stuffed cabbage rolls

Here’s a classic stuffed cabbage rolls recipe—comforting, flavorful, and perfect for make-ahead meals 🥬🍅

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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

Cabbage

• 1 large green cabbage
• Water + salt (for boiling)

Filling

• 500 g (1 lb) ground meat (beef, pork, or a mix)
• ½ cup uncooked rice
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp dried thyme or dill (optional)

Tomato Sauce

• 2 cups tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef or vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)
• Salt & pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Prepare cabbage
   • Remove core from cabbage.
   • Boil whole cabbage in salted water for 5–8 minutes, gently peeling off softened leaves.
   • Trim thick vein from each leaf.
2. Make filling
   • In a bowl, combine ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, egg, spices, salt, and pepper.
3. Assemble rolls
   • Place filling on each cabbage leaf.
   • Fold sides in, then roll tightly.
4. Prepare sauce
   • Mix tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, sugar, salt, and pepper.
5. Cook
   • Layer cabbage trimmings on bottom of pot or baking dish.
   • Place rolls seam-side down.
   • Pour sauce over rolls.
   • Cover and simmer on low 1½–2 hours, or bake at 180°C / 350°F for 90 minutes.

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Tips

• Add a little lemon juice for a tangy Eastern European flavor.
• These taste even better the next day.
• Serve with sour cream and crusty bread.

If you’d like a vegetarian version, Middle Eastern style, or slow-cooker method, just tell me 😊