Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory mixture of seasoned ground beef and rice, then slowly baked in a rich tomato sauce. A comforting family-style meal!
🥣 Ingredients
For the cabbage rolls:
- 1 large green cabbage
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- ½ lb (225 g) ground pork, optional
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the tomato sauce:
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup water or beef broth
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the cabbage
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully remove the core from the cabbage.
2. Soften the leaves
Place the cabbage in the boiling water. As the outer leaves soften, carefully remove them with tongs. Continue until you have about 12–15 large leaves.
Set the leaves aside to cool. Trim the thick central vein slightly so they’re easier to roll.
3. Prepare the filling
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice, chopped onion, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano. Mix until well combined, but don’t overmix.
4. Make the sauce
In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, pepper, paprika, and water or broth.
5. Fill the cabbage leaves
Place one cabbage leaf on a flat surface. Put about 2–3 tablespoons of filling near the bottom of the leaf.
6. Roll them
Fold the sides toward the center, then roll the cabbage tightly upward, like a small burrito. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
7. Prepare the baking dish
Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of a large baking dish.
8. Arrange the rolls
Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in the dish, close together. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top.
9. Cover and bake
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 75–90 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked and the cabbage is tender.
10. Rest before serving
Remove the dish from the oven and let the cabbage rolls rest for 10 minutes.
11. Serve
Spoon plenty of the rich tomato sauce over each roll and serve warm. ❤️
⭐ Tip
For even more flavor, prepare the cabbage rolls a day ahead and refrigerate them. They often taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
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