Ground Beef Taco Cabbage Skillet – this simple tex mex dinner is made all in one pan, and whips up in minutes. It’s low carb and delicious!
My daughter in law can’t have gluten, so I am always on the lookout for gluten free dinners that are quick and easy. This one fits the bill! Just make sure to check your taco seasoning to make sure it doesn’t have gluten in it.
PERFECT RECIPE FOR TACO FANS!
Like most families, we are pretty big fans of tacos around here. I know that if I make anything taco related, it’s almost guaranteed to be a hit with my family.
Honestly, I was pretty skeptical about this recipe when I first saw it. I figured that my husband and I would eat it without complaint, but because of all the cabbage, I was worried about my two youngest kids, who happen to be the pickiest eaters in the family.
Surprisingly, everyone liked it, even the youngest! I was shocked at how well it was received. And as for me, I really, really love it. The taco seasoning masks the flavor of the cabbage, but it has a great crunch to it. And of course the melted cheese on top makes it extra yummy.
This happens to be a perfect keto recipe, but even if you still enjoy carbs like we do, it is still a great dinner recipe! It’s a great way to pack a bunch of healthy vegetables into a meal, and it is so tasty!
HOW TO MAKE GROUND BEEF CABBAGE SKILLET
Ingredients needed:
- lean ground beef
- half head of cabbage (I use green cabbage)
- taco seasoning (I like to use my homemade taco seasoning, I know it’s sugar free and low carb.)
- dry minced onion (You can chop up a fresh onion if you prefer.)
- water
- cheddar cheese (or substitute another cheese of your choice)
This recipe is beyond easy! Brown your hamburger in a large skillet, then add the cabbage, seasonings, and water. Cook and stir occasionally till the cabbage is crisp tender.
Sprinkle with cheese and cover. Cook for a few minutes, just till cheese melts. Serve immediately.
How to store leftover cabbage and ground beef skillet?
-This meal is definitely best served fresh, but you can store leftovers if you have any. Place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge. I think it’s best eaten after a day or two, because the cabbage loses its crispness, and after too long it can start to get a bitter taste.
We like this meal so much, I’ve made it half a dozen times over the past few months. I’ve come up with a few ways to change it up that have gone over well with my family.
To make this meal even easier, use a bag of coleslaw mix. We like the kind with shredded carrots. This saves you the step of chopping the cabbage, so you have virtually no prep time!
With this method, the cabbage is shredded finely, so it cooks faster. You can have dinner on the table in about 20 minutes!
VARIATIONS ON THIS SKILLET DINNER:
-Switch up the kind of cheese you use on top. The first two times I made it, I used just cheddar cheese. I started using half mozzarella and half cheddar, and I like that even better. You could add a little kick by using pepper jack cheese, or substitute any cheese you have on hand.
-If you’re not using a bag of coleslaw mix, stir in some shredded carrots with your chopped cabbage.
-Toss in a few diced peppers. I think red peppers would be especially tasty, and they would add a nice pop of color.
-Try switching out all or some of the ground beef for pork sausage.
-If you really like things spicy, you could add some chopped jalapeno pepper with the cabbage, or sprinkle some red pepper flakes in the dish before adding the cheese.
-Top with sour cream, diced tomatoes, chopped avocado, or sliced olives.
MORE ONE POT DINNER RECIPES:
- Bow Tie Skillet Lasagna
- One Pot Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Skillet Unstuffed Peppers
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Chicken Fajita Rice
- Ham Fried Rice
- Pumpkin Chili
- Ham and Wild Rice Soup
- Mexican Chicken Corn Chowder
Ground Beef Taco Cabbage Skillet
Tex Mex Ground Beef Cabbage Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 5 cups green cabbage shredded or chopped
- ¼ cup low carb taco seasoning
- 1 Tbsp dry minced onion
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Brown hamburger in a large skillet. Drain off any fat.
- Stir in the cabbage, taco seasoning, dry onion, and water. Cook and stir till cabbage is crisp tender.
- Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan with a lid and cook for 5-10 minutes or till cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
See all my MAIN DISH RECIPES.
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I used a full cup of water and it still tasted very dry. Definitely needs more liquid.
Not sure why you had to add so much more water. If I added that much it would be soupy after the cabbage cooked down. But if it worked that way for you – go for it!
So quick and tasty. Used one chopped onion since I didn’t have a minced onion and added some chopped red and yellow peppers. Mmm, it’s so good.
I bet it was so tasty with the peppers. Yum!
Looks delicious – Thank you
This is such a good recipe, and very quick as well. But I can’t just follow a recipe as is. I added a can of black beans, a can of Rotel tomatoes, a cup of rice, and jalapeño havarti cheese. Sided with refried beans, sliced tomatoes, avocado and tortilla chips. Oh my, that was good!!!
Your additions sound absolutely delicious! Thanks so much for sharing, I’ll have to try it your way. 🙂
I added a can of ranch style beans.
The was really good. And very simple to make. It’s one of my favorites.
So glad to loved it Brenda! It’s one of my favorite quick meals as well. 🙂
So delicious! I used ground Turkey sausage, chopped onion and a chopped red bell pepper. I use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and my hubby likes mild guacamole salsa with blue corn tortilla chips. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Super simple, inexpensive recipe. Quick to cook. I dished this over Jasmine rice and it went great together!
I’ve never tried it over rice, but I bet that was super yummy!
This was great! Everyone loved it. Served it over greens as taco salad with tortilla chips. I was cooking for a crowd. I used 4 lbs grnd turkey & 1 Lg cabbage 2 lg onions & 1/2 cup taco seasoning. Because of the quantity, I cooked the cabbage in a 15″ skillet & ground turkey in a 12″ skillet & onions in a 3rd. Drained & seasoned meat . Added everything to cabbage plus 1/2 cup water & cooked for 5 more minutes to mix flavors. Served with sour cream and cheese at table. Served 16. Easy & fast. Definitely a keeper!
Thanks so much for sharing your changes! Sounds tasty with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream!
I have been making the recipe many times I finely changing it up a bit by use purple cabbage instead of green and I put carrots and regular onions in mine
I bet that was a tasty change!
I used this recipe but I added a can of diced tomatoes and two green bell peppers so delicious
Yum- sounds like a great way to change it up!
This sounds good. I love cabbage and Mexican food is my favorite. How long do you cook the cabbage? I always seem to overcooked mine. Thanks.
I like it pretty crisp, so I usually cook it for about 5 minutes, just till it starts to wilt a bit.
I think this was a pretty good base recipe. (I doubled it.) I added a can of Rotel and a can of diced green chilies to the dish. I also ended up adding a lot more water than the recipe called for. I felt the cabbage made it a tad bit bitter so I added a touch of sweetener to taste. I also served with a dollop of sour cream. Everyone loved it!
Thanks for sharing your variations Becky. Sounds delicious! We love Rotel, so I might have to give that a try next time!
This sounds incredibly delicious! The perfect weeknight dinner!! YUM!
Perfect meal! Easy to make and very flavorful!
This skillet dinner is so quick and easy! Perfect for busy weekdays!