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A straight-on view of a stuffed cabbage roll with tomatoes sauce that has been split in half and spread open so the beef and rice filling is visible.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, Amish
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 319kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls have become a staple in our home, especially when the weather turns chilly. These are not hard to make and are so hearty and bursting with flavor. You'll feel like you're eating grandma's special dinner. So good!
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Equipment

  • large stock pot large enough to hold a head of cabbage

Ingredients

  • 1 large green cabbage

For the Sauce

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 large onion thinly sliced
  • 3 ribs celery chopped
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Beef and Rice Filling

  • 1 lb ground beef chuck 90% lean
  • 1 medion onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup white rice cooked
  • ¼ cup beef stock
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten

For Serving

  • 2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Use a sharp knife to remove the outer portion of the cabbage core carefully. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
    1 large green cabbage
  • Carefully lower the cabbage into the water and cook, pulling off each outer leaf with tongs as it becomes tender, about 1 minute (or less) per leaf. Transfer the leaves to a baking rack on a baking sheet until you start to get close to the center of the cabbage. Depending on the size of the cabbage, you should get between 6 and 12 cabbage leaves.
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and stir until melted.
    2 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Add sliced onions and celery, and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes.
    1 large onion, 3 ribs celery
  • Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 1 to 2 minutes.
    ¼ cup tomato paste
  • Add tomatoes, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
    1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup honey, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Meanwhile, mix together the beef, onions, rice, beef stock, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt (1½ tsp), and pepper (1 tsp) in a large bowl. Stir in the egg until just mixed. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
    1 lb ground beef chuck, 1 medion onion, 1 cup white rice, ¼ cup beef stock, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1½ teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 large egg
  • Portion out the meat into mounds equal to the number of cabbage leaves (ie, 6 mounds of meat for 6 cabbage leaves). Working 1 at a time, place a beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf and slightly flatten, fold the sides inward, and then roll up.
  • Ladle enough sauce into a baking dish (9"x13 or smaller) to cover the bottom. Transfer rolls, seam side down, to the dish on top of the sauce. Top each of the rolls with more sauce, leaving enough sauce to serve at the table.
  • Bake until cooked through (at least 145°F), usually about 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the size of the rolls). Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve at once with extra sauce on the side.
    2 tablespoon Italian parsley

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
Don't worry about removing the entire core of the cabbage.  You want the cabbage to still be intact once added to the boiling water.
Be very careful lowering the cabbage into the boiling water.  Preferably, use heat-resistant gloves.  Or, find an extra pair of hands and a couple of large tongs to gently lower the cabbage head into the boiling water.  As an alternative, you can place the cabbage in the pot of water and then bring it to a boil.  Either way is perfectly acceptable.
Be sure to leave some of the sauce for serving the final dish. We like to ladle about a ½ cup of sauce on each plate, and then top it with a couple of cabbage rolls.
The dish can be assembled up to several hours before baking.
The cooked rolls will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.  Although the dish is best served fresh, you can freeze up to 2 months before baking.  Reheat in the oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. 

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 61mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 2mg