Easy Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Hey, PBJ’s… im back with another recipe and one that I consider to be a main dish and an appetizer, Stuffed cabbage rolls recipe aka cabbage rolls.

I was at an event recently where I tried some stuffed cabbage rolls for the first time in a very long time… and I mean A VERY LONG TIME!!

Let’s just say I not only enjoyed them but loved them and that got my brain flowing with all types of ideas on how I can create my own delicious version. Plus it’s a pretty cool recipe that’s well known but not very popular.

So I thought it would be a good recipe to post to my blog and even do a video tutorial on and upload to my YouTube channel. But it took a good week and 3 times to be exact, of testing to get it right. 

Let’s just say… the first two times I experimented with this recipe were disasterous. The cabbage was hard the first time I made these last week and the second time I did too much with the filling. It was so salty and just had too much going on.

So I decided to keep it a little simple, which is never really simple for me, and it came out pretty good. The best stuffed cabbage rolls? Nah… but they’re pretty darn good and I think you’ll be pleased with this recipe because they’re pretty preeetty, TASTY!!

Why Is This A Good Recipe?

• Versatile: I like them because they’re so versatile. There are so many ways you can make them which I get more into below in the variations section. But you can switch this up and make it in so many ways.
• All-in-one dish: It has everything, veggies, starch, and protein from the meat. So you can eat it alone without serving it with sides because you get everything you need nutrition wise in these stuffed cabbage rolls.
• Serving: I think these make a good recipe because it gives you a few options. You can serve it as an appetizer or a main dish, or simply as I stated a minute ago, eat it alone. You can serve it as an appetizer at a birthday party or social event, or have it for dinner.

Recipe Ingredients:

• Main Ingredient: 1 Large head of cabbage. Make sure to get a head of cabbage that’s green and avoid getting a white unriped head of cabbage.
• Meat: Traditionally, stuffed cabbage rolls consist of just ground beef, we’ll be using both Ground Beef and Sweet Italian sausage. Make sure to get ground beef that’s 80% lean and 20% fat.
• Rice: I keep it simple when it comes to the rice. I just use Success 10-Minute White Rice, which takes all about 10 minutes to cook.
• Vegetables: We’ll be using Yellow Onions, and a small amount of Green Bell Peppers. This we’ll be adding to the filling for depth of flavor.
• Binding Ingredients: To bind and keep the meat together we’ll be using 1 Large Egg, Whole Milk, and Breadcrumbs. Just like you would for a meatloaf or meatballs. These ingredients not only help to keep the meat in place but to keep it tender while cooking.
• Sauces: Worcestershire and Tomato Sauce. We’ll be adding both to the filling and we’ll also coat the bottom of the baking dish with tomato sauce and top the cabbage rolls with it too.
• Fat: We’ll be using Butter, just a little, to sauté the onions and peppers. Adding this bit of fat to the filling will also help to keep it moist.
• Seasonings: The seasonings we’ll be using are Seasoning salt for taste, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Italian Seasoning for flavor, Black Pepper, Red Crushed Peppers for a hint of heat, and Brown Sugar to reduce the acidity in the tomato sauce.

Outer Dark green vs Inner Pale Green

Okay, so this matters a great deal. Let’s address the first concern: Is there any part you should or shouldn’t use? Honestly, NO! As it’s all according to your taste buds and preference. I know some people who like the outer dark green leaves, and some, like myself, who don’t.

Some prefer the taste of the pale green and inner white leaves. Personally, I’m a fan of green to pale green cabbage as it tastes the best in my opinion due to its mild flavor and perfect texture. It’s also the most tender.

• Outer dark green leaves:  The oldest part of the cabbage, which contains significantly more vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber compared to the paler inner leaves. They have a stronger, more robust, and bitter flavor and aren’t nearly as tender because they are thicker. They have a peppery flavor with a crinkled and ruffled texture.
• Inner pale green leaves: These inner pale green leaves are less nutritious and lighter as they receive less sunlight as the cabbage head forms. These leaves are also mildly sweet and can get more tender.

Tomato Sauce vs Condensed Tomato Soup

So I’m often asked which should be used for the sauce. And honestly, it’s completely up to you and what your taste buds prefer. Lol! Here are the differences and why both are excellent choices. It just depends on what you prefer more. There’s no right or wrong option here.

I used tomato sauce for this recipe, but condensed tomato soup is more common and more convenient because it’s already seasoned, whereas with sauce, you would have to add ingredients like brown sugar and Worcestershire to it to reduce its tanginess and balance the flavor.

Condensed soup is the easy route and definitely the best choice if you want to keep things simple and do less work. It tastes better straight out of the can because, as I stated, it’s already been doctored up and doesn’t need any additives.

• Canned Condensed Soup: Is sweeter, milder, creamier, thicker, and pre-seasoned.
• Tomato Sauce: More tangy, chunkier, with a robust, more intense tomato flavor.

How to make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1. Fill a large pot with 2 1/2 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. Fill a small pot with 3 cups of water.
3. Place both over high heat.
4. Slice off the hard white pieces at the bottom of the cabbage and discard.
5. Once the small pot comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir in the rice.
6. Boil for approximately 10 minutes or until tender, then drain the water and set aside.
7. Once the large pot of water comes to a boil, add the cabbage, and boil for 12-15 minutes.
8. Remove the cabbage and let it chill.
9. Once it chills, remove 7-8 cabbage leaves.
10. Cut off and remove the thick piece in the middle.
11. Meanwhile, place a small skillet over medium-high heat.
12. Add the butter, onions, and peppers, and saute for 3-4 minutes.
13. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
14. Add the sugar to the sauce and stir until well combined.
15. Add a few tablespoons of sauce to the baking dish.
16. Beat the eggs, then stir them into the milk.
17. Add the Worcestershire sauce, egg and milk, 1/2 cup of tomato sauce, seasonings, breadcrumbs, onions, peppers, and rice to the meat, then mix until well combined. 
18. Stuff the cabbage leaves with the meat and wrap to make cabbage rolls.
19. Place them into the baking dish and cover with the remaining tomato sauce.
20. Cover with aluminum foil.
21. Bake for 1 hr and 30 minutes.

Watch Me Make It

Cooking Tips

• Don’t over-boil the cabbage: Be sure not to over-boil the cabbage, as we will be baking it under aluminum foil, which will further soften it. If it’s too tender, it will be mushy the the time you’re done baking it. You want it semi-tender, tender enough to wrap the filling without breaking.
• Remove the stem: Removing the stem after boiling the cabbage is optional. I prefer it too because sometimes it just doesn’t get tender enough for me due to it being so hard, and it doesn’t taste as good
• Don’t overwork the filling: When mixing the meat and ingredients together, ensure that you only mix until everything is well incorporated. Overmixing will alter the texture and result in tough meat, which is not what we want.
• Placement: Place the cabbage rolls in the baking pan, folded side down, to prevent them from unfolding during cooking.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Variations:

• Adding cheese to the filling: You can switch things up by adding cheese to the filling as you wrap the meat and rice in the cabbage. Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese are good options.
• Topping with cheese: You can even top the cabbage rolls with cheese or stir it into the sauce to create a cheesy sauce topping.
• Use different ground meats: Instead of using ground beef and sweet Italian sausage, consider using ground turkey or chicken as a healthier alternative.

How to store Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Place the cabbage rolls in a Tupperware dish and ensure they are tightly covered with a lid. You can also keep them in the baking dish, cover them with aluminum foil, or store them in a ziploc bag. Then place them in the refrigerator.

How to reheat Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

When I reheat cabbage rolls, I typically reheat them in the oven uncovered. I do this because they tend to soften and can even become soggy when sitting in the refrigerator, especially after long periods of time. To restore some firmness, I reheat them in the oven. 

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls FAQ’s

• How long do they last? Cabbage rolls don’t last long… the cabbage tends to get soggy when stored in the refrigerator for too long. I recommended eating them within 2 days, that’s when they taste best.
• How to double or triple the recipe? I would double all the ingredients and use a larger baking dish or bake in two separate dishes at once.
• Should you wash the cabbage leaves? Only the outer dark green leaves because they are obviously the only leaves that are exposed to germs and bacteria. The inner layers are protected and therefore don’t require any cleaning. I would soak them in salt water for a few minutes, scrub them gently, and rinse thoroughly.
• Do you have to remove the stem of the cabbage? No! I recommend it, though, because it makes the cabbage rolls easier to wrap and fold. They also take longer to become tender, and they don’t taste as good because they have a more bitter flavor.

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Later, enjoy!

Pbj~

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