Stuffed Cabbage (Cabbage Rolls)
🕒 Time
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1½–2 hours
Serves: 4–6
🧄 Ingredients
For the cabbage
1 large green cabbage
Water (for boiling)
1 tsp salt
For the filling
500 g (1 lb) ground meat (beef, pork, or a mix)
½ cup uncooked rice (white or short-grain)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp dried thyme or dill (optional)
2 tbsp oil
For the sauce
2 cups crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
1½ cups water or broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar (optional, balances acidity)
Salt & pepper to taste
1 bay leaf (optional)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the cabbage
Remove the core of the cabbage.
Place cabbage in a large pot of boiling salted water.
Gently peel off softened leaves as they loosen.
Set leaves aside to cool. Trim thick veins if needed.
2️⃣ Make the filling
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion until soft.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
In a bowl, combine:
Ground meat
Rice
Onion & garlic
Tomato paste
Salt, pepper, paprika, herbs
Mix well (don’t overmix).
3️⃣ Roll the cabbage
Place 2–3 tbsp filling on each cabbage leaf.
Fold in sides and roll tightly.
Repeat until filling is used.
4️⃣ Prepare the sauce
In a bowl, mix crushed tomatoes, water/broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper.
5️⃣ Cook the cabbage rolls
Stovetop method
Line the bottom of a large pot with leftover cabbage leaves.
Arrange rolls seam-side down.
Pour sauce over rolls (they should be mostly covered).
Add bay leaf.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 1½–2 hours.
OR Oven method
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Place rolls in a baking dish.
Pour sauce over.
Cover with foil and bake 1½ hours.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Serve hot with sour cream or yogurt
Enjoy with crusty bread or mashed potatoes
🌱 Variations
Vegetarian: Replace meat with mushrooms & lentils
Middle Eastern style: Add cinnamon & allspice
Polish/Romanian: Use pork + smoked meat
Low-carb: Skip rice, add cauliflower rice
