Tender Stuffed Cabbage Leaves (Printable)

Tender cabbage stuffed with meat and rice, baked in rich tomato sauce for a comforting Eastern European dish.

# Components:

→ Cabbage Rolls

01 - 1 large head green cabbage
02 - 1.1 lbs ground beef or pork
03 - 2/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

→ Tomato Sauce

10 - 3 cups tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1 tablespoon sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
16 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F
02 - Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Remove core from cabbage and lower into boiling water. Simmer 8-10 minutes, gently loosening and removing leaves as they soften. Set aside 12-14 large leaves
03 - Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic for sauce until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato passata, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes and set aside
04 - Cook rice in boiling water for 5 minutes until half-cooked. Drain and cool slightly
05 - In large bowl, combine ground meat, par-cooked rice, chopped onion, minced garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined
06 - Place cabbage leaf on flat surface. Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling near stem end. Fold sides over filling and roll tightly. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling
07 - Spread thin layer of tomato sauce on bottom of ovenproof dish. Arrange cabbage rolls seam side down in single layer
08 - Pour remaining tomato sauce evenly over rolls. Cover tightly with foil or lid
09 - Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil in last 15 minutes for thicker sauce if desired
10 - Cool slightly before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're easier to assemble than they look, and honestly kind of meditative once you get into the rhythm.
  • Leftovers genuinely taste better the next day, which means you can make them ahead and feel like a genius at dinner time.
  • One dish feeds you well and makes your kitchen smell incredible without requiring any fancy techniques.
02 -
  • Don't skip the par-cooking of rice or you'll end up with crunchy rolls that never soften—this step genuinely changes everything.
  • If your cabbage leaves tear while you're peeling them, save the scraps and patch the damaged leaves by overlapping two pieces; the sauce will hold them together perfectly in the oven.
03 -
  • Keep the cabbage leaves whole and pliable by testing one before committing the whole head—if it's falling apart at 8 minutes, pull it out; if it's still tough at 10, give it 2 more.
  • Room-temperature filling is easier to work with than cold, and it distributes more evenly inside the leaves.
Return