This is such a quintessential ‘farm-to-table’ recipe. Steeped in tradition and loaded with heart-warming goodness.
With a touch of sweetness in the sauce, countering perfectly against the beef filling and cabbage leaves, this filling dish is perfect for feeding a hungry family on a chilly evening. Actually, they are delicious any time of the year! And they are really fun to put together, all in less than 1 hour!
How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
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The Ingredients You Will Need
As you would expect, there are not exotic ingredients in this dish. You can even adapt the seasonings to your own tastes. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
Green cabbage – The larger, the better. Don’t go with Napa cabbage.
Oil – Olive oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Medium-sized onion – One cut into slivers.
Celery – Chopped.
Tomato paste – Use half of a small can (6 oz).
Crushed tomatoes – Canned. Can substitute fresh tomatoes (2 cups), or a 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes, crushed with your hands (juice included).
Honey – Don’t skip this ingredient!
Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed is best.
For the Beef and Rice Filling
Ground beef – 90% lean is best (you won’t be able to drain any rendered grease). You can also opt for ground pork, turkey, chicken, or a combination of any of them.
Rice – Fully cooked. Steamed or instant rice works just fine.
Medium onion – Finely chopped.
Beef broth – Homemade or store-bought.
Seasonings – Smoked paprika, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Egg – Lightly beaten.
EXPERT TIP: Be very careful when lowering the cabbage into the boiling water. You will see the outer leaves start to pull away from the head. Use a pair of tongs (and possibly kitchen shears) to pull the leaves free, one after another.
Tips for Making Perfect Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Choose the Right Cabbage – Opt for a head of green cabbage that is firm and heavy. Blanch the leaves in boiling water for a few minutes until they are pliable. This will make it easier to roll them without tearing. You can also freeze the cabbage for a few days before using it; this helps to soften the leaves.
Create a Flavorful Filling – For the beef and rice filling, use ground beef, or a combination of beef and pork for added flavor and moisture. Cook the rice fully before mixing it with the meat to ensure it doesn’t absorb too much moisture from the filling. Season the mixture well with seasonings and herbs like smoked paprika, oregano, basil, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper for a more robust flavor.
Simmer the Sauce – Sauté the onions and celery for at least 15 to 20 minutes. The onions will begin to caramelize, producing a deeply flavorful, slightly sweet taste. Simmer the sauce for at least 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Taste and additional salt, if desired.
Let Rest Briefly, Then Serve at Once – As the rolls cook, there will be a little rendered grease from the beef. This adds flavor and texture to the tomato sauce. Let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes, and then serve immediately. The rolls will cool off quickly and they are best served nice and hot.
EXPERT TIP: Here’s how to roll the cabbage rolls: First, you’ll need to take a cabbage leaf. If there is a large, thick portion of the leaf from the core, simply trim it away. Add a couple of tablespoons of the mixture along the middle of the cabbage leaf, lengthwise. Next, simply fold the ends in, and then roll the cabbage up.
How To Serve
As mentioned, these rolls are definitely served hot.
This recipe will easily feed a family of four. Be sure to reserve sauce to serve at the table.
We love serving these rolls on top of a bed of best-ever mashed potatoes and warm, crusty bread. It is simple, farm-to-table comfort food at its very best.
EXPERT TIP: Ladle enough of the sauce over the rolls to cover them but, again, be sure to leave enough sauce for passing at the table. We love to plate the rolls onto a small pool of the delicious sauce for each individual serving.
Other Classic Home-Style Recipes to Try
This dish reminds us of visiting Amish country in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. But, it also takes us back to an amazing home-cooked meal by grandma. Here is a tried and true collection of nostalgic dishes that are sure to be instant family favorites:
- Grandma’s Swiss Steak
- Classic Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- All-American Pot Roast
- Grandma’s Roasted Pork Loin
- Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- Pan-Fried Pork Cutlets with Peaches
- Southern Stewed Okra and Tomatoes
- Grandma’s Homemade Kolaches
- Classic Peach Pie
- Old-Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
These are all classic in every possible way. But, in the meantime, isn’t this dish calling your name?
Classic Farm-to-Table Comfort Food
There is just something so comforting about this dish. The straightforward flavors work perfectly together.
Remember, you can also core the cabbage and then freeze it for 24 hours, and then let it completely thaw. This makes the leaves come away easy, too!
Even those in your family who think they don’t like cabbage will most likely flip for this dish. The cabbage texture and taste become mild and is the perfect vessel for the savory filling. The tomato sauce brings it all together!
Ready to make an amazing authentic farm-to-table dish? Go for it!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Equipment
- large stock pot large enough to hold a head of cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 large green cabbage
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the Beef and Rice Filling
- 1 lb ground beef chuck 90% lean
- 1 medion onion finely chopped
- 1 cup white rice cooked
- ¼ cup beef stock
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1½ tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
For Serving
- 2 tbsp Italian parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to remove the outer portion of the cabbage core carefully. Bring a large water to a boil over high heat.1 large green cabbage
- Carefully lower the cabbage into the water and cook, pulling off each outer leaf with tongs as it becomes tender, about 1 minute (or less) per leaf. Transfer the leaves to a baking rack on a baking sheet until you start to get close to the center of the cabbage. Depending on the size of the cabbage, you should get between 6 to 12 cabbage leaves.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and stir until melted.2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- Add sliced onions and celery, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.1 large onion, 3 ribs celery
- Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 1 to 2 minutes.¼ cup tomato paste
- Add tomatoes, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Meanwhile, mix together the beef, onions, rice, beef stock, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt (1½ tsp), and pepper (1 tsp) in a large bowl. Stir in the egg until just mixed. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.1 lb ground beef chuck, 1 medion onion, 1 cup white rice, ¼ cup beef stock, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1½ tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 large egg
- Portion out the meat into mounds equal to the number of cabbage leaves (ie, 6 mounds of meat for 6 cabbage leaves). Working 1 at a time, place a beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf and slightly flatten, fold the sides inward, and then roll up.
- Ladle enough sauce into a baking dish (9"x13 or smaller) to cover the bottom. Transfer rolls, seam side down, to the dish on top of the sauce. Top each of the rolls with more sauce, leaving enough sauce to serve at the table.
- Bake until cooked through (at least 145°F), usually about 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the size of the rolls). Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve at once with extra sauce on the side.2 tbsp Italian parsley
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: The recipe was originally published in October 2016, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe and tips, new photography, and a fabulous new video in November 2024!
Just read this recipe and it sounds wonderful, but I wonder if you’re aware that in the actual recipe you say to bake it for 50 minutes, yet just above the recipe it says the cook time is an hour and 15 minutes. Not criticizing, just sayin’. ๐
These are FABULOUS!
Hi Julie! We LOVE that you made the stuffed cabbage and loved them!! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That means so much to us!! Please stay in touch!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
My grandmother taught me to make these and I always freeze the cabbage instead of blanching, this completely cuts the worry of any tough cabbage all you have to do is plan in advance enough to thaw your cabbage out all the way you still must trim the tough Center vein. This is a great way to buy cabbage when it’s on sale or when you have your garden just throw them in the freezer and it’s ready to go whenever you want cabbage rolls. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
The sauce is amazing! I could eat a bowl of it. We omitted all salt, including the stock and tomatoes. It still has a wonderful, sweet flavor that compliments the cabbage and filling. A Polish woman once taught me to freeze my cabbage ahead of time to cut out the blanching step. I don’t think I let it thaw long enough, so the leaves split too easily. Lesson: blanch the leaves!
Hi Tracy! Yay!! We are so glad you enjoyed the cabbage rolls! We love them so much and we agree, the sauce is so yummy! That’s interesting about freezing the cabbage. Never heard of that, but, hey, always to hear what works for other cooks! We do find that blanching works well. Anyway, again we’re thrilled you had such success with the recipe and thank you SO MUCH for letting us know and for the wonderful review! That means the world to us! All the best, Kris & Wesley
I see that I didn’t do it right. I should have removed the core (and washed it!) before freezing, not after. It still takes time to freeze and thaw, so blanching is best if you haven’t planned ahead by a couple days. https://www.cuisineathome.com/tips/freeze-cabbage-for-no-cook-cabbage-roll-prep/
We are in the middle of a move but I love cooking on Sunday afternoons so I made this yesterday and it was delicious!! I’ve never made cabbage rolls but this was soooo easy and I had all ingredients except for the cabbage! I’ll be making this for many Sunday suppers thank you!
Hi Jane! Isn’t this fun to make on a Sunday afternoon? We are so glad you tried it and you liked it so much! And thank you so so much for letting us know! We truly appreciate that!! Stay in touch! Best, Kris & Wesley