Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet

How to Make This Ground Beef and Cabbage Recipe
Let’s talk soggy cabbage. You’ve been there; add cabbage to a hot pan and the bottom begins to char, but the stuff on top is still raw. Add water, but then the mix is soupy and doesn’t brown. Instead, I cover the pan for a few minutes, then remove the lid and let the moisture cook off. The cabbage steams all at once, so it softens without adding liquid, then it caramelizes!

Prep the onion. Peel and halve 1 large yellow onion. Finely chop one half. Thinly slice the remaining half.
Sauté the onion. In a large heavy braising pan with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for another 30 seconds.
Cook the beef. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally until fully browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain excess water or fat (if any). Then season with 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon baharat, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and a big pinch (about 1/2 teaspoon) each of kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
Sauté, then steam. Return the pan to the stove and heat 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the sliced onion, 1 small head shredded green cabbage, 3 shredded carrots, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover the pan for 3 to 5 minutes to help the cabbage release its water and wilt quickly. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the cabbage is caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Finish and serve. Return the beef to the pan and toss to combine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 2 chopped scallions, and 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Make it Your Own
Swap the protein: Use ground chicken or ground turkey for a lighter version.
Turn up the heat: Add a finely chopped chili pepper or a generous pinch of Aleppo pepper to the beef as it browns for a slow, fruity heat that works beautifully with the warm spices.
Make it vegetarian: Skip the beef entirely and swap in cooked green or brown lentils. The spices carry the dish beautifully, and you won’t miss the meat.
Top with egg: Slide a fried egg on top of each serving for an easy, protein-packed version.
Add a sauce: Drizzle tahini sauce generously over the finished skillet for a nutty, creamy finishing touch.
two bowls of beef and cabbage and a skillet of Mediterranean cabbage with ground beef
Perfect Pairings
A couple of my family members have recently gone gluten-free, so coming up with gluten-free and low-carb dinner ideas has been a priority for me, but I like to make sure I can accommodate everyone. If you’re not gluten-free or eating low-carb dinners isn’t a requirement for you, then by all means, bring on the grains!

Make it a bowl: Serve the skillet over a bed of quinoa, brown rice, or barley for a more substantial whole grain meal that soaks up all of those flavors.
Serve with a big dollop of cold Greek yogurt or labneh on top. The cool, tangy creaminess against the warm spices is a great combination.
Stuff it into a pita: Spoon leftovers into a pita with hummus and some pickled turnips for an incredible lunch.
The Mediterranean Dish

Add TMD as a Trusted Google Source
A pound of lean ground beef seasoned with a warm, aromatic blend of spices is the start of a Mediterranean skillet dinner. It’s naturally low-carb, gluten-free, and budget-friendly, and it takes only about 30 minutes with just one pan to clean up.
Prep:
10minutes mins
Cook:
20minutes mins
Total:
30minutes mins
Serves:
4
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Post Title Email
Email *
Save
Ingredients
1x
2x
3x
▢1 large yellow onion
▢4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
▢2 garlic cloves, minced
▢1 pounds lean ground beef
▢1 teaspoon cumin, divided
▢1/2 teaspoon baharat
▢1/2 teaspoon coriander
▢1/4 teaspoon paprika
▢Kosher salt
▢Freshly-ground black pepper
▢1 small green cabbage, cored and shredded
▢3 carrots, shredded
▢1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
▢2 scallions, trimmed and chopped (both whites and green parts)
▢3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
Prep the onion. Peel and halve the onion. Finely chop one half and set it aside for the meat. Thinly slice the remaining half and reserve separately.
Sauté the onion. In a large heavy braising pan with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant but not browned. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
Cook the beef. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally until fully browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Drain excess water or fat (if any), then season with half of the cumin, the baharat, coriander, paprika, and a big pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer the cooked meat to a plate and set aside for now.
Sauté the vegetables. Return the pan to the stove and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onion, shredded cabbage, carrots, the remaining cumin and a big pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
Cover and steam. Cover the pan for 3 to 5 minutes to help the cabbage release its water and wilt quickly. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the cabbage is caramelized in spots, about 15 minutes.
Finish and serve. Return the browned beef to the pan and toss to combine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the meat is warmed through. Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar, scallions, and parsley. Taste and finish with a final drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 418.5kcal, Carbohydrates: 21.6g, Protein: 26.8g, Fat: 25.9g, Saturated Fat: 6.7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 15.3g, Trans Fat: 0.7g, Cholesterol: 73.7mg, Sodium: 152.7mg, Potassium: 988.3mg, Fiber: 7.8g, Sugar: 10.8g, Vitamin A: 8247.1IU, Vitamin C: 93.4mg, Calcium: 142.2mg, Iron: 4.5mg