Description
Hearty cabbage rolls filled with seasoned rice and ground meat, wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked in a rich tomato sauce until tender and flavour‑filled.
Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage
- 1 cup uncooked long‑grain white rice
- 500 g ground beef (or other ground meat of choice)
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or fresh thyme/oregano)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 700 ml tomato sauce (about 3 cups)
- 1 (400 g) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional, for a hint of sweetness)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or white vinegar)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove about 12–15 large intact leaves from the cabbage by lightly submerging the head and working them loose; blanch the leaves for 2–3 minutes or until softened and easier to roll. Drain and plunge into cold water briefly, then pat dry.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice according to package instructions until mostly tender (it will finish cooking inside the rolls).
- In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic until softened and fragrant. Add the cooked rice, then transfer to a mixing bowl and add the ground beef, beaten egg, parsley, dill (or other herb), salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
- On a flat surface, lay one cabbage leaf at a time. If the leaf has a thick stem, trim a V‑shaped notch out of the base so it rolls more neatly. Place about 3–4 tablespoons of the filling onto the bottom centre of the leaf. Fold the sides over the filling, then roll up from the bottom to form a neat parcel. Place the roll seam‑side down in a large baking dish. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
- In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juices), brown sugar (if using), and red wine vinegar. Pour half of this sauce into the base of the baking dish so the rolls sit in a shallow pool of sauce. Arrange the rolls snugly in the dish, then pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top, making sure the rolls are well coated.
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. After one hour, remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes, or until the cabbage leaves are tender and the sauce is bubbling and slightly thickened.
- Remove from the oven and allow the rolls to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef for a lighter version.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and use cooked lentils and chopped mushrooms plus extra herbs.
- Add smoked paprika or chilli flakes into the filling for a subtle spicy kick.
- Use crushed tomatoes instead of diced for a smoother sauce texture.
- If you’d like more sauce, increase the tomato sauce and raisins‑diced tomato quantities by about 50 %.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Comfort / Eastern European Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 730mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
