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Low Calorie Beef Cabbage Bowls are a deconstructed version of cabbage rolls that is easy to make on the stovetop! A healthy dinner packed with protein, vegetables and delicious flavors. Gluten Free + Paleo + Low Carb + Low Calorie
This Healthy Beef Cabbage Bowl recipe is absolutely delicious! My clients are always asking for easy lunch and dinner meals and this one definitely checks all the boxes.
It's made with a few simple ingredients like ground beef, carrots, cabbage, coconut aminos, Sriracha and seasonings. This beef cabbage bowl recipe is a must try. You will never know it's low calorie!
Why I Love This Beef Cabbage Bowl Recipe
There is no debate that beef cabbage rolls made casserole style is delicious and tasty. But this stovetop version that's deconstructed is easier and saves you time. This is a simple, healthy alternative you need to try! Here's a few more reasons why I love it:
- Easy To Make - All you need is a skillet to make this low calorie beef cabbage bowl recipe and it comes together in 30-minutes or less!
- Simple Ingredients - This recipe uses simple, whole ingredients that most people have.
- Versatile - Not only is the stir-fry sauce perfect for cabbage rolls, but it tastes great with your favorite meats and vegetables. You can easily add to this meal by incorporating grains or cauliflower rice.
- Gluten Free - This recipe is gluten free using coconut aminos. See the substitutions section if you do not need to be gluten free.
- Low Carb - Beef cabbage roll recipe is made lower carb, but you can add grains to this meals if you like.
- Higher Protein - 27 grams of protein per serving which is great!
- Low Calorie - Using lean ground beef reduces the calorie content significantly in this recipe. The total calories are 232 which is actually low for a meal for the majority of individuals. You can add a grain or plant-based pasta easily though!
Ingredients For Healthy Beef Cabbage Bowls
Here's what you need to make these delicious beef cabbage skillet bowls! You will also need a large skillet, cutting board and small mixing bowl for the sauce.
- Lean Ground Beef (I use ButcherBox)
- Green Cabbage
- Avocado Oil
- Carrots
- Onions
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame Seeds
- Coconut Aminos
- Sriracha
- Coconut Sugar
How To Make Beef Cabbage Bowls Healthy
Making Healthy Beef Cabbage Bowls low calorie is easy! See the full recipe card at the end of the blog post for the full instructions and nutritional data.
Step One - Prepare the stir-fry sauce first by combing the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.
Step Two - Shred the vegetables so they are prepared. You can also buy them pre-shedded to make it easier!
Step Three - Heat a large skillet then add the oil, ground beef and seasonings. Cook until the beef is cooked through.
Step Four - Add the vegetables to the skillet with the beef mixture and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted. Stir in the sauce and top with green onions and optional toppings to serve!
Pro Tip For Making The Best Beef Cabbage Bowls
If you want to make the BEST healthy beef cabbage bowls, always use high quality meat. As a nutritionist, I believe the quality of meat is important and you can taste the difference too!
Look for grass-fed, grass-finished beef whenever possible. Honestly, this is why we use ButcherBox because they're meats are high quality and unless my grocery store has a sale, it always ends up cheaper for us to buy our meat from ButcherBox.
How To Store Beef Cabbage Bowl Recipe
- Storing - This recipe will last in the refrigerator up to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing - I haven't tried freezing this recipe. Cabbage can get soggy after freezing then dilute the sauce of the recipe. For best results, I recommend enjoying this recipe fresh or after a few days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating - You can reheat this recipe on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Are Beef Cabbage Bowls Healthy?
Beef Cabbage Bowls or Rolls have a lot of healthy ingredients, however, the traditional recipes often contain a lot of fat from the meat and oil and the sauce tends to have more calories from added sugar. This low calorie beef cabbage bowl recipe is a healthier version you can enjoy!
Substitutions For Low Calorie Beef Cabbage Bowls
- Ground Beef - Any ground meat or another protein like shrimp, cod, salmon, tempeh or tofu works.
- Avocado Oil - You can use olive oil as long as you do not increase the heath higher than medium.
- Coconut Aminos - Soy sauce, gluten free soy sauce or Tamari can be used instead.
- Garlic / Ginger - The garlic and ginger are essential flavors! If you don't have fresh garlic or ginger, use 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and ginger powder.
- Sriracha - Peri-peri sauce, sweet chili sauce, hot sauce or sambal oelek could be substituted.
What Can You Substitute Coconut Aminos For?
Coconut aminos are a gluten free version of soy sauce. It tastes exactly like soy sauce. However, you can use Tamari, soy sauce or gluten free soy sauce if you prefer. I recommend the low sodium option when possible.
More Healthy Low Calorie Meal Recipes
Looking for more healthy meals? I've got you covered!
- Healthy Egg Roll In A Bowl
- Healthy Chicken Fried Rice
- Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Healthy Orange Chicken
Low Calorie Beef Cabbage Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1/2 head Green Cabbage shredded
- 1/2 tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 2 Carrots shredded
- 4 Green Onions diced
- 2 tablespoons Garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Ginger minced
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Coconut Aminos
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon Coconut Sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the stir fry sauce first. In a small bowl stir together the coconut aminos, avocado oil, sriracha, and coconut sugar. Set the sauce aside.
- Shred the vegetables so they are ready to go when you need them. If using a whole cabbage, slice one small cabbage in half, remove the core, and then finely shred the leaves of one half the cabbage.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the cooking oil, ground beef, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the beef until browned (about five minutes).
- Add the cabbage and carrots to the skillet and continue to stir and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted (or fully wilted, if you prefer). Stir in the prepared sauce and the green onions. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of sriracha, then serve!
Notes
- See the substitutions section of the blog post for recommendations.
- My Amazon shop has more products similar to those used for this recipe and that I recommend to my weight loss clients.
Gretchen says
In the 'Instructions' it says mix soy sauce, avocado oil, sriracha and brown sugar. I do not see Soy Sauce and Brown Sugar listed as an ingredient. How much of each goes in the sauce?
Megan says
The soy sauce is the coconut aminos and the coconut sugar is the brown sugar both already listed under the sauce ingredients. I updated the instructions to be clear.
Jeannine R Davis says
How much is 1 serving? a cup ?
Megan says
1/4th of the recipe equals a serving. I usually eyeball 1/4th of the skillet. You can weigh the entire meal on a food scale in grams and divide by 4 if you want the exact amount in grams. Then you weigh one serving in grams for yourself. Using measuring cups is never accurate.
Mary says
Hi Megan! We had this for dinner tonight and it was really good! I stuck to the recipe exactly, though I did add the oil to the sauce although it was in the ingredients list and not the sauce ingredients. Not sure if that's what you meant to do, but I did and it was great. I will make it again!
Dawn Russo says
It does not say how much sesame oil
Megan says
It should be avocado oil. Thanks for the catch - it's been updated.