Weird Casserole

Weird Casserole–a cozy Instant Pot dish featuring Italian sausage, tender cabbage, and savory seasonings, perfect for a quick meal.

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Weird Casserole

This recipe is a little weird…my family is always asking me “what’s for dinner?” I’m always saying things like “some weird thing in the Instant Pot.” Story of my life. Lol. But this is sort of like the flavors of a lasagna made with cabbage instead of pasta. With cabbage, italian sausage, mozzarella and cottage cheese it’s got all those lasagna vibes. It’s filling with protein and fiber and on the lower carb side. Enjoy!

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Italian sausage–I used mild
• Yellow onion
• Chicken broth–or beef broth
• Cabbage
• Garlic powder–or 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Red pepper flakes
• Tomato paste
• Worcestershire sauce
• Dried basil
• Oregano
• Black pepper
• Mozzarella cheese–or parmesan cheese
• Cottage cheese–or rice

Steps

Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display say HOT add in the sausage and break it up. Add in the onion. Brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. 

Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot. 

Add in the cabbage, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, Worcestershire, basil, oregano and pepper. 

Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting and remove the lid. 

Stir well. Taste test and season to taste (you may need a pinch of salt depending on your sausage).

Scoop into bowls and serve with a side of cottage cheese or rice and sprinkle with mozzarella or parmesan cheese. 

Notes/Tips

• Serve with sauteed mushrooms, cauliflower rice, roasted green beans or crusty bread.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot.
• Would this work as a low carb/keto dish? Without the rice, this dish is naturally low-carb and keto-friendly since it’s packed with protein from the sausage and cheese and fiber from the cabbage. Cottage cheese has some carbs, so if you’re strict keto, you might want to swap it for more mozzarella or parmesan.
• Can I use ground beef instead of sausage? Yes you can. However, since sausage is already seasoned, you’ll need to add extra salt and spices to compensate. If using ground beef , consider adding: ½ to 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste), ½ tsp fennel seeds (for a sausage-like flavor), extra garlic powder, basil, and oregano for more depth. If you prefer a little heat, a dash of paprika or cayenne pepper can help replace the spice from hot Italian sausage.
• This recipe can be gluten free if you use gluten free worcestershire sauce.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• What to do with leftover tomato paste? Spoon tablespoon-sized portions onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, freeze until solid, then store in a freezer bag.
• Other recipes you can make with tomato paste are Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini, Spinach and Chicken Soup and Beef Casserole.

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for. 

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.