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Easy Cabbage Rolls Recipe

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3.9 from 67 reviews

This classic Easy Cabbage Rolls recipe offers a comforting blend of seasoned ground beef, rice, and vegetables wrapped in tender cabbage leaves, smothered in a rich tomato sauce, and baked to perfection. Perfect for a hearty family meal, these rolls are flavorful, nutritious, and versatile, with helpful tips for prepping cabbage and making use of leftover filling.

Ingredients

Cabbage Rolls

  • 1 head green cabbage
  • 1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • ½ pound lean ground beef
  • 2 small yellow onions, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 egg

Tomato Sauce

  • 1 ¾ cups tomato sauce, divided
  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Instructions

  1. Soften Cabbage Leaves: Boil the cabbage leaves for about 2 minutes or until soft, following the method of cutting ¼ inch off the bottom of the head and peeling leaves off after boiling. Set aside the softened leaves to cool and remove any tough stems.
  2. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cabbage rolls.
  3. Cook Rice: Prepare the rice according to package directions but reduce cooking time by 5 minutes to keep it slightly underdone. Set aside.
  4. Cook Meat and Vegetables: In a pan, cook the ground beef (or turkey), diced onions, garlic, and seasonings until the meat is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
  5. Combine Filling: Add the partially cooked rice, diced tomatoes with juices, and ⅓ cup tomato sauce to the cooked meat mixture. Stir in one egg until well incorporated.
  6. Prepare Baking Dish: Mix the remaining tomato sauce with the condensed tomato soup in a bowl. Spread a very thin layer of this tomato sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  7. Roll the Cabbage: Remove or thin the thick stems from cabbage leaves. Lay each leaf flat, add about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the filling in the center, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly. Place each rolled cabbage seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Overlap smaller leaves if necessary.
  8. Add Sauce and Bake: Pour the remaining tomato sauce mixture over the cabbage rolls. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 75 to 90 minutes.
  9. Rest and Serve: After baking, let the cabbage rolls cool for about 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld and the rolls to set.

Notes

  • To easily remove cabbage leaves, cut about ¼ inch off the bottom of the cabbage head and boil the whole head for 2 minutes. Peel off softened leaves and repeat until all leaves are removed.
  • Use a small knife to cut off the thick, tough stems from boiled cabbage leaves for easier rolling.
  • Overlap smaller cabbage leaves to fully enclose filling; appearance will not affect taste or cooking.
  • Leftover filling can be added to tomato soup or used as stuffing for zucchini or bell peppers.
  • Cabbage rolls can be frozen before or after baking for convenient future meals.

Find it online: https://flavorspath.com/easy-cabbage-rolls-recipe/