Tender cabbage leaves STUFFED to the BRIM with SAVORY, JUICY, HEARTY meat and rice and then simmered in a TANGY, RED, DELECTABLE tomato sauce! Classic Cabbage Rolls will have your whole family begging for MORE!
Why This Recipe Works...
- It's a CLASSIC!
- The tangy tomato sauce gives a tangy taste to everything else in the recipe.
- Cabbage is SUPER affordable!
- The rice keeps everything moist!
Here's How It's Done....
STEP 1.
Simmer the leaves to make them pliable, then dry them well and cut out the middle vein before stuffing.
STEP 2.
Chop the onion and garlic well.
STEP 3.
Mix the meat and spices together.
STEP 4
Roll the cabbage leaves around a ½ cup log shaped bit of meat.
STEP 5.
Cover the stuffed cabbage leaves with a can of diced tomatoes.
STEP 6.
Cover the dutch oven tightly with aluminum foil.
STEP 7.
Bake per instructions and then Enjoy!!! Serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Where Do Cabbage Rolls Come From?
Stuffed Cabbage roll recipes are popular all around the world, but this particular recipe comes from my mother in law (also famous here for her Banana Pudding and Lemon Pound Cake).
She was taught this recipe by her Polish neighbor about 60 years ago. I've updated it by adding spices and flavorings.
While you are trying out Sauerkraut Recipes, you might also want to try How to Cook Sauerkraut from a Bag Recipe (Easy)!
Can I Make These Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ahead of Time?
ABSOLUTELY! This recipe is EVEN BETTER when you make it a day ahead. That gives time for all of the flavors to get to know each other!
How Long Do Cabbage Rolls Keep?
These cabbage rolls will last about 5 days if kept covered in the refrigerator.
Do not allow them to sit out for over 2 hours.
Can I Freeze These Cabbage Rolls?
CERTAINLY! Placed them in a freezer proof container, cover well and freeze for up to three months.
How Do I Reheat Cabbage Rolls?
To reheat this stuffed cabbage recipe,
simply place the thawed cabbage rolls and sauce in an oven proof container and
heat in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or till heated through.
What Can I Serve with Cabbage Rolls?
We love Classic Mashed Potatoes or This two ingredients sausage and rice dish and don't forget to fix some Southern Sweet Tea!!
Of course, Crockpot Green Beans and Bacon or Sautéed Squash is wonderful too.
How about cruising through these SIDE DISHES and seeing for yourself what looks good!
If You Enjoyed This Cabbage Roll Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy...
Stuffed Cabbage or Cabbage Rolls
Would You Love to Cook the PERFECT Southern Dinner?
IMAGINE YOU, COOKING THESE! YOU CAN DO IT TOO!
Served with (choose one)
Chicken Pie or
And…
Add A little Yum Yum Sauce
Deviled Eggs made with this Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg
And finish it all off with...
TIPS & TRICKS for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe...
- When precooking the leaves, only allow them to stay in the hot water until they are more pliable. If cooked too long they become too limp.
- It is important to dry the leaves well before wrapping around the meat. If you do not, your sauce will be too thin.
- You will only want about ¼-1/2 cup of meat in each roll.
- Make sure to cut the large vein out of the cabbage leaf before starting to roll. A large vein is not palatable for this recipe.
- If you are concerned about the meat seasoning, you can microwave a small bit to check to make sure it is spiced to your satisfaction.
See the recipe card for substitutions.
YA’LL HELP ME OUT, OK?
I need your help! Please leave me a 5 STAR 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 in the comments below ! This lets the internet know that THIS IS THE PLACE for wonderful comfort food!
Stuffed Cabbage or Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 head of fresh cabbage
- 2 tbs butter
- ½ onion - minced
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 bay leaf
- dash of salt
- 1 lbs ground beef
- ½ lb hot ground sausage
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried chipotle
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon raw sugar can sub brown sugar if no raw sugar available
- 1 cup of cooked white rice
- 1 can of Tomato Sauce
- 1 Can of Fire Roasted Diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Place a soup sized stock pot on medium heat with water filled to 75% of the pot. Set up a large bowl with ice water. Set out several layers of paper towels on a sheet tray. Peel as many leaves from the cabbage as possible without damaging them. Using tongs, carefully press the cabbage leaves down into the water when it comes to a simmer - do not boil. Allow each leaf to simmer for 30 secs or until pliable and bright green. Then remove to the ice bath for 10 secs and then remove to the paper towels. Continue until all leaves have been soaked and layed out to dry. Use at least 12 leaves. Use extra paper towels or a salad spinner, dry each cabbage leaf well. Using a sharp knife, remove the large vein that makes the base stem. Cut it out by making an upside down V shape.
- In the bottom of a oven proof dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until onion starts to become translucent (3 minutes). Add the garlic and bay leaf and cook over medium heat until fragrant (1 minute). Remove from the heat and set aside and allow to cool. When cooled, remove the bay leaf. Remove the onion and garlic mix and set aside in a separate bowl. Pour the can of Tomato sauce into the bottom of this stock pot.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the ground beef, sausage, salt, pepper, cumin, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle, tomato paste and sugar. Add the rice. Add the reserved onion and garlic mixture (make sure you removed the bay leaf). Mix well. See recipe tips that follow the recipe for directions about testing the spice level.
- Time to assemble! On a flat surface, lay the cabbage leaf out flat. Using your hand, scoop up about ½ cup of ground meat mixture and shape into a log shape and lay on the cabbage leaf in the center of the leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf up like a burrito by folding the sides in and then rolling from the end closest to you to the outer edge. Lay the completed roll in the bottom of the large oven proof pot on top of the tomato sauce which you already poured into the pot. Put the seam of the cabbage roll on the bottom so it stays closed. Continue doing this until all of the cabbage leaves have been rolled with the meat mix in the middle.
- Pour the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes on top of the cabbage rolls (do not pour off any can water, simply add to the dish). This should cover the cabbage rolls, but if it doesn’t add more tomato sauce until rolls are covered.
- Place heavy duty aluminum foil on the top of the sauce pot and secure well. Place the pot lid on top of the aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake until the meat mixture is well done - start checking at about 45 minutes to 1 hour Should be completely done by 1.5 hours for sure.
Notes
- When precooking the leaves, only allow them to stay in the hot water until they are more pliable. If cooked too long they become too limp.
- It is important to dry the leaves well before wrapping around the meat. If you do not, your sauce will be too thin.
- You will only want about ¼-1/2 cup of meat in each roll.
- Make sure to cut the large vein out of the cabbage leaf before starting to roll. A large vein is not palatable for this recipe.
- If you are concerned about the meat seasoning, you can microwave a small bit to check to make sure it is spiced to your satisfaction.
- It is OK to substitute other types of meat like lamb, hamburger, ground pork, etc. for the meats in this recipe.
- Any flavoring of the diced tomato is fine (even no added flavoring at all). The garlic basil makes a nice addition.
- If you don't have onion and garlic, use 1 Tbs of onion or garlic powder added directly to the meat mix instead and skip browning these in the pan.
Nutrition
***This recipe first appeared on the pages of Loaves and Dishes December 31, 2015 and has been updated with "why this recipe works", Step by step instructions, Frequently asked questions, Tips and Tricks, updated recipe card, nutritional information, what to serve with stuffed cabbage, related recipes and a verse to share***
A VERSE TO SHARE
There's no greater gift than salvation and I am truly thankful for it. Amen.
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
michelle says
Made your pinto beans they were great.I am so looking forward to this.A rainy cold day stuffed cabbage sounds so good.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Michelle, I think you'll find them to your liking for a cold rainy day! My mother in law would have been tickled to know that someone is making her recipe. 🙂 She learned it from a Polish immigrant neighbor who lived next door to her at one time back in the 50's.
Duane says
This looks delicious. My Polish Grandmother used to make this when I was a kid, I haven't had this in about 30 years....
Wendi Spraker says
Duane, I hope you will give them a go. enjoy!
Martha Hewett says
Love you’re recipes
Wendi Spraker says
Thank you Martha!
Erik-Nils says
I have been looking around for a detailed recipe, without success until now. I deliberately avoid recipes which are supposed to be easy or best. Photos are very good, ingredients intriguing. Looks like your recipe is the one to go for.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Erik! Thanks for leaving me a message. Not every recipe can be easy or "best". Can it? I hate to think what our tastebuds would think if we only ever ate easy recipes. :(. This one is a tiny challenge, but worth it, I think. Best wishes!
Erik-Nils says
When a website claims a recipe is easy or best, in reality it is so much hype. A recipe is challenging only when there are gaps in the instructions for how to prepare it. I have on occasion found what is an otherwise good recipe, but have been baffled by one or more gaps in the how-to. The single exception occurs when a home-chef-in-the-making realizes that a given recipe is indeed challenging, because that novice chef is not confident with using a whisk (for example) or does not yet know that there is such a thing as a slotted spoon; or that metal utensils will ruin a teflon-type non-stick skillet. One item about which I learned the hard way is peeling onions: until I got myself a pair of swim goggles, I was literally unable to cook anything which has onions. It was quite by accident I ran into this handy tip. Sincerely yours, Erik-Nils van Glockenturm, Twin Lakes WI, USA.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi! You are so right! Thanks for the reminder. (I bought some onion goggles, but they work the same as yours). :). Wendi
Moxie says
Super Recipe! Perfect!
Anne Bremser says
My mom made cabbage rolls like these (except all beef). She got the recipe from our Japanese neighbor in the late 1950s. Who knows where Mrs. Ogino got it. It even had cumin in it. I somehow lost my copy of the recipe and was afraid we'd have to live without them. Thank you for posting your mother-in-law's recipe. You saved the day!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Anne and welcome! I'm so glad you are here and that this recipe helped you to find a piece of your family history! :). Peace friend.
Ron Phelan says
While living near Oklahoma City we use to frequent a Moroccan Restaurant that served rolls as a side dish or appetizer We moved to Alaska and for the past 30 years I have never experienced the exquisite last of those wonderful rolls. The looked just like the ones you have shared and I can not wait (I wonder why people say that)...I anxiously look forward to trying this recipe. I suspect that this will be the "key" to the Kingdom ....Thank You in advance!!!...Ron Phelan...Seward, Alaska
P.S. we don't eat Pork so might I use an Adventist substitute ? Think I will try. Hope I don't loose something in the Faithfulness to Scripture. So many recipes call for the Pork flavor. I suspect that the Oklahoma version used a bit of Pork but we were not Adventists then. I will let you know how it goes...It worked on my favorite "Biscuits and Gravy", (Texas Paste my mom use to call it.)
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Ron. Thanks so much for sharing your story!! I have a good friend who is vegetarian. She makes cabbage rolls using the vegetarian crumbles found in the freezer section. I would use slightly more tomatoes and then be very carfuk with the salt as those crumbles tend to be pretty salty. I suppose you could also chop up the sausage available in the fresh food section - again - careful with the salt - but I think this is a great option for vegetarians. My children used to attend an Adventist day care when we lived in Nashville, TN. What awesome folks. Again thanks for writing!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
My mother made the worst stuffed cabbage rolls and I started my adult life thinking I could never ever eat another one. Then I was invited to dinner with a friend and sure enough, this is what she served but they were NOT my mother's rolls. They looked just like yours and forever after, I never said no thanks to another one. (other than my mother's LOL)
Happy New Year!
Wendi Spraker says
Lol Maureen - you make me laugh!! Thanks for visiting. I wasn't very keen on them either until the family went on and on about Mamaws cabbage rolls. YUM!! so good!!