Cabbage Lasagna Recipe (Keto, Low-Carb)

A crowd pleasing low-carb keto cabbage lasagna recipe that can be made ahead. They'll never miss the pasta in this veggie noodle version.

When our extended family gets together, I always make a dish that will serve at least twenty people. This year, I made up a huge pan of lasagna made with vegetable noodles. But unlike my spaghetti squash lasagna recipe, I used cabbage for the pasta layer.

Ingredients

I found everything I needed at my local BJ's Wholesale Club. And, the sizes were perfect for a crowd-sized casserole. If you don't have a BJ's, you can probably find similar items at Costco or Sam's Club.

I thought the five pound package of hamburger meat would be too much for the cabbage lasagna recipe. So, I opted for the smaller two pound meatloaf ground meat mix they had.

I also found a terrific jar of low carb marinara sauce. The brand is Rao's and there's only 4 grams of total carbs listed for each ½ cup serving.

All the cheese came super-sized which convinced me to up the cheesiness in the lasagna. And, after tasting the finished product, I don't regret it!

I also grabbed a dozen and half carton of eggs to mix some into the cheese layer.

How to make cabbage lasagna

Just follow these simple steps to make the keto lasagna recipe.

• Pull the leaves off the head of cabbage carefully.
• Boiled or steam the leaves until soft.
• Remove the excess liquid from the cooked cabbage leaves with a towel.

• Brown the ground beef while the cabbage is cooking.
• Stir marinara sauce into the cooked meat.

• Combine the cheese with eggs and parsley in a large mixing bowl.

• Spread a small amount of meat sauce onto bottom of 11x15-inch baking pan.
• Layer cooked cabbage leaves over sauce.
• Spread half of the cheese mixture over cabbage leaves.
• Top cheese mixture with half the remaining meat sauce.
• Cover sauce with half the mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat layers.

• Bake the layered dish at 350°F for about 25 minutes or until browned on top.

That's it! Now your cabbage lasagna is ready to enjoy!

Cooks tips

Although you can save some time buying sliced or pre-shredded cheese, I like the taste of fresh mozzarella. You could shred it fresh or cut it in slices. I chose the latter.

The great thing about lasagna is that you can get the casserole layered into the pan a couple days before. Or, you can freeze the uncooked casserole longer term.

A large 11x15-inch pan isn't likely to fit in most freezers. So, if you want to make this recipe ahead, you might want to separate it into two 9x13-inch baking pans.

I ended up baking the dish and freezing the leftovers. This makes this dish very versatile. You can make it as freezer meals or as a large pre-made dish for company.

Cooking the cabbage leaves

The cabbage leaves must be cooked before assembling the keto cabbage lasagna. They can be boiled or steamed in the microwave, Instant Pot, or a pot on the stove.

To boil the leaves on the stove, place them in salted boiling water for five to ten minutes until they are soft.

Steaming in the microwave is the fastest method. Just place the leaves in a microwave-safe dish with two tablespoons of water. Then microwave covered on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Rearrange the leaves and continue to microwave on high for another 3 to 4 minutes.

The whole head of cabbage can be steamed easily in an Instant Pot. Simply place the cabbage on the trivet with the core facing down. Add two cups of water and pressure cook on high for 5 to 8 minutes. When the time is up release the pressure quickly by opening the valve.

No matter which method you choose, make sure you remove the excess water from the leaves before using.

Cabbage lasagna vs. zucchini lasagna

Zucchini slices are a popular keto alternative to lasagna noodles. But there are several reasons why you may want to use cabbage instead.

• Cabbage noodles are thinner than zucchini and are much wider.
• There's no need to thinly slice the vegetable before using.
• Zucchini has more water content than cabbage and can make the casserole watery.

Other cheesy casserole dishes

Want more keto casseroles perfect for sharing? You'll find some of our best loved recipes below.

• Keto Taco Casserole replaces high carb tortillas with thinly sliced yellow squash.
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole (Keto) adds a tangy sauce and plenty of gooey cheese for a family pleasing dish.
• Low Carb Chicken Casserole is made with a cream cheese sauce that tastes much better than using a starchy canned condensed soup.
• Stuffed Pepper Casserole comes together much faster as it's a deconstructed version of the popular stuffed veggies.
• Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole is sure to be a hit at family dinners.

Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!

Recipe

Cabbage Lasagna - Low Carb and Gluten Free

4.59 from 67 votes

A crowd pleasing low carb lasagna recipe that can be made ahead. They'll never miss the pasta noodles in this healthier version.

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:35 mins

Total Time:50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

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Servings: 20 people

Calories: 451

Video

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 head cabbage
• ▢ 3 lbs ricotta cheese
• ▢ 1 ½ cups parmesan cheese grated
• ▢ ¼ cup dried parsley optional
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 2 pounds ground meat browned
• ▢ 40 ounces marinara sauce with no sugar added
• ▢ 32 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced or shredded
• ▢ ¼ cup parmesan grated (optional)

Instructions

• Carefully remove leaves from cabbage head.
• Parboil leaves in salted boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Drain and remove excess water with towel.
• Mix ricotta and parmesan cheese with eggs and parsley (if using). Set aside.
• Stir marinara sauce into browned meat.
• Spread about ¾ cup sauce onto bottom of 11x15-inch baking pan.
• Place a layer of cooked cabbage leaves over sauce.
• Spread half ricotta cheese mixture over cabbage leaves.
• Top cheese mixture with half the remaining sauce.
• Cover sauce with half the mozzarella cheese.
• Repeat layers.
• Top off with additional parmesan cheese if desired.
• Bake 350F for about 25 minute

Notes

After boiling the cabbage leaves, they should be soft and tender.

To speed things up, the cabbage leaves can be steamed in the microwave. Simply place in a microwave-safe bowl along with a couple tablespoons of water and microwave covered on high (100%) for about 6 to 8 minutes. For even cooking, it's best to rearrange the leaves in the middle of the cooking time.

Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart

Nutrition

Serving: 379g | Calories: 451 | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 511mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

Additional Info

Net Carbs: 8 g | % Carbs: 7.2 % | % Protein: 24.2 % | % Fat: 68.6 % | SmartPoints: 16

Values

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(
    [serving_size] => 379
    [calories] => 451
    [carbohydrates] => 9
    [protein] => 27
    [fat] => 34
    [saturated_fat] => 17
    [cholesterol] => 131
    [sodium] => 511
    [fiber] => 1
    [sugar] => 3
)

Notes on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

Copyright

© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission from Lisa MarcAurele is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.

First Published: December 2, 2016... Last Updated: May 2, 2020