Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-fry Casserole is a hearty, low-carb dish that combines seasoned ground beef, tender cabbage noodles, and a creamy cottage cheese sauce, all topped with melted cheddar. It is simple to make and perfect for a filling weeknight dinner.
Weeknights are wild, and the last thing you need is a complicated dinner. That’s exactly why this Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-fry Casserole has become my go-to on those crazy Tuesday nights when everyone’s hungry and I’ve got zero energy left. I’m Emily, and as a busy mom of two, I’ve made this dish more times than I can count. It uses just one skillet and one baking dish. It’s low-carb, loaded with a creamy cheesy sauce, and it’s on the table in 40 minutes flat. Trust me, your family is going to ask for this one again and again.
Ingredients for Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-fry Casserole
Good news: you probably have most of these things already. Here’s exactly what you need to pull this casserole together:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small head of cabbage, sliced into 1/4-inch noodle ribbons
- 1 cup cottage cheese, blended smooth with 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
That “blended cottage cheese” part trips people up every time, so let me explain. You’re just throwing the cottage cheese and cornstarch into a blender or food processor and running it until it’s completely smooth. No more lumps, no more curds. It turns into this silky, creamy base that you’d never guess started as cottage cheese. It’s a game changer for the sauce.
How to Make Ground Beef Cabbage Stir-fry Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Get this going first so it’s fully heated and ready when you need it. Don’t skip this step and try to rush it later.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Break it up as it cooks and give it about 8 to 10 minutes until there’s no pink left. Drain off all the excess fat before moving on.
- Add the sliced cabbage right into the same skillet. Stir it in with the beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, just until it starts to soften and wilt down. It’ll look like a lot at first, but it shrinks quickly.
- Make your sauce in a separate bowl. If you haven’t blended your cottage cheese with the cornstarch yet, do it now before anything else. Then whisk together the blended cottage cheese, sour cream, soy sauce, and ginger powder until everything is smooth and combined.
- Pour the sauce over the beef and cabbage in the skillet. Stir everything together until the sauce coats every bit of the mixture evenly.
- Transfer the whole thing into a greased baking dish. Spread it out evenly, then scatter the shredded cheddar cheese all over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and you can see it bubbling around the edges. That’s your sign it’s ready.
Notes
- Slice the cabbage as thin and even as possible so it cooks at the same rate as the beef.
- Blending the cottage cheese with cornstarch gives the sauce a smoother, creamier texture.
- You can swap sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the oven at 325°F or in the microwave until warmed through.