Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls make a generous dinner to bring to the table. Under the tomato sauce, each leaf holds a savory bundle of beef and rice that is satisfying to cut into.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 65 min
- Total
- 85 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Beef
- Cuisine
- Polish · European
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Soften the whole head first
Boil the cabbage just until its leaves bend, rotating if needed so all sides reach the water, then let cool.
2. Mix the filling gently
Combine the beef, cooked rice and remaining filling ingredients only until mixed, then set the bowl aside.
3. Put seams underneath
Roll the filling into the prepared leaves and arrange each bundle seam side down over the sauce in the dish.
Get to know the ingredients
Use cooked rice
The rice joins the raw beef already cooked. Have it ready before combining the filling ingredients in the bowl.
Choose sturdy cabbage leaves
Pick the largest, sturdiest softened leaves and cut a V around the thick rib before rolling them.
Divide the parsley
Most parsley mixes into the beef filling; save the remaining portion for garnishing the finished cabbage rolls.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 10 steps completeMake room for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Cover for the bake
Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls, cover and bake until the beef is cooked through, then add parsley.
A little more help as you go
Firm inner leaves can return
If the inner cabbage leaves are still too firm after removing them, put them back into the water to soften.
Portion before rolling
Divide the filling into its sections first, then shape each portion into a log at one end of a leaf.
A few questions you might have
Does sauce go beneath the rolls too?
Yes. Spread the first portion over the baking dish bottom, arrange the rolls on it, then spoon the rest over them.
Should I cut leaves off while the cabbage is hot?
Let the head cool enough to handle first, then use a knife to separate the leaves from the core.
How do I close each roll?
Place the log of filling at one end of the leaf, fold the sides inward, then roll it up.
Do I brown the beef before filling?
The beef is mixed directly with the cooked rice and other filling ingredients, then cooks inside the covered cabbage rolls.
What is the egg mixed with?
Add the egg to the filling bowl with beef, cooked rice, onion, garlic, the first parsley portion and seasonings.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: wholesomeyum.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
