Cabbage rolls are one of our favorite family meals. Perfectly seasoned ground meat is wrapped in cabbage leaves and cooked in a slightly sweet and tangy tomato sauce. This version is one of my favorite recipes. My mother always add a dash of cinnamon to the sauce, and I sometimes do the same. I like the juicy blend of lean ground beef with ground pork, but you could certainly use all ground beef. Or feel free to replace the red meat with ground turkey, but make sure it isn’t too lean or the cooked filling will be dry.
What to Serve With Stuffed Cabbage
I love mashed or boiled potatoes with cabbage rolls. The delicious tomato sauce mixture makes a fantastic gravy for the potatoes.
For a side vegetable, choose broccoli, green beans, peas, or corn.
A side salad of coleslaw or a green salad with a simple vinaigrette.
Crusty bread or soft dinner rolls are excellent choices, or choose garlic bread or biscuits.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight container and enjoy within 3 to 4 days.
- To freeze, place the cooked and cooled cabbage rolls in a freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost them in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat, place the stuffed cabbage in a casserole and cover tightly with foil. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 30 minutes or until hot.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Enjoy this classic family comfort food: stuffed cabbage rolls. Ground meat, cabbage leaves, and a tasty tomato sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Ground Beef
- Method: Bake
Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage
- 1 pound 90% ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork, or more ground beef
- 1/3 cup raw instant rice (or about 2/3 cup cooked long grain rice)
- 1 small onion, grated
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Sauce
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar)
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the head of cabbage and bring back to a boil. Boil the cabbage for 5 minutes, then drain and let cool. When cool enough to handle, trim the cabbage, removing about 1/2 inch of the stem. Carefully remove 18 large leaves and set aside. Set the remaining leaves aside.
- Combine the ground meats, rice, grated onions, eggs, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Mix to blend thoroughly.
- Place a cabbage leaf on your work surface and use a knife to cut the end of the rib out in a v-shape. This will make it easier to roll the leaf. Add approximately 1/3 cup of the meat mixture to the center of the cabbage leaf and roll up, burrito style, tucking the ends in as you roll. Repeat with the remaining leaves and meat mixture.
- Arrange the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, in a Dutch oven or large casserole.
- Heat the oven to 350 F.
Make the Sauce
- In a large saucepan, sauté the chopped onion until translucent. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, lemon juice or vinegar, and brown sugar. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the cabbage rolls in the Dutch oven or casserole. Cover the pan or casserole tightly and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Arrange the cabbage rolls in a serving dish and serve. Enjoy!
