Traditional Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
A comforting dish filled with flavorful ingredients, perfect for family meals or gatherings, and great for meal prep.
Ingredients
Cabbage Preparation
- 1 large head green cabbage Remove the bottom inch before boiling.
Filling Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion Reserve some for filling.
- 3 cloves garlic Minced.
- 1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef (85/15)
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley Plus more for serving.
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a large 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Boil a large pot of water. Remove the bottom inch of the cabbage and place it in the boiling water for 4-5 minutes until the leaves can be easily peeled off. Cool and peel 12 leaves.
Cooking
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté 1 cup of diced onion for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic for another minute.
- Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine all filling ingredients (ground beef, cooked rice, egg, remaining onion, garlic, parsley, paprika, and cayenne pepper) and mash.
- On each cabbage leaf, cut a V-shaped incision, place 3-4 tablespoons of filling, fold the sides, and roll up.
- Pour sauce into the baking dish and add the cabbage rolls seam side down in two rows.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60-75 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving, garnishing with parsley.
Notes
Make sure to remove the first few leaves of cabbage, as they are often tough. Don't skip the resting time after baking; it helps the flavors meld together. For a healthier option, you can use ground turkey instead of beef for the filling.