Ahh, stuffed cabbage rolls — pure comfort food 🥬❤️
Here’s a classic, tender, old-school recipe that works every time, plus tips so they don’t fall apart.
🥬 Classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
Cabbage
- 1 large green cabbage
Filling
- 1 lb ground beef (or beef + pork mix)
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Prep the cabbage
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Remove outer leaves.
- Core the cabbage and boil 2–3 minutes.
- Gently peel off softened leaves.
- Cut the thick vein from the center of each leaf.
2. Make the filling
Mix together:
- Ground meat
- Cooked rice
- Onion, garlic
- Egg
- Salt, pepper, paprika
Don’t overmix — keeps rolls tender.
3. Roll them
- Place 2–3 tbsp filling near the base of a leaf.
- Fold sides in.
- Roll up tightly like a burrito.
4. Assemble
- Spread a little sauce in the bottom of a baking dish or Dutch oven.
- Place rolls seam-side down.
- Pour remaining sauce over the top.
5. Bake
- Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 90 minutes.
🔥 Pro Tips
- Smaller rolls cook more evenly.
- Leftover cabbage can line the bottom of the dish to prevent sticking.
- Taste sauce before baking — adjust sweetness or tang.
Variations
- 🇵🇱 Polish style: use pork + beef, skip sugar
- 🇭🇺 Hungarian: add paprika and sour cream
- 🇺🇦 Ukrainian: tomato-cream sauce
- 🥬 Low-carb: replace rice with cauliflower rice
Serve With
- Mashed potatoes
- Crusty bread
- Sour cream on top 😋
If you want, I can also share:
- Slow cooker cabbage rolls
- Unstuffed cabbage roll casserole
- Freezer-friendly make-ahead tips
Just say the word 💬
