Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

stuffed cabbage rolls on a plate with one cut open.

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Stuffed cabbage rolls filled with ground beef, pork, and rice, baked in cabbage leaves with a homemade tomato sauce.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Polish

Keyword: cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage, stuffed cabbage rolls

Servings: servings

Calories: 494kcal

Author: Courtney

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion chopped finely
3 cloves garlic minced
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
15 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar optional for added sweetness, to taste
1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or 1 lemon juiced
salt and pepper to taste

Cabbage Rolls

1 head green cabbage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 cup minute rice or par-cook rice 3-4 minutes less than directions, you could also use cold leftover rice
1/4 cup parsley freshly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 egg

Instructions

Tomato Sauce

In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
28 oz can crushed tomatoes, 15 oz can tomato sauce, 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar , 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar , salt and pepper

Cabbage Rolls

Start by coring the cabbage head. Place it in a large pot with a steamer basket at the bottom, adding 1-2 inches of water. Steam the cabbage until the outer leaves soften and can be easily removed. Be careful to avoid burns while handling. Gently peel off the softened leaves as they loosen from the head.
1 head green cabbage
If you prefer to boil the cabbage, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the cabbage and cook for 4-5 minutes until the leaves soften, then carefully remove them. Avoid overcooking, as they will continue cooking in the oven.
Place the cabbage leaf onto a cutting board and use a pairing knife and cut a V to remove the rib and make the leaves more pliable. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
1 cup onion, 2 cloves garlic , 1 tablespoon olive oil
In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion, garlic, cooked rice, ground beef, pork, salt, pepper, parsley, and egg. Add a ladleful of the prepared tomato sauce and mix until well combined.
1 pound ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, 1 cup minute rice, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 egg
On a clean cutting board, lay the cabbage leaves flat. Place a heaping cookie scoop of the meat mixture onto each leaf. Roll it up tightly, tucking in the sides as you go. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
Pour half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange the cabbage rolls seam side down over the sauce. Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the top of the cabbage rolls.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 75-90 minutes. For food safety, ensure the filling reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.

Video

Notes

Add more beefy flavor by adding a 1/2-1 teaspoon of better than bouillon beef base to the sauce when cooking.

Nutrition