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Stuffed cabbage rolls are served in a white bowl.
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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are loaded with a tender and juicy ground beef and rice filling, wrapped up in a boiled cabbage leaf, and then baked in the oven with a flavor-packed tomato sauce.  In this recipe you'll learn the best way to boil cabbage leaves as well as how to perfectly place the filling ingredients so they roll up with ease!  This Polish-style cabbage roll recipe is a healthy, gluten-free, and lower-carb comfort food dish your family is sure to love!

Course Dinner
Cuisine Polish
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 471 kcal
London

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cabbage green*

Tomato Sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado
  • 1 cup sweet onion finely chopped, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 15 oz. tomato sauce canned
  • 15 oz. crushed tomatoes canned
  • 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar optional
  • 1 tsp. salt to taste
  • ½ tsp. black pepper to taste

Filling:

  • 1 lb. ground beef or turkey*
  • 1 cup rice cooked, white or brown*
  • ½ cup sweet onion finely chopped, divided
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp. paprika
  • ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

  3. Cut and remove about 1 inch from the bottom of the head of cabbage.

  4. Place the entire head of cabbage into the pot of boiling water and boil for 4-5 minutes or until the leaves peel easily and are pliable.
  5. Remove the boiled head of cabbage from the pot and place on a dish towel to let drain.
  6. Once cool to the touch, peel 12 cabbage leaves from the head, being careful not to tear them.

Tomato Sauce:

  1. Add oil and chopped onion to a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add crushed garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute.

  2. Add in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Increase heat to high and bring sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes.

Cabbage Rolls:

  1. Add all filling ingredients to a large bowl. Mash the ingredients together using a potato masher until well combined.
  2. Place one cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Cut a V-shaped incision at the base of each leaf to remove the bottom 1-2 inches of the tough rib.
  3. Add in about 3-4 tablespoons of the filling mixture into each leaf.
  4. Fold the right side of the leaf over the filling and then fold the left side over.
  5. Starting at the base, begin rolling the cabbage leaf up.
  6. Repeat the above steps with the remaining filling and cabbage leafs.
  7. Spray a large 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in tomato sauce and spread it out along the bottom of the dish.
  8. Place cabbage rolls, seam-side-down, in two rows of six rolls.
  9. Cover the baking dish with a piece of aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 60-75 minutes.

Recipe Notes

  • A medium-large head of green cabbage is recommended. Larger leaves are easier to fill up and then roll without them tearing.
  • Substitute with uncooked cauliflower rice if on a low-carb diet.
  • Can use 90/10 or 93/7 ground meat.
  •  
Nutrition Facts
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 471 Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 81mg27%
Sodium 1222mg53%
Potassium 1089mg31%
Carbohydrates 51g17%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 1420IU28%
Vitamin C 81mg98%
Calcium 149mg15%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.