Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks. When beef is about halfway cooked, add the diced onions and continue cooking until meat is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Drain excess fat if necessary.

Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.

Stir in the uncooked rice, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, paprika, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.

Add the chopped cabbage to the beef mixture and stir to combine. (Note: If your skillet isn't large enough, you can transfer everything to a large mixing bowl for this step).

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water by pouring it around the edges of the dish.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, uncover and check if the rice is tender. If not, add a little more water if needed, cover again, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

If using cheese, sprinkle it over the top of the casserole and return to the oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.

Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.