Here’s a classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls recipe—tender cabbage leaves filled with savory meat and rice, simmered in a rich tomato sauce 🥬🍅
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
Cabbage
- 1 large green cabbage
Filling
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef/pork mix)
- ½ cup uncooked rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
Sauce
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prepare cabbage
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Remove core from cabbage.
- Boil whole cabbage 5–8 minutes, peeling leaves as they soften.
- Drain and cool slightly.
2. Make filling
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, and paprika.
3. Assemble rolls
- Place 2–3 tbsp filling at the base of each cabbage leaf.
- Fold sides in, then roll tightly.
4. Make sauce
- Mix tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
5. Cook
Oven method (recommended):
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread a layer of sauce in a baking dish.
- Arrange rolls seam-side down.
- Cover with remaining sauce.
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake 90 minutes.
Stovetop method:
- Simmer covered on low 90 minutes, turning occasionally.
6. Serve
- Serve hot with mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
Tips
- Trim thick cabbage ribs for easier rolling.
- Let rolls rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Flavor improves the next day.
Variations
- Sweet & sour: Add raisins and extra brown sugar.
- Stuffed cabbage soup: Deconstruct and simmer.
- Low-carb: Replace rice with cauliflower rice.
- Slow cooker: Cook on LOW 6–8 hours.
If you’d like, I can also give you a Polish-style, Jewish-style, or Southern-style stuffed cabbage version.
