This Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe is made with soft, tender cabbage leaves stuffed with ground beef, ground sausage, and white rice, then baked in flavorful herb-seasoned tomato sauce. Filling and delicious, it’s the perfect weeknight dinner that can be made ahead of time, frozen, and reheated.
Cabbage rolls are pretty simple – and delicious! Popular in many different cuisines around the world, each culture comes with its own unique version. This version is most like gołąbki, stuffed cabbage rolls popular in Poland.
Ingredients in Cabbage Rolls
- Cabbage: You’ll need a large head of green cabbage. Look for one with tightly packed leaves that are sturdy and not too thin.
- Meat: Ground beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or a combination. Swap the meat for lentils, mushrooms, or your favorite meat substitute for vegetarian cabbage rolls.
- Rice: Long-grain parboiled white rice is most often used. Possible substitutions include brown rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, couscous, farro, barley, lentils, or oats. Some versions even use polenta! Some may require pre-cooking or adjusting the amount of liquid in the recipe.
- Onion: Diced, chopped, or grated for added flavor.
- Seasoning: Fresh garlic, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried sage, but specific spices will vary based on regional differences and personal preference.
- Tomato Sauce: All you need is a can of tomato sauce. You can even use a combination of tomato paste and water.
- Broth: Beef, chicken, or vegetable broth is mixed with the tomato sauce.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Cabbage Rolls
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Combine the Meat Mixture: Add the ground beef, pork, parboiled rice, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, and sage to a large bowl. Mix well until combined.
3. Make the Sauce: Whisk the tomato sauce and chicken broth together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. Prepare the Cabbage Leaves: Before starting, discard any wilted or loose leaves from the cabbage.
- Next, remove as many outer leaves from the cabbage as possible without tearing. Transfer the leaves to the pot of boiling water and blanch them for 3 minutes or until tender. Carefully remove the leaves using cooking tongs. Drain and set aside on a large cutting board or plate.
- Transfer the head of cabbage to the pot of boiling water (ideally, it will be fully submerged) and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove the cooked cabbage from the pot and use tongs to gently remove as many outer leaves as possible without tearing them. Return the head of cabbage to the boiling water and repeat.
- Continue boiling and peeling off the outer layers of the cabbage using this method until the leaves are too small and crinkled to work with.
- Allow the cooked leaves to cool, then trim any leaves with a thick center stem by making a V-shape cut using a sharp knife.
5. Roll the Cabbage Rolls: Lay the cabbage leaf flat. If using a leaf with the V-shape cut, overlap the cut parts slightly to close the gap. Spoon approximately 2-3 tablespoons of the beef mixture onto the leaf. Roll it up by folding in the outer flaps then rolling the top over the sliced part to seal it as best as possible. Repeat the process with the remaining cabbage and meat.
- Tip – Double up and use two leaves once you’ve used the big leaves.
6. Transfer to a Baking Dish: Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or casserole dish with a drizzle of olive oil. Place the rolls into the pan, seam-side-down. Pour the prepared tomato sauce mixture over the cabbage rolls, distributing it as evenly as possible. Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (this will trap any steam, preventing the cabbage rolls from drying out).
7. Bake: Place in the oven and bake for one hour. After an hour, vent the foil and continue to bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. The internal temperature should register 160°F as measured by a digital meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with sour cream and garnished with fresh dill or parsley, if desired.
Cabbage Roll Cooking Tips
- Purchase an extra large cabbage. The larger the cabbage, the larger the leaves, which are easier to work with. Plus, a large cabbage will provide additional leaves – just in case.
- Boiling the cabbage is necessary. It’s a bit of a pain, but it’s impossible to roll a cabbage leaf without cracking or tearing unless it’s been boiled first.
- Use your favorite ground meat – Ground beef, ground pork, ground turkey or chicken, or sausage.
- Trim the thick center vein from each leaf. This will make it easier to roll.
- Don’t overfill the leaves. It’s tempting to add as much filling as possible, but leaving enough room for the filling to expand is essential, especially when using rice.
What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
Popular sides to serve with cabbage rolls include mashed potatoes or fresh bread like a crusty baguette or sourdough. Steamed or roasted vegetables, a crisp green salad, or sliced cucumbers and tomatoes are also delicious.
Can You Cook Cabbage Rolls in a Slow Cooker?
Yes. To cook cabbage rolls in a slow cooker, layer them in the cooker, add sauce, and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
Storing and Freezing Cabbage Rolls
- Storage: Allow the cabbage rolls to cool to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. Pour extra sauce over the leftover rolls to help prevent the cabbage rolls from drying out. Transfer to the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- Freezing: Allow the cabbage rolls to cool to room temperature. To prevent the cabbage rolls from sticking together once frozen, transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each roll. Make sure each roll is covered in sauce before freezing. Once they’re partially frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. Frozen cabbage rolls can last in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- Thawing and Reheating: Thaw the cabbage rolls in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat them in the oven, stovetop, or microwave until they are heated through. If using an oven, cover them with foil to prevent them from drying out.
More Cabbage Recipes
- Best Cabbage Soup Recipe
- Easy Cabbage Stir-Fry
- Chicken and Cabbage
- How to Make Sauerkraut
- Bratwurst and Sauerkraut
- Coleslaw Recipe
If you try making this Cabbage Rolls Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- ¾ cup parboiled long-grain rice -
- ½ yellow onion - minced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (2-3 pound) head green cabbage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Combine the ground beef, pork, parboiled rice, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, and sage in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Whisk the tomato sauce and chicken broth together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Begin by discarding any wilted or loose leaves from the cabbage. Then, remove as many outer leaves from the cabbage as possible without tearing them. Transfer the leaves to the pot of boiling water and blanch them for 3 minutes, or until tender. Carefully remove the leaves using cooking tongs. Drain and set aside on a large cutting board or plate.
- Next, place the whole head of cabbage in the pot of boiling water (ideally, it will be fully submerged) and boil for 3-4 minutes. Carefully remove the cabbage from the pot and use tongs to gently remove as many outer leaves as possible without tearing them. Return the head of cabbage to the boiling water and repeat.
- Continue boiling and peeling off the outer layers of the cabbage using this method until the leaves are too small and crinkled to work with. Note – The core of the cabbage takes longer to heat through, so after you’ve removed several of the outer leaves, you may need to let the cabbage cook for a few more minutes to soften the next layer of leaves.
- Once cool, trim any leaves with a thick center stem by making a V-shape cut using a sharp knife.
- To roll – Lay the cabbage leaf flat. If using a leaf with the thick stem cut from the one center, overlap the cut parts slightly to close the gap. Spoon approximately 3 tablespoons of the beef mix and rice mixture onto the leaf. Roll it up by folding in the outer flaps then rolling the top over the sliced part to seal it as best as possible.
- Repeat the process with the remaining cabbage and meat. Tip – Double up and use two leaves once you've used the bigger leaves.
- Drizzle the olive oil into a 9×13-inch baking pan or casserole dish. Place the rolls into the pan, seam-side-down.
- Pour the prepared tomato sauce and chicken broth mixture over the cabbage rolls, distributing it as evenly as possible. Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (this will trap any steam, preventing the cabbage rolls from drying out).
- Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. After an hour, vent the foil and continue to bake for an additional 20-30 minutes. Once the meat and rice are fully cooked (internal temperature should register 160°F as measured by a digital meat thermometer), remove from the oven and cool before serving with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
- Parboiled Rice can be purchased alongside other rice and grains at most grocery stores. It has already undergone some of the cooking process so it requires less cooking time than regular rice.
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
The flavor in this recipe is quite nice. I would never use parboiled rice for cabbage rolls because it goes mushy. Also, this is extremely labor-intensive method for cooking the cabbage. A good alternative is to put the cabbage in the freezer overnight and let it thaw then the leaves peel off easily. Another method is to remove the core and place it on a steamer and steam for a few minutes.
When baking cabbage rolls, double the sauce and cook for a minimum of 3 hours and keep basting the cabbage rolls after 1 hour at 30 minute intervals. They will have so much more flavour. Believe me, I have made them for 50 years. Prior to serving add some whipping cream.