Mince 6 cloves of garlic and 1 onion (any color).
Remove any dirty or damaged outer leaves from 1 head of green cabbage and discard. Cut the core from the bottom of the cabbage and discard and then cut the cabbage in half.
Place each cabbage half on the cutting board flat side down so that it does not roll around as you shred it. Shred with cabbage with a knife. Continue until you have shredded 6 packed cups of cabbage.
Place a large skillet on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet. Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic and onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
Add 1 lb. of ground beef to the skillet, along with ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper. Sauté the ground beef for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Add 1 tsp. each smoked paprika (or regular paprika) and Italian seasoning to the ground beef and stir until incorporated.
Heat a separate skillet (one with a lid) to medium-high and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil.
Once heated, add 1 cup of long-grain white rice to the skillet. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring often until the rice is completely coated in the oil. This helps to toast the rice and deepens the flavor a little bit.
Pour 1 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth along with 1 ¼ cups tomato sauce to the skillet and stir until combined. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover the skillet with a lid.
Cook for 16-18 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes or so to prevent the rice from sticking to the skillet. Remove the rice from heat when it is al dente and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Once the ground beef is fully cooked, add 6 packed cups of shredded cabbage along with ½ tsp. each kosher salt and pepper to the skillet (it will look like a lot, but the cabbage does cook down quite a bit).
Sauté the cabbage mixture for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Continue until the cabbage has softened slightly and is completely incorporated with the ground beef.
Add 1 Tbsp. each Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar to the skillet and stir until completely combined.You can add 1 Tbsp. of brown sugar if you prefer a bit more sweetness in your dish.
Transfer the cooked rice to the skillet containing the ground beef and cabbage mixture. Stir all of the ingredients until completely combined.Feel free to add 1-2 Tbsp. of chicken broth if you'd like to loosen up the mixture if needed.
To Serve: Garnish with some fresh minced herbs, such as chives or parsley (optional).