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One cabbage roll is lifted out by a metal spoon.
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5 from 78 votes

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls make a delicious and healthy dinner for a cozy night in. This easy traditional Polish-style cabbage roll recipe is a healthy, gluten-free, and lower-carb comfort food dish your family is sure to love!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Polish
Servings: 6 servings

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, uncooked*
  • 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
  • tsp. cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Prepare Cabbage Leaves: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut and remove about 1 inch from the bottom of the head of cabbage. 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. Remove the boiled head of cabbage from the pot and place on a dish towel to let drain. Once cool to the touch, peel 12 cabbage leaves from the head, being careful not to tear them.
  • Make Tomato Sauce: Add oil and chopped onion to a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté 2-3 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add crushed garlic and continue sautéing for an additional minute. Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Stir to combine. Increase heat to high and bring sauce to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes.
  • Make Meat Mixture: Add all filling ingredients to a large bowl. Mash the ingredients together using a potato masher until well combined.
  • Assemble Cabbage Rolls: 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. Add in about 3-4 tablespoons of the filling mixture into each leaf. Fold the right side of the leaf over the filling and then fold the left side over. Starting at the base, begin rolling the cabbage leaf up. Repeat the previous steps with the remaining filling and cabbage leafs.
  • Bake in Oven: 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. Place cabbage rolls, seam-side-down, in two rows of six rolls. Cover the baking dish with a piece of aluminum foil and bake in preheated 350°F oven for 60-75 minutes.

Video

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.
  • To Store: Seal leftover stuffed cabbage rolls in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1222mg | Potassium: 1089mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1420IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 5mg