Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 large green cabbage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can tomato sauce, 15 oz
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully remove the core from the cabbage. Place the whole cabbage in the boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes at a time, gently peeling off the softened outer leaves. Continue until you have about 12–15 large leaves.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooked rice, chopped onion, garlic, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Prepare the sauce: Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar if using. Stir and simmer for about 5–7 minutes.
- Fill the cabbage leaves: Place about 2–3 tablespoons of the beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll tightly, like a burrito.
- Arrange the rolls: Spread a little tomato sauce over the bottom of a large baking dish. Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in a single layer. Pour the remaining sauce over the top.
- Bake: Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the beef is fully cooked and the cabbage is tender.
- Serve: Let the cabbage rolls rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and spoon plenty of the tomato sauce over each roll.
Tip: For extra tender cabbage rolls, bake them covered for the entire cooking time. They’re even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.