is not pre-cooked.
renee
0What do you recommend to substitute for the egg, as I have allergies?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Renee, You could use a flax egg in this recipe.
Debora Rempel
0Can these be frozen cooked or uncooked?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Debora, You can freeze these before or after baking. Both ways work.
Nancy
0Very good. Thank you ❤️
Lora Smith
0Do I have to cook the rolls before I freeze them please?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lora, Before the final baking step, let them cool and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Then freeze for 2-3 months.
Denise
0Simple, quick to make and so delicious. This one is going on the permanent recipe list!
Izzy
0It’s a great recipe to build off of, but unmodified, it’s a bit underwhelming. I removed the canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and added onion, ginger, and five-spice to the meat filling. I also added oyster sauce, chili paste, and vinegar to the tomato sauce.
It’s more than 10 ingredients, but I’ll let it slide because 110% worth it.
Susanne Dealmeida
0This is a fun recipe to make with simple ingredients- great for company coming 😉
Joseph Dehler
0When did rice STOP BEING CARBS???
Sage
0The recipe calls for cauliflower rice, not actual rice.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Joseph, If you look at the recipe you will see that the rice in this dish is made from cauliflower.
Kimberlee
0I used ground caribou. I can’t wait to freeze these up!
Rachel
0Can you pre cook the beef mixture to drain of extra fat?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Rachel, Yes, absolutely! I don’t drain my meat, but if that’s your preference, then it will work just fine!
Michelle
0Can this be made using frozen cauliflower rice?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michelle, Yes, frozen cauliflower rice will work well here. Follow the instructions linked in the recipe card with the frozen cauliflower.
Sue
0Like mom used to make!
Laura
0Your stuffed cabbage rolls are incredible!!!! I also followed your directions in regards to the riced cauliflower. Everything was spot on! Love this so much! This will be in my regular rotation.
Dances
0We loved this!!! I have not had stuffed cabbage in years, so I decided to try this recipe and it was awesome. It was also the 1st time I have made cauliflower rice and it too amazing. I am a cook whom makes up my own recipes, but there is absolutely nothing I would change in this recipe (well except I added a little garlic powder to the tomato sauce). Thank you so much. I will be making this again.
Karla
0These are SO good you will NOT miss the rice! The first time i made these, I accidentally didnt drain the canned diced tomatoes.. second time i made it, i did.. I definitely prefer NOT draining the tomaotes! It adds nice moisture and richness to the meat filling!!
Florence
0This recipe is so good! I’m making it again this Weekend. I use the left over cabbage to make a small lazy-man cabbage roll casserole. Which is the exact same ingredients but I chop the cabbage.
Sherri Steeneck
0this was so easy and so delicious. First time I made as is. Second time I added some sauerkraut and ground caraway in place of the italian seasoning. Seemed more Hungarian! Both were delicious and I could kick myself for not making this 30yrs ago. I thought it would be hard.
Jaime Hess
0I would love to make this for my husband tonight. What would you serve alongside this as a side dish?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jaime, The post includes suggestions on some great keto bread recipes for sopping up the excess sauce! My 90-second bread is quick and easy if you don’t have time to bake a full loaf of bread!
Sedika Gazey
0I meal prepped this for tomorrow so I can’t speak on the flavors except that it was a lot of meal prep, and the cabbage is sooo fragile when peeling back the leaves. I heated up some of the extra ground beef mixed with homemade keto bbq sauce and it made really good sloppy joes.
EDIT: Ok, just had seconds of these and they were great. One head of cabbage wasn’t enough or the leave tore or were too small to stuff. I came out with about ten cabbage rolls, and I stuffed some eggplants, and two small tomatoes with the rest. I omitted the Italian season simply bc I didn’t have any so I added at 2 tsp of biryani paste which did the trick. They came out flavorful, and everyone wanted seconds. I might try to separate the leaves before boiling bc they were so delicate to peel away. I would boil them a little longer bc I didnt cut out the V bc that made the leaves tear more. There was some leftover ground beef mix and I made another sloppy joe.
Sarah
0Sedika,
If you have the time, freeze the cabbage. When it defrosts, it is much easier to pull the leaves apart and you can skip the boiling/steaming all together! 😉
Millie
0I did not enjoy this recipe. The combination of garlic with the Italian seasoning containing thyme, sage, marjoram was not good . I would not recommend making this dish!!!
Kim
0So yummy. Have made this a few times now. Freezes well.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Millie, I am sorry this recipe didn’t suit your tastes. You can omit the Italian seasoning if it’s not your personal preference.
Kristen
0Recipe hits the spot, the flavors were amazing and I will definitely make again. The only thing I’d like to improve on is that the meat filler was a little dense. I used 92/8 and am thinking that the cauliflower was too dried out. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks :).
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kristen, When pre-cooking cauliflower, make sure it is not fully cooked through or mushy. You want it to have a bite to it similar to al dente pasta.
Linda
0What are your suggestions for the remaining cabbage? How long can this be stored in the fridge and used in other recipes since the whole head is boiled? Can it be chopped and frozen?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Linda, This recipe for Southern Fried Cabbage is a great way to use what you have leftover. Your head of cabbage should be used within a couple of days. It can be chopped and frozen, if need be.
Terri Larimore
0I am wondering if these can be made using a Napa (Chinese) Cabbage instead of the traditional green cabbage? I just prefer the taste.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Terri, Yes, I believe that would work just fine!
Deborah Bliss
0I love your recipes, but I really wish I could print without the picture. It uses so much ink. Please consider making this an option.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Deborah, Thank you for your input. We will consider this for future posts.
Nicole Dawson
0I just love cabbage rolls. My have polish grandparents who always made them and it’s just such a memory for me. We now make ours using lentils since I no longer eat meat, but love that you can make these keto as well.
Gina Rosato
0Hey Maya! Love this recipe as I grew up with my Irish grandmom making these often. I add sauerkraut on top of my sauce, as she would do. Yum! Thanks as always for all your fab recipes!
Have a great weekend!
Gina
Anjali
0This recipe turned out to be so delicious, none of my guests could tell it was low carb!! And adding the cauliflower rice into the rolls gave it a great texture too!
Anita
0This was really delicious. And I totally love that this is wrapped in cabbage leaves. 🙂
Alison
0Love the tomato sauce on these. Such a comforting dish!
Sara Welch
0I know what I will be having for dinner tomorrow; this looks so light but satisfying! Delish!