Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a mainstay item on our menu and a great way to get your meat and veggies in one dish!
Seasoned beef stuffed in tender cabbage leaves and baked, then topped with a creamy tomato sauce.
Cabbage rolls, also known as "Golumpki" or "Gołąbki" are a savory meat and cabbage dish of Polish heritage. Many Polish families make these cabbage rolls in a mini-size, (small, like dolmas) and serve them as appetizers!
You'll love this recipe!
If you're on a low-carb or keto diet, this recipe is for you!
- Low-carb and low-calorie
- Easier than it looks - basically you make a meat filling, make a sauce, stuff it and bake!
- Healthy and balanced meal - meat and veggies all in one dish!
Here's what you'll need
The ingredients are pretty simple, however I recommend you buy 2 heads of cabbage. Why?
The outer leaves are prettier and larger and work best for a uniform looking dish.
How to make stuffed cabbage rolls
This recipe makes 12-14 stuffed cabbage rolls; the outer leaves are larger and darker green than the inside leaves.
Parboil the cabbage
Gently pull away outer leaves
Allow to cool slightly; cut away tough stem; add meat mixture; form into a roll; place in baking dish
How to soften the cabbage
It's easy to roll the cabbage leaves once they're soft and tender.
Heat a large pot of water on high--almost, but not quite to the boiling point. Use a paring knife and remove some of the core.
Place entire head of cabbage in hot water for about 3-5 minutes; use tongs to gently loosen and remove the leaves and set aside on paper towel.
You'll want to use tongs to gently loosen the leaves as the cabbage parboils.
Once the leaves are cool to touch, cut a "V" near the bottom of the leaf, removing the tough part of the leaf stem. This allows the leaves to be flexible so you can easily roll them.
While the leaves are cooling, make the ground beef filling.
Combine the ground beef and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
Place a large spoonful of meat on the leaf (about ¼ cup); try to pack the meat tightly
Fold "V" up and over meat filling; roll it forward, tuck in sides, and continue to roll leaf tightly. Don't worry if they're not all perfect!
Once you have the cabbage roll formed, place it seam side down in lightly oiled baking dish.
Drizzle 1 cup water into baking dish. The steam helps further soften the cabbage leaves.
Bake covered at 350ºF for 30-45 minutes (until the meat reaches 160ºF);
Next, combine sauce ingredients in large bowl; remove cooked leaves from oven; drizzle sauce over leaves; replace in oven uncovered for 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens
How much meat per leaf?
It really depends upon the size of the leaf. Start with ⅓ - ¼ cup of filling and if it looks skimpy, add more.
Don't worry about serving different colored "green" leaves; once the sauce is added, no one will notice.
How to roll the cabbage leaves
Place a spoonful of filling in the center of the leaf; pull the "V" parts up over the filling; tuck in the sides of the leaf and continue rolling.
Reheating
Reheat in microwave on "reheat dinner" setting or low for 2-4 minutes, depending upon your microwave wattage. For best results, place a damp paper towel over them.
Storage
Store in the fridge or freezer. Refrigerator storage up to 3-5 days; freezer storage up to 3 weeks.
What to serve with cabbage rolls
Even though this is a complete "meat and veggie" meal, you can't go wrong with serving a side of scalloped or mashed potatoes, a bowl of pinto beans and rice and/or a slice of cornbread.
Related recipes:
- Southern Cornbread
- Pennsylvania Dutch Skillet Supper
- Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Burgundy Mushrooms
♥ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! Thank you!
Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- ½ cup diced green bell pepper
- 2 whole lightly beaten eggs
- 1½ cups bread crumbs seasoned or plain
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dried mustard
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prep Cabbage
- Bring large pot of water to high heat
- Place cabbage in hot water for 3-5 minutes1 head green cabbage
- Use tongs and gently remove leaves; set aside on a paper towel
- Score a "V" on the leaves and remove the hard stem
- Preheat oven to 350º F
Meat Filling Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients2 lbs. ground beef, ½ cup diced onion, ½ cup diced green bell pepper, 2 whole lightly beaten eggs, 1½ cups bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon pepper, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon dried mustard
- Place ⅓ - ¼ cup of meat filling right above the "V" on the cabbage; roll the "V" up and forward; tuck in the sides; continue rolling and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 baking dish
- Repeat; when all leaves are assembled, add 1 cup water to baking dish
- Place foil over baking dish and bake at 350º F for 30-45 minutes; internal thermometer should read at least 160ºF
- In a medium bowl, add sauce ingredients and combine well1 tablespoon dried mustard, 2 cups ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Remove cooked cabbage rolls from oven
- Drizzle sauce over cabbage rolls and place back into oven for 15 minutes, uncovered
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes
Notes
- Cook Rice
- Allow rice to cool
- Combine rice into meat mixture
- Resume recipe
Nutrition Estimate
I'd love to hear from you!