🥬🥩 Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Hearty, Comforting Classic)
Stuffed cabbage rolls are tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory meat-and-rice filling, then simmered in a rich tomato sauce until soft, juicy, and full of flavor.
🧾 Ingredients (4–6 servings)
Cabbage
- 1 large green cabbage head
Filling
- 500g ground beef (or beef + pork mix)
- 1 cup cooked rice (slightly undercooked is fine)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley or dill (optional)
Tomato sauce
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1–2 cups beef broth or water
- 1 tsp sugar (balances acidity)
- 1 tsp paprika or Italian seasoning
- Salt & pepper to taste
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare cabbage leaves
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Carefully remove core from cabbage.
- Place whole cabbage in boiling water for 3–5 minutes.
- Peel off softened outer leaves one by one.
- Continue until you have 10–15 large leaves.
- Cut thick stem part of each leaf slightly to make rolling easier.
2. Make filling
- Mix ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, egg, and seasonings.
- Combine gently—don’t overmix.
3. Roll the cabbage
- Place 2–3 tbsp filling on each leaf.
- Fold sides inward, then roll tightly like a burrito.
4. Prepare sauce
- In a large pot or baking dish, mix tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, and seasoning.
5. Assemble
- Place cabbage rolls seam-side down in the sauce.
- Layer them tightly so they don’t open.
6. Cook
🍲 Stovetop method
- Cover and simmer on low for 1.5–2 hours.
🔥 Oven method (best flavor)
- Bake covered at 180°C (350°F) for 1.5–2 hours.
7. Finish
- Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Spoon extra sauce over the top.
🍽️ Serve with
- Mashed potatoes 🥔
- Crusty bread 🥖
- Sour cream or yogurt 🥛
- Pickles or salad 🥗
💡 Tips for best results
- Slightly undercook rice so it finishes cooking in sauce.
- Don’t overfill leaves or they may burst.
- The longer they simmer, the more tender and flavorful they become.
- Cabbage is easier to peel after boiling or freezing overnight.
🔥 Variations
- Spicy version: add chili flakes or hot sauce to filling
- Creamy version: top with sour cream before serving
- Eastern European style: add dill + more tomato sweetness
- Low-carb version: skip rice and use cauliflower rice
If you want, I can also make you a slow cooker cabbage roll version, a Polish-style gołąbki recipe, or a quick 45-minute shortcut version.
