Tender Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Printable)

Tender cabbage leaves filled with savory meat and rice, baked in rich tomato sauce for comfort food perfection.

# What You Need:

→ For the Cabbage Rolls

01 - 1 large head green cabbage
02 - 1.1 lbs ground beef
03 - 2/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ For the Tomato Sauce

10 - 3 cups tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
13 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
14 - 1 tbsp sugar
15 - 1 tsp dried thyme
16 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
17 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Remove core from cabbage and lower into boiling water. Simmer 8-10 minutes, gently loosening and removing leaves as they soften. Set aside 12-14 large leaves
03 - Heat oil over medium heat in a pan. Sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato passata, sugar, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes and set aside
04 - Cook rice in boiling water for 5 minutes until half-cooked. Drain and cool slightly
05 - In a large bowl, mix ground meat, par-cooked rice, chopped onion, minced garlic, egg, parsley, salt, and black pepper until well combined
06 - Place a cabbage leaf on flat surface. Add 2-3 tablespoons filling near stem end. Fold sides over filling and roll tightly. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling
07 - Spread thin layer of tomato sauce on bottom of ovenproof dish. Arrange cabbage rolls seam side down in single layer
08 - Pour remaining tomato sauce evenly over rolls. Cover tightly with foil or lid
09 - Bake for 1 hour. Remove foil in last 15 minutes for thicker sauce if desired
10 - Cool slightly before serving. Garnish with extra parsley if desired

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're a complete meal wrapped in one tender leaf, so there's no fussing with sides.
  • The sauce keeps everything moist and forgiving, even if your rolling isn't perfect.
  • Leftovers taste better the next day, which means you're actually winning on a weeknight.
02 -
  • If you don't par-cook the rice, it won't finish cooking inside the rolls no matter how long you bake them, leaving you with a gritty filling that no sauce can save.
  • Rolling loosely instead of tightly is a mistake I made countless times; tight rolls stay intact and deliver filling in every bite, while loose ones fall apart and leave you picking up pieces.
03 -
  • If your cabbage is especially large or old, the outer leaves might be too tough to use; don't waste time trying to force them—start peeling from a slightly inner layer where leaves are more tender.
  • Make the sauce first and let it cool slightly before assembling so you're not burning your hands or rushing through the rolling process.
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