Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls are tender cabbage leaves wrapped around seasoned ground beef and rice, then baked in tomato sauce until the leaves are soft enough to cut with a fork. Versions are made across Central and Eastern Europe and beyond, from Polish gołąbki and Ukrainian holubtsi to sarma in the Balkans and Turkey. The only tricky part is softening the leaves, and blanching the head or freezing it overnight both work.
By Ben Kowalski
Published
- Prep Time
- 45 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hr 30 mins
- Rest
- 10 mins
- Total Time
- 2 hrs 25 mins
- Servings
- 12 cabbage rolls
How do you make Cabbage Rolls?
Core a large cabbage and blanch it, peeling off 12 softened leaves. Mix 500 g ground beef with parboiled rice, sautéed onion, garlic, egg, paprika and a little tomato sauce. Roll 1/3 cup filling into each leaf, pack them seam side down in a dish, cover with tomato sauce and bake covered at 180°C (350°F) for 1 1/4 hours, then 15 minutes uncovered, until the centre reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Total time
- 2 hrs 25 mins
- Calories
- 360 per serving
- Protein
- 22 g
- Yield
- 12 cabbage rolls
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Method
- Baking
Ingredients
Cabbage
Filling
Tomato sauce
To serve
Equipment
Large pot · Tongs · Small saucepan · Large skillet · Mixing bowl · Baking dish, about 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inch) · Aluminum foil · Instant-read thermometer
Quick Directions
Core the cabbage
Pull off any torn or wilted outer leaves.
Blanch and remove the leaves
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Or freeze the head instead
To skip blanching, core the cabbage and freeze it whole overnight, or for up to a few days.
Trim the leaves
Lay each large leaf flat, inside facing up.
Parboil the rice and soften the onion
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Make the sauce and filling
Stir the crushed tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, sugar and 1/4 tsp salt together in a bowl.
Roll the cabbage rolls
Put about 1/3 cup of filling near the stem end of a leaf and shape it into a log.
Fill the dish
Line the bottom of the baking dish with the smaller cabbage leaves and spread about a third of the sauce over them.
Bake
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Rest and serve
Let the cabbage rolls rest for 10 minutes so the filling firms up.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect cabbage rolls.
Core the cabbage
Pull off any torn or wilted outer leaves. With a sharp paring knife, cut a cone around the core about 5 cm deep and lift it out, so the leaves can come away from the base.
Blanch and remove the leaves
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lower the whole head, cored side down, into the water. After 2-3 minutes the outer leaves will turn bright green and loosen. Peel them off one at a time with tongs and lay them in a colander. Keep going, returning the head to the water for 1-2 minutes whenever the next layer is still stiff, until you have 12 large leaves plus a few smaller ones. Leave them to cool.
Or freeze the head instead
To skip blanching, core the cabbage and freeze it whole overnight, or for up to a few days. Thaw it completely, about a day in the fridge or several hours at room temperature, set in a bowl to catch the water. The leaves turn limp and peel off easily, ready to roll.
Trim the leaves
Lay each large leaf flat, inside facing up. Shave the thick rib on the back of each leaf with a paring knife until it is about as thin as the rest of the leaf, so it rolls without cracking. Keep the smaller and torn leaves for lining the dish.
Parboil the rice and soften the onion
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Boil the rice in a small saucepan of salted water for 8 minutes, until soft outside but still firm in the centre, then drain and cool. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then take the pan off the heat.
Make the sauce and filling
Stir the crushed tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, sugar and 1/4 tsp salt together in a bowl. In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion and garlic, egg, paprika, marjoram, 3/4 tsp salt, pepper, dill and 125 ml (1/2 cup) of the tomato sauce. Mix gently with your hands until evenly combined.
Roll the cabbage rolls
Put about 1/3 cup of filling near the stem end of a leaf and shape it into a log. Fold the stem end over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll up firmly but not too tightly, since the rice swells as it cooks. Repeat with the rest of the leaves and filling.
Fill the dish
Line the bottom of the baking dish with the smaller cabbage leaves and spread about a third of the sauce over them. Pack the rolls in snugly, seam side down, in a single layer. Pour the remaining sauce over the top so the rolls are mostly covered.
Bake
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Uncover, spoon some sauce over the rolls and bake for 15 minutes more, until the leaves are tender, the sauce has thickened slightly and the centre of a roll reaches 71°C (160°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
Rest and serve
Let the cabbage rolls rest for 10 minutes so the filling firms up. Serve 2 per person with plenty of sauce, and a spoonful of sour cream and some dill if you like.
Recipe Tips
- Choose a large, loose-headed cabbage. Tightly packed heads have smaller leaves that tear more easily when you peel them.
- Parboil the rice rather than cooking it fully. It finishes cooking in the oven, soaking up juices from the meat and sauce, and stays separate instead of turning mushy.
- Lining the dish with spare leaves keeps the rolls from sticking or scorching on the bottom.
- Leftovers are often better than the first serving, because the leaves keep soaking up the sauce overnight.
Variations
- Beef and pork: use 250 g ground beef and 250 g ground pork for a softer, richer filling, and cook to the same 71°C (160°F).
- Sweet and sour sauce: add 2 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tbsp lemon juice to the tomato sauce, a style common in Jewish home cooking.
- Sauerkraut layer: scatter 250 g drained sauerkraut over the leaves lining the dish before adding the rolls, for a tangier sauce.
- Slow cooker: pack the rolls into a slow cooker, pour the sauce over them and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, until the centre reaches 71°C (160°F).
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 360 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbs | 33 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.5 g |
| Fibre | 6 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Sodium | 720 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate the cabbage rolls in their sauce within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze baked cabbage rolls in their sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. To make ahead, you can also refrigerate the assembled, unbaked dish for up to 24 hours and add about 15 minutes to the covered baking time.
- Reheat
- Reheat covered in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes, or in the microwave, until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
Cabbage Rolls FAQs
How do you soften cabbage leaves for cabbage rolls?
Either cut out the core and blanch the whole head in boiling water, peeling off the leaves as they soften, or core the head and freeze it overnight. Once thawed, frozen leaves are limp enough to roll without any boiling.
Do you cook the rice before making cabbage rolls?
Partly. Boiling the rice for about 8 minutes, until it is soft outside but still firm in the middle, lets it finish cooking in the oven as it absorbs juices from the filling and sauce. Fully cooked rice can turn mushy during the long bake, and raw rice may stay hard.
How long do you bake cabbage rolls?
Bake them at 180°C (350°F) for about 1 1/2 hours: 1 hour 15 minutes covered with foil, then 15 minutes uncovered. They are done when the leaves are tender and the centre of a roll reaches 71°C (160°F).
Can you freeze cabbage rolls?
Yes. Baked cabbage rolls freeze well in their sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat covered until hot to 74°C (165°F) in the centre.
Why are my cabbage rolls falling apart?
The leaves were probably not soft enough, or the thick rib was left on and made the leaf crack. Shave the rib thin, roll firmly with the sides tucked in, and pack the rolls seam side down close together so they hold each other in place.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
