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grandma's cabbage burgers

(27 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Brenda Broadfoot
Tecumseh, NE

I loved it when my Mom and Grandma would make these. It was always a special treat. I make this an all-day event when I make them due to the fact I make 5 dozen and freeze them... which turns out to be a waste of time with the kids running to the freezer every day saying "don't worry bout me for supper, mom, I'm just gonna grab a cabbage burger." Here in Nebraska, we have a fast food place called Runza, and when I explain to my friends what a Cabbage Burger is they say "oh you mean a Runza?" and the debate starts they are 2 totally different things, and not anywhere close to the same!!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Imagine soft, buttery yeast rolls stuffed with a mixture of savory cabbage and beef. That's what these cabbage burgers are. The bread is sweet and fluffy and perfect on its own. We opted to use ground beef, but you can use any type of meat you like. The beef is browned with onion and garlic so it's very flavorful. Adding cabbage and letting it cook with the beef and onions lets the cabbage absorb all its flavor. We never had anything like these burgers before and they're delicious. Comfort food all the way. Ours baked a little quicker, so keep your eye on them as they bake.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(27 ratings)
yield serving(s)
prep time 2 Hr 30 Min
cook time 35 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For grandma's cabbage burgers

  • DOUGH
  • 1 Tbsp
    active dry yeast
  • 5 Tbsp
    sugar, divided
  • 1 c
    water, warm
  • 1 lg
    egg, beaten
  • 1/4 c
    butter, melted or oil
  • 3 c
    flour
  • 1/3 c
    powdered milk
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • FILLING
  • 6 lb
    hamburger (I use deer or elk)
  • 2 lg
    onions
  • 5 Tbsp
    minced garlic
  • garlic salt, to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 md
    cabbages
  • 1/2 c
    water
  • 5
    loaves of bread dough

How To Make grandma's cabbage burgers

Test Kitchen Tips
Note: As written, this recipe makes enough food to feed an army. The time noted is for 12 burgers, not the 5 dozen the recipe mentions. We cut back the recipe to make 12 burgers and wanted to share the measurements in case you wanted to make fewer cabbage burgers.

Measurements:
1 dough recipe
1 1/2 lbs ground meat
1 small onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 head cabbage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
  • Yeast, sugar, and warm water in a bread machine.
    1
    First, make the dough. Add the yeast and 1 Tbsp sugar to the warm water and mix until dissolved. Place in a bread machine.
  • Adding beaten egg and melted butter.
    2
    Add the egg and butter.
  • Adding dry ingredients to the bread machine.
    3
    Add the flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, powdered milk, and salt.
  • Setting bread machine.
    4
    Set the bread maker to the dough setting and hit start. I have it set up so when I take one batch of bread dough out I start the next loaf right away. By the time the cabbage burgers come out of the oven and cool, I can be working on the next batch.
  • Cooking the ground meat, onions, garlic, garlic salt, salt, and pepper.
    5
    With the dough in the bread machine, make the filling. Cook the ground meat, onions, garlic, garlic salt, salt, and pepper together in a large pan. Drain the meat and set aside.
  • Cabbage chopped into chunks.
    6
    Chop up the cabbage. I like medium-sized chunks of cabbage.
  • Cabbage and seasoning added to the ground beef.
    7
    Add the cabbage to the meat mixture and check the seasonings to taste. Add the water.
  • Cabbage and ground beef simmering.
    8
    Let simmer on low until the cabbage is tender.
  • Dough rolled and cut into 12 pieces.
    9
    Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Cut into 12 large squares.
  • Beef/cabbage mixture on top of the dough.
    10
    Place a heaping 1/2 cup of the filling in the center of each square of dough.
  • Sealing the edges of the dough.
    11
    Fold up the corners and use "just a pinch" to seal them. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Cabbage burgers baking in the oven.
    12
    Place them on a large cookie sheet. Bake at for 30 - 35 minutes, until golden brown.
  • Brushing cabbage burgers with melted butter.
    13
    Lightly brush the tops with butter.
  • Golden brown Cabbage Burgers.
    14
    Serve right from the oven and freeze the rest if there is any. Enjoy!!!
  • Inside of Grandma's Cabbage Burgers.
    15
    You can cut this down. I only do the majority of my baking in the winter so I do it this way and freeze them. I had one person try these and say they added cubes of potatoes to the filling as well!
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwhh_wxFMzk
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