Tender Cabbage Rolls with Ground Meat (Printable Version)

Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around savory ground meat and rice filling, baked in hearty tomato sauce for classic comfort dining.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cabbage Rolls

01 - 1 large head green cabbage
02 - 1.1 lbs ground beef or pork
03 - 2/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

10 - 3 cups tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1 tablespoon sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the core from the cabbage and lower it into the boiling water. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, gently loosening and removing leaves as they soften. Reserve 12-14 large leaves.
03 - Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for 3 minutes until soft. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato passata, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside.
04 - Cook rice in boiling water for 5 minutes until half-cooked. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
05 - Combine ground meat, par-cooked rice, chopped onion, minced garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix until well incorporated.
06 - Place a cabbage leaf on a flat surface. Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling near the stem end. Fold sides over filling and roll tightly. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
07 - Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Arrange cabbage rolls seam side down in a single layer.
08 - Pour remaining tomato sauce evenly over the rolls. Cover tightly with foil or a lid.
09 - Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil in the last 15 minutes if a thicker sauce is desired.
10 - Let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The cabbage turns silky and tender after baking, soaking up all that rich tomato flavor.
  • It's one of those dishes that tastes even better after a night in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep.
  • Rolling them is strangely meditative once you get the hang of it, and there's real satisfaction in lining them all up before they go in the oven.
  • It fills the house with a smell that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when dinner will be ready.
02 -
  • If your cabbage leaves tear, don't panic, just overlap two smaller pieces and roll them together like a patch job.
  • Don't skip par-cooking the rice or it will stay crunchy and soak up all the moisture from the meat, leaving you with dry, hard rolls.
  • Let the rolls rest for 10 minutes after baking so the sauce settles and they don't fall apart when you lift them out.
03 -
  • Freeze any leftover cabbage leaves flat between sheets of parchment, then use them later for wraps or a quick soup addition.
  • If your rolls keep unraveling, tuck them in tighter and place them snugly against each other in the dish so they hold each other in place.
  • Taste your filling before you start rolling by cooking a tiny spoonful in a pan, it's the only way to know if you need more salt or seasoning.
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