I love me a good stuffed cabbage roll, y’all. And this recipe has on point spice and taste. I season up the beef and rice, then add them to tender cabbage leaves and roll them out. They cook down in a good amount of tomato sauce so they come out tender on the inside and full of flavor, with plenty of sauce for spooning on top. Simple, solid, and real good boos. Get at it.
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How To Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
These step-by-step photos show how to make easy cabbage rolls, but be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions. Skip to the → Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
1. Soften the cabbage leaves
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole cabbage and cook briefly, then remove the softened outer leaves and set aside.
2. Make the beef and rice mixture
Mix together the ground chuck, onion, bell pepper, celery, rice, half the tomatoes and tomato sauce, plus salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
PRO TIP: Precook the rice, boos. I like to cook it for at least 5 minutes. This gives a little extra insurance to make sure that the rolls come out tender for sure.
3. Fill each leaf
Spoon rounded tablespoons of the beef and rice mixture onto each cabbage leaf.
4. Roll the cabbage leaves
Tuck in the edges, and place the rolls seam side down in a large heavy pot.
5. Pour the remaining tomatoes and tomato sauce over the rolls
Add more salt or cayenne if you’d like.
6. Cover your stuffed cabbage rolls and cook
Steam over medium-low heat until the cabbage rolls are tender and cooked through. Enjoy!
PRO TIP: If you end up with extra filling but not enough big leaves, lay two small leaves side by side with a slight overlap and roll them up like one.
Full Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 large cabbage
- 2 lbs lean ground chuck
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 1/2 cup rice parboiled for 5-7 minutes
- 2 (10 ounce) cans tomatoes with chiles
- 3 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- cayenne to taste
Instructions
- Add lots of water to a large pot over high heat. Once water begins to boil, add cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Finally remove large leaves and reserve.
- Mix together ground chuck, onion, bell pepper, celery, rice, half of the tomatoes and tomato sauce, and salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.
- Now take your large cabbage leaves and place rounded tablespoons of the beef and rice mixture into each leaf. Each time, roll up the leaf, tucking the edges under as you roll.
- Add the rolls to a large, heavy pot and pour the remaining tomatoes and tomato sauce over rolls. Sprinkle with additional salt (and cayenne pepper if desired).
- Cover pot tightly and steam for about 1- 1 1/2 hours over medium low heat.
Notes
How to Store
- Fridge: Let the cabbage rolls cool to room temp, then pop them in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge 3-4 days.
- Freezer: You can freeze cooked cabbage rolls, wrapped individually in plastic, then stored in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Just know the texture will soften once thawed. For the best results, freeze them before cooking. Wrap each stuffed leaf tight in plastic, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. When you’re ready, thaw overnight in the fridge and cook like normal.
- Reheating: Warm them in the oven at 350°F in a covered dish until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Add extra time if they’re frozen. Or microwave 1-2 minutes until hot.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use good cabbage. Green cabbage has big, flexible leaves that roll easy.
- Y’all don’t have to boil the whole head of cabbage. You can peel the leaves first and boil them for 1-2 minutes to soften.
- Be sure to dry your cabbage leaves well. It helps the filling stick and keeps the rolls from falling apart.
- Don’t overstuff the leaves. That’s key in these Polish inspired cabbage rolls, boos. Too much filling makes them hard to roll, and they might unravel.
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Serving Suggestions
- Mashed Potatoes: Serve your traditional cabbage rolls with crockpot mashed potatoes, sour cream mash, or garlic mashed potatoes and call it dinner.
- Breads and Biscuits: Warm up some cornbread (y’all know I have cornbread with almost anything), rolls, buttermilk biscuits, or garlic bread to soak up all that tomato sauce.
- Fresh Sides: Pair them with a classic slaw, a cucumber and onion salad, or a vinegar coleslaw.
Recipe Help
Yep you can assemble and pop in the fridge the day before. Freezing them assembled also works for a quick meal!
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I’m not a huge cabbage fan but I tried these cabbage rolls a couple of weeks ago and I couldn’t wait to eat them again so that’s what’s for dinner tonight! I followed the recipe just as it’s written and it’s awesome. Delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing this with us! ❤️❤️❤️
That makes me so happy to hear! If it converted you into wanting them again, that’s a big win in my book. Thank you so much for trusting the recipe and sharing the love. It really means a lot.
Hi Jocelyn,
Love your recipes!! I have a question: could your stuffed cabbage be made using Zataran’s Dirty Rice Mix and ground beef? If so, what spices would you recommend for the tomato sauce?
Thank you! I haven’t actually tried this but from what I remember, Zatarain’s has a higher sodium amount so I would tame the spices and salt for sure. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Is the rice really raw (uncooked) when it goes in to the mix?
Yes it is. It will cook in the rolls. Just make sure there’s enough liquid. I’ve also found when using brown rice it takes a little longer.