If you’re craving the familiar flavors of Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, you can make them easily with this step-by-step recipe. Add a generous helping of mashed potatoes for the most delicious comfort meal.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
There is no comfort food quite like grandma’s homemade Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. They’re so fun to make from scratch and a good recipe to involve kids in the assembling of the cabbage rolls.
For more dinner ideas, don’t miss these recipes: Asian Meatballs | Easy Cranberry Chicken | Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce | Homemade Hamburger Helper | Cheesy Smothered Chicken and Gravy
The Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (the exact measurements and full recipe instructions are below in the easy to print recipe card):
Olive oil
Onion – one medium onion will be just right.
Garlic – use fresh garlic for this recipe.
Crushed tomatoes – be sure you do not drain the tomatoes. You’ll add them, juice and all.
Tomato sauce & Tomato paste
Salt and pepper – you’ll add the salt and pepper to your taste.
Brown sugar – the brown sugar helps cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
Red wine vinegar & Worcestershire sauce
Dried Italian herbs – use any Italian herb blend you like.
Ground beef – an extra lean ground beef is best.
Cooked rice – you can use white or brown rice. This is a great way to use up leftover rice.
Onion powder & Paprika
Fresh parsley – chop the fresh parsley to have ready to add to the recipe.
Egg – one large egg will be enough.
Head of cabbage
How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil then add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian herbs, salt and pepper, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
Coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish; set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Immerse the cabbage head in the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the leaves are pliable. Remove from water and peel off 12 large leaves. When the leaves are cooled, cut a v-shaped notch at the base of each to remove the thick rib of the cabbage. Set the cabbage aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, onion powder, garlic, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Italian herbs, 2 tablespoons of the fresh parsley, and the egg.
Add 1/2 cup of the prepared tomato sauce to the bowl and stir to combine.
Take 1/3 of a cup of the meat mixture and shape it into a log, place it in the center of a cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf around the meat then place in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves.
Top the cabbage rolls in the pan with the remaining sauce.
Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350F for 70-90 minutes, or until the cabbage is fork-tender and the meat is cooked through. Sprinkle the cabbage rolls with the remaining parsley.
What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
Homemade cabbage rolls are perfect with creamy mashed potatoes. Try our recipe for Amish-style mashed potatoes with browned butter. A side of buttered noodles and steamed or roasted vegetables also goes very well with the cabbage rolls.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep the leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight food storage container. Refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or oven until hot.
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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes do not drain
- 15- ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
Cabbage Rolls:
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice white or brown
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs blend
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 head of cabbage
Instructions
To Make the Sauce:
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil then add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian herbs, salt and pepper, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Coat a 9×13 inche baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish; set aside.
To Make the Cabbage Rolls:
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Immerse the cabbage head in the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the leaves are pliable. Remove from water and peel off 12 large leaves. When the leaves are cooled, cut a v-shaped notch at the base of each to remove the thick rib of the cabbage. Set the cabbage aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, onion powder, garlic, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Italian herbs, 2 tablespoons of the fresh parsley, and the egg.
- Add 1/2 cup of the prepared tomato sauce to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Take 1/3 of a cup of the meat mixture and shape it into a log, place it in the center of a cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf around the meat then place in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves.
- Top the cabbage rolls in the pan with the remaining sauce. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350F for 70-90 minutes, or until the cabbage is fork-tender and the meat is cooked through.
- Sprinkle the cabbage rolls with the remaining parsley and serve hot with mashed potatoes.
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