CasserolesEastern EuropeanMedium

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce

Name: Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 1 h 32 min
Total time: 2 h 27 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Eastern European
Ingredients: 3 lb (1 large head) (1360 g) green cabbage, outer wilted leaves removed, core cut out; 4 quarts (3800 ml) water, for blanching; 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80% lean), cold; ½ cup (95 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked, not rinsed; 1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; 1 tsp (2½ g) sweet paprika; 1½ tsp (6 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 30 oz (two 15-oz cans) (850 g) canned tomato sauce; 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth; 2 tbsp (27 g) light brown sugar; 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar; 2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; ½ tsp (2 g) kosher salt; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh dill, chopped (optional); ½ cup (120 g) sour cream (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory beef-and-rice filling, then braised in the oven in a sweet-tart tomato sauce until the rice is fluffy and the rolls are silky. A classic Eastern European comfort dinner that's easy to make ahead.

Prep: 55 min
Cook: 1 hr 32 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 2 hr 52 min
Makes: 12 rolls (6 servings of 2 rolls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the cabbage
3 lb (1 large head) (1360 g) green cabbage, outer wilted leaves removed, core cut out
4 quarts (3800 ml) water, for blanching
For the filling
1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80% lean), cold
½ cup (95 g) long-grain white rice, uncooked, not rinsed
1 large (about 10 oz) (285 g) yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika
1½ tsp (6 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the sauce
30 oz (two 15-oz cans) (850 g) canned tomato sauce
1 cup (240 ml) beef broth
2 tbsp (27 g) light brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
½ tsp (2 g) kosher salt
To serve
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh dill, chopped (optional)
½ cup (120 g) sour cream (optional)

Equipment (8)

Large pot (at least 6 quart / 5.7 L) for blanching the cabbage
5–6 quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with lid
Large skillet (10–12 inch / 25–30 cm)
Paring knife and cutting board
Tongs and a large fork or spider
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Choose a heavy 5–6 quart (4.7–5.7 L) Dutch oven or deep oven-safe pot with a tight lid. The rolls should fit snugly in 1–2 layers.
Use raw long-grain white rice (not instant or pre-cooked). It cooks inside the rolls as they braise.
Let the egg sit out about 15 minutes so the filling mixes evenly, but keep the beef refrigerated until you mix the filling.
Total time is about 2 hours 50 minutes, and most of that is hands-off braising and resting.

1
Blanch the cabbage
- Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat.
- Use a paring knife to cut a deep cone-shaped core out of the cabbage, about 3 inches (8 cm) deep.
- Lower the whole head, core side up, into the boiling water.
- Reduce to a steady simmer and cook 8–10 minutes.
- As the outer leaves turn pliable and bright green, lift them off with tongs and set them on a tray.
- Keep the head submerged and keep peeling as more leaves loosen.
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Ready when: Leaves bend without cracking and are bright green and translucent at the edges
Tip: Don't boil the leaves longer than 10 minutes or they'll tear when rolled.
2
Trim the leavesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pick the 12 largest, most intact leaves.
- Lay each flat and shave the thick center rib down with a paring knife so it's level with the rest of the leaf.
- Do not cut through the leaf.
- If a leaf is very small, overlap two.
- Roughly chop the remaining cabbage, about 2 cups (150 g), drain it well, and set aside for lining the pot.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third.
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Ready when: Ribs are flat and flexible so the leaf rolls easily
Tip: Pat leaves dry with a towel so the filling doesn't slip.
3
Cook the onion
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and ½ teaspoon of the filling salt (take it from the 1½ teaspoons).
- Cook, stirring often, 6–7 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
- Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Scrape into a large bowl and spread out to cool.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, with no browning
4
Make the sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, cider vinegar, and the ½ teaspoon sauce salt until the sugar dissolves.
- Taste: it should be pleasantly sweet-tart.
- Add a little more sugar or vinegar if you like.
- Let the onion mixture cool for about 10 minutes while you do this.
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Ready when: Onion mixture is barely warm to the touch
5
Mix the filling
- To the cooled onion add the beef, raw rice, beaten egg, paprika, the remaining 1 teaspoon filling salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently with your hands for about 30 seconds, only until evenly combined.
- Stir in ½ cup (120 ml) of the sauce to keep the filling moist.
- Overmixing makes the rolls tough.
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Ready when: No streaks of egg or pockets of rice, and the mixture holds together when pressed
Tip: Wash your hands well after handling raw beef and egg; don't taste the raw filling.
6
Roll the cabbage
- Divide the filling into 12 equal portions, about 3 tablespoons (65 g) each.
- Place one portion near the base of a leaf, with the stem end toward you.
- Fold the bottom edge over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll up snugly but not tight, leaving a little room for the rice to expand.
- Set seam side down.
- Repeat with all leaves.
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Ready when: Each roll is a neat, closed bundle about 3 inches (8 cm) long
Tip: Rolling too tightly makes the rolls burst as the rice swells.
7
Layer the pot
- Scatter the chopped cabbage over the bottom of the Dutch oven and spoon 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce over it.
- Nestle the rolls seam side down in a snug layer, and stack a second layer on top if needed.
- Tuck in the bay leaves and pour the remaining sauce over the rolls, so they are at least three-quarters covered.
- Cover the pot tightly with the lid.
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Ready when: Rolls sit snugly with sauce coming most of the way up their sides
Tip: If the sauce doesn't come up far enough, add a splash of water so the rice cooks through.
8
Braise in the ovenOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake covered at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour 15 minutes, without lifting the lid for the first hour.
- Then carefully check a roll: the cabbage should be very tender, the rice soft and fully cooked, and the sauce slightly thickened and bubbling.
- If the rice is still firm, re-cover and bake 10–15 minutes more.
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Ready when: Beef filling reaches 160°F (71°C) in the center, rice is tender, cabbage is soft enough to cut with a spoon
Tip: Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer in the middle of a roll, not at the edge.
9
Rest and skim
- Remove the pot from the oven and let it sit, covered, for 15 minutes.
- The sauce will thicken and the rolls will firm up so they don't fall apart when served.
- Fish out the bay leaves, skim any surface fat with a spoon, and taste the sauce.
- Add a pinch of salt if needed.
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Ready when: Sauce coats the back of a spoon and the rolls hold their shape when lifted
10
Serve
- Serve 2 rolls per person with plenty of sauce spooned over the top.
- Garnish with chopped dill and a dollop of sour cream if you like.
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Tip: Mashed potatoes or rye bread are good for soaking up the sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Freezing the whole cabbage head overnight and thawing it makes the leaves soft and easy to peel with no blanching needed.
Leave room in each roll for the rice to expand. Rolls rolled too tight can split.
Keep the pot tightly covered, so the steam cooks the rice. If your lid is loose, cover with foil first and then the lid.
Taste the sauce at the end. Different brands of canned tomato sauce vary in sweetness and salt.

Make ahead

Assemble the rolls and sauce in the pot up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add 15 minutes to the braising time since the pot starts cold. The cooked rolls are also even better the next day, as the flavors meld.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store rolls in their sauce in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze rolls with sauce up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 25–30 minutes, or gently on the stovetop over low heat, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).

Substitutions

ground beef (80% lean) → half ground beef and half ground pork, or ground turkey. Beef and pork gives a richer filling. Turkey is leaner, so add 1 extra tablespoon of oil to the onions.
apple cider vinegar → 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Gives a brighter, slightly fresher tang.
green cabbage → Savoy cabbage. Leaves are more tender and ruffled, and need only 5–6 minutes of blanching.
light brown sugar → 2 tablespoons honey or granulated sugar. Balances the acidity of the tomatoes.