Description
These Comforting Home Style Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a true taste of tradition, offering tender cabbage leaves filled with a savory, hearty mixture and simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce. They’re the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out and brings a smile to everyone’s face. Imagine perfectly cooked cabbage cradling a delicious, perfectly seasoned filling, all bathed in a luscious tomato sauce. This is comfort food at its finest, designed to be enjoyed with loved ones.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked long-grain rice, or similar variety (to yield 1 cup of cooked rice, you’ll need about ⅓ cup of uncooked rice)
1.5 pounds lean ground beef, or extra lean ground beef
1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried dill (dill weed)
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (crushed red pepper flakes), optional
3 (13.5-ounce) cans tomato sauce, divided (about three (398-millilitre) cans or 5 cups of tomato sauce. See point “5” below in recipe “Notes”)
1 medium head green cabbage, you’ll need about 18 cabbage leaves for the rolls and another 8 to 10 or so for the bottom of the dish and over top
½ cup water, leftover from boiling cabbage or regular water
Chopped fresh dill, garnish to taste (optional)
Cooking spray, to grease baking dish or roasting pan
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, egg, cooked rice, minced onion, chopped parsley, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, dried dill, onion powder, optional chili flakes, and a half cup of the tomato sauce. Mix well until everything is evenly combined and set aside.
3. Boil the cabbage: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully submerge the head of cabbage, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until the outer leaves begin to soften. Remove the cabbage carefully, but keep the boiling water to soften more inner leaves and to use in the sauce.
4. Prep the cabbage leaves: Once the cabbage cools down enough to handle, gently peel off the leaves and slice the tough core out of each leaf. If the inner leaves are still too firm, put the head back into the boiling water for a few minutes to soften. Repeat until you have about 18 leaves for the rolls, plus 8 to 10 extra leaves for lining the dish.
5. Assemble the rolls: Lightly grease a deep 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, then line the bottom with a few of the extra cabbage leaves. To make each cabbage roll, place about a quarter cup of the meat mixture in the center of a leaf, fold the sides in, and roll it up. Place the rolls seam-side down in the prepared dish.
6. Add the sauce: Whisk together the remaining tomato sauce and a half cup of the reserved cabbage boiling water in a medium bowl. Pour this sauce evenly over your cabbage rolls and top with the remaining extra cabbage leaves.
7. Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes, until the ground beef is completely cooked through and no longer pink. Carefully remove the foil, discard the protective top cabbage leaves, and let the dish cool for 20 minutes. Garnish with fresh dill before serving.
Notes
If your cabbage leaves are still brittle after boiling, you can carefully blanch them in hot water for a minute or two more until pliable. A sharp knife can also help you shave down any excessively thick parts of the leaf.
If you find the sauce is a bit too thick after baking, you can stir in a small amount of water or broth to loosen it up before serving.
The best indicator of doneness is the tenderness of the cabbage. It should be yielding and easily cut with a fork, not firm or crisp. The filling and rice should also be fully cooked.
Letting the stuffed cabbage rolls rest for about 5 to 10 minutes after baking allows the flavors to meld and makes them easier to serve.
- Prep Time: Approximately 50 minutes
- Cook Time: Approximately 1 hour 50 minutes (including simmering time)
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Home Style