Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage Casserole Recipe - (4.6/5)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 T olive oil, divided (more or less, depending on your pan)
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 T finely minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. sweet Hungarian Paprika (good quality paprika makes a big difference in flavor in a dish like this)
• 1/2 tsp. sharp Hungarian Paprika (optional; if making for kids I might leave this out)
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste (for seasoning meat mixture and cooked cabbage)
• 1 1/2 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water (just enough to rinse out each of the cans)
• 2 cups cooked rice (I used brown rice)
• 2 cups low-fat cheese (optional; I used a blend of 80% low-fat mozzarella, 10% low-fat cheddar, and 10% Provolone.)