Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
With tender cabbage leaves filled with perfectly seasoned ground beef and rice and topped with a sweet and sour tomato sauce, these Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are perfect for Sunday dinner or other special occasions.
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best cabbage rolls, best stuffed cabbage, stuffed cabbage, wrapped cabbage
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 266kcal
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
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 9x13 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.
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 669mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 809IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4mg