Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls are a traditional Polish dish made of tender cabbage leaves stuffed with a savory filling made of ground pork and ground beef and topped off with a tangy homemade tomato sauce! This recipe truly brings comfort food to a whole new level.

Looking for more recipes to make this St Patricks Day? Then try my Slow Cooker Guinness Stew or my Corned Beef Hash!

The BEST Homemade Cabbage Rolls

If you’ve never had cabbage rolls before you are in for a treat! They are comfort food at it’s finest! The filling is made up of ground beef and ground pork, white rice, onions, garlic and lots of spices! The meat filling is wrapped in tender cabbage leaves then served with a homemade tomato sauce! If you are looking for a traditional Polish Cabbage Roll then you have to make this recipe!

These are filling enough to eat on their own, or you can eat them with a side of rice or even some crusty bread to soak up that delicious homemade tomato sauce!

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Cabbage Rolls:

• Cabbage: You will need one head of green cabbage for this recipe. It is going to be boiled whole, so no chopping!
• Ground Pork & Ground Beef: A mixture of ground pork and ground beef make up the base of the filling. You can could use either ground pork or ground beef if you have that on hand. I’ve also seen people use ground turkey in their recipe although the combination of pork and ground beef is the most traditional.
• White Rice: Make sure to cook the rice beforehand or else it might not get tender enough in the cooking process!
• Onion & Garlic: Onion and garlic add loads of flavor!
• Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is added for a hint of umami flavor and some moisture.
• Seasonings: Italian Seasoning, Salt, and Pepper, and Chopped Parsley are used to season the filling to perfection! Top them off with more chopped parsley for serving, if desired.

For the Tomato Sauce:

• Onion & Garlic: Onion and garlic are first sautéed to start building lots of flavor and aroma!
• Tomato Sauce & Crushed Tomatoes: I used a combination of tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes so that you get a few tomato pieces in there!
• Worcestershire Sauce: A bit of Worcestershire sauce helps to add lots of umami flavor here.
• Seasonings: Italian Seasoning, Salt & Pepper are used to season the tomato sauce.
• Light Brown Sugar: A touch of light brown sugar balances the acidity of the tomato sauce without making it sweet!

How to Make Cabbage Rolls

• Boil the Cabbage: Fill a large pot with water. Bring it to a boil and add in the cabbage. Cook for 5-6 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

• Make the Tomato Sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan. Add in onions and cook 3-4 minutes. Toss in garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning and sugar. Allow the sauce to simmer while you make the filling. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
• Make the Filling: In a large bowl, combine pork, beef, rice, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and parsley. Set aside.

• Preheat & Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove 10-12 cabbage leaves from the head of cabbage. Remove the hard inner rib in the center of each cabbage leave. To do this, I cut a slit down both sides of the cabbage in the shape of a v.
• Stuff the Cabbage Leaves: Add about 1/3 cup of the meat filling into each cabbage leaf. Fold over both sides of the cabbage leaf and roll up starting at the end the cabbage was cut. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves.

• Add Tomato Sauce: Pour half of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Place the cabbage rolls on top and pour the remaining tomato sauce on top.
• Bake: Bake for 80-90 minutes or until golden brown on the outside. If the top is getting too brown, cover with aluminum foil. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and enjoy!

Tips for Success

• In a time pinch? You can use your favorite jarred marinara sauce instead of making homemade tomato sauce, if you prefer.
• Don’t skip cutting the stem off of the cabbage leaves! The tougher stem side of the cabbage leave makes it harder to roll the cabbage rolls up.
• Use a large head of cabbage. The larger the head of cabbage, the easier it is going to be to use the leaves and roll them up with lots of filling!
• Don’t pre-cook the meat mixture! I know it might seem weird putting raw meat into the cabbage rolls, but these are baked for a pretty long time and the meat cooks through perfectly. If you cook the filling before adding it will cause it to dry out when it bakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when the cabbage rolls are done cooking?

The cabbage rolls should be done once they are golden brown on the top and after cooking for about 80-90 minutes. If you are unsure about the doneness of the meat, you can cut one open and check it out or use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature! It should be right around 160 degrees F.

How should I store leftover cabbage rolls?

To store leftover cabbage rolls, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through.

More beef recipes to try!

• Cabbage Roll Soup
• Meatball Stoganoff
• Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers