Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Overview

These stuffed cabbage rolls combine tender cabbage leaves with a savory filling of ground beef, partially cooked rice, onion, garlic, and herbs. They bake gently in tomato sauce until the meat is cooked through and the cabbage is soft enough to cut with a fork.

Blanching the cabbage first makes the leaves flexible without turning them mushy. The rolls can be assembled ahead, baked from chilled, and stored for easy leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 large green cabbage, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth, divided
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more for the cooking water
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pound ground beef, preferably 85% lean
• 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

How to make it

1. Prepare the oven and sauce. Heat the oven to 375°F. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the broth, tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, oregano, and paprika. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then cook for 8 minutes. It should look slightly thickened but still pour easily. Remove from the heat.

3. Soften the cabbage leaves. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut a deep circle around the cabbage core, then carefully lower the cabbage into the water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the outer leaves loosen. Use tongs to lift off the softened leaves and transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Continue cooking and removing leaves until you have 12 good-sized leaves.

4. Drain the leaves and pat them dry. With a small knife, shave down the thick raised rib near the bottom of each leaf without cutting through it. This makes the leaves easier to roll. Finely chop any remaining tender cabbage and reserve it for another use or add it to the baking dish around the rolls.

5. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rinsed uncooked rice, egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix just until evenly combined; overmixing can make the filling firm.

6. Fill and roll. Spread about 1 cup of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place one cabbage leaf on a work surface with the trimmed rib facing down. Put about 1/3 cup of filling near the bottom third of the leaf. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll it up from the bottom into a snug parcel. Place it seam-side down in the dish. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling, arranging the rolls close together.

7. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. Add the remaining 1/2 cup broth around the edges of the dish, not directly over the rolls. Cover the dish tightly with foil.

8. Bake until tender. Bake for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 15 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling, the cabbage is very tender, and the centers reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the rolls are browning too quickly after uncovering, loosely replace the foil.

9. Rest the dish for 10 minutes before serving. Spoon sauce over each roll and finish with chopped parsley. The rolls should hold together when lifted but yield easily when cut with a fork.

Expert tips

• Choose a cabbage with broad, flexible leaves. The smaller inner leaves are useful for covering gaps or lining the baking dish.
• Do not cook the rice before mixing it into the filling. It cooks inside the rolls and absorbs flavor from the sauce; rinsing removes excess surface starch.
• Keep the rolls snug in the dish so they do not unravel, but do not pack them so tightly that sauce cannot circulate around them.
• If a leaf tears, patch the hole with a small piece of another blanched leaf and roll it as usual.
• Ground turkey can replace the beef, but the filling will be leaner; add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the filling mixture for a softer texture. Ground pork can replace half or all of the beef.
• For a vegetarian version, use the filling from these spinach ricotta stuffed shells as a starting point, keeping the cabbage and tomato-sauce method the same.
• If the rice is still firm after baking, add 1/4 cup hot broth, cover the dish again, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more. The rice needs enough moisture and time to finish cooking.

Serving and storage

Serve the rolls hot with plenty of tomato sauce. A simple green salad, crusty bread, or a bowl of roasted butternut squash soup makes a suitable accompaniment.

Cool leftovers promptly, then refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave until steaming hot throughout, or place them in a covered baking dish with a splash of broth and warm at 350°F until heated through. For longer storage, freeze cooled rolls with their sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make stuffed cabbage rolls ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the rolls and sauce, cover the baking dish, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Add about 15 to 20 minutes to the covered baking time if the dish is cold from the refrigerator, and check that the centers reach 160°F.

Why are my cabbage rolls tough?

The cabbage leaves may not have been blanched long enough, or the rolls may need more covered baking time. Add a splash of broth, cover the dish tightly, and continue baking until the leaves are fork-tender.

Can I use brown rice in the filling?

You can, but brown rice takes longer to cook and needs more liquid. For the most reliable texture, use cooked brown rice—about 1 1/2 cups cooked in place of the 1/2 cup uncooked white rice—and reduce the broth added to the dish by 1/4 cup.

How do I keep cabbage rolls from falling apart?

Trim the thick rib so the leaf folds easily, avoid overfilling, and place each roll seam-side down. Keeping the rolls close together in the baking dish also helps them hold their shape.

Can I use jarred tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes?

Yes. Use 3 cups of plain tomato or marinara sauce and omit the tomato paste. If the sauce is already strongly seasoned, reduce the added salt and oregano to taste.

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• roasted butternut squash soup