Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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!

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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

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls have become a staple in our home, especially when the weather turns chilly. These are not hard to make and are so hearty and bursting with flavor. You'll feel like you're eating grandma's special dinner. So good!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American, Amish

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 5 people

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

• ▢
  large stock pot large enough to hold a head of cabbage

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 large green cabbage

For the Sauce

• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoon 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 teaspoon Kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon 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 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano dried
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 large egg lightly beaten

For Serving

• ▢ 2 tablespoon 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 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon 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 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon 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 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon 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 tablespoon Italian parsley

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

Don't worry about removing the entire core of the cabbage.  You want the cabbage to still be intact once added to the boiling water.

Be very careful lowering the cabbage into the boiling water.  Preferably use heat-resistant gloves.  Or, find an extra pair of hands and a couple of large tongs to gently lower the cabbage head into the boiling water.  As an alternative, you can place the cabbage in the pot of water, and then bring it to a boil.  Either way is perfectly acceptable.

Be sure to leave some of the sauce for serving the final dish. We like to ladle about a ½ cup of sauce on each plate, and then top it with a couple of cabbage rolls.

The dish can be assembled up to several hours before baking.

The cooked rolls will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.  Although the dish is best served fresh, you can freeze up to 2 months before baking.  Reheat in the oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg

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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!