Here’s a classic cabbage rolls recipe—tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory meat-and-rice filling, simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Comfort food at its best.
🍽️ Classic Cabbage Rolls (Stuffed Cabbage)
Ingredients
Cabbage
- 1 large green cabbage
Filling
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef + pork mix)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
Sauce
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (optional, balances acidity)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Cabbage
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Remove cabbage core.
- Boil cabbage 2–3 minutes, peeling off softened leaves as they loosen.
- Pat leaves dry and trim thick veins.
- Make Filling
- In a bowl, combine ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Assemble Rolls
- Place ~¼ cup filling on each cabbage leaf.
- Fold sides in and roll tightly.
- Layer & Sauce
- Spread a thin layer of sauce in a large baking dish or Dutch oven.
- Arrange rolls seam-side down.
- Pour remaining sauce over rolls.
- Cook
- Oven: Cover and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1½ hours.
- Stovetop: Simmer gently on low 1–1½ hours.
- Serve
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Variations
- Sweet & sour: Add raisins or apple chunks to sauce
- Eastern European style: Use pork, add dill
- Low-carb: Replace rice with cauliflower rice
- Slow cooker: Cook on low 6–8 hours
- Stuffed cabbage casserole: Layer chopped cabbage + filling + sauce
Tips for Success
- Freeze cabbage first to soften leaves (no boiling needed)
- Don’t overstuff—rolls will burst
- Taste sauce before baking and adjust sweetness/acidity
If you want, I can give you a grandma-style sweet-and-sour version, Middle Eastern malfouf, or a quick weeknight cabbage roll skillet.
