Easy stuffed cabbage rolls filled with ground beef and topped with a tomato-based sauce.
If you haven't tried making stuffed cabbage, you need to. It's truly an easy method, and you'll be surprised at how the cabbage leaves naturally roll right up and seal around your filling. My mother-in-law makes amazing Middle Eastern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and her recipe is one of our regular meals. This is Paula Deen's recipe and one that I like just as much as the Middle Eastern version. But, they are much different.
These cabbage rolls are stuffed with ground beef, onion, raisins and rice, then topped with a scrumptious tomato-based sauce. Paula suggests serving them with a dollop of sour cream, but I forgot that part and definitely didn't miss it.
You can use golden raisins or regular. I prefer golden. Or, leave the raisins out altogether if you want! It's really up to you.
What Goes With Stuffed Cabbage Rolls?
Since these are American styled cabbage rolls, you can serve them with side dishes such as mashed potatoes, rice, vegetables, breads, etc.
Try these side dish recipes with your stuffed cabbage rolls:
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
Idaho Potato Casserole
Sweet Cornbread Muffins
Broccoli Cornbread Squares
The Best Way to Soften Cabbage and Remove the Leaves
There are a few ways to often cabbage and remove the leaves for cabbage rolls. The best method to soften the cabbage is to let it dunk the cabbage in a large pot of boiling water. After just 2 minutes, you can start easily peeling the leaves.
Before you place the head of cabbage in the boiling water, use a sharp knife to cut around the stem and remove the core of the cabbage. This will allow the leaves to detach from the head as it sets in the hot water.
If you like this recipe, try my other cabbage rolls recipes:
Middle Eastern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Turkey Florentine Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Recipe Card
Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 medium head (about 2 pounds) green cabbage
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup cooked rice (white or brown)
- ¼ cup raisins (I use golden)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 can (16 ounces) tomato sauce
- ½ cup beef broth
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- sour cream , for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13- by 9-inch pan with cooking spray or oil.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a small, sharp knife, cut in a circle all around the stem of the cabbage and remove the core. Place the cabbage in the boiling water. After about 2 minutes an outside leaf will come loose--pull it off and out of the water using tongs. After another minute the next leaf will come loose. Remove and repeat until you have 8 to 10 leaves. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels. Cut out the thick part of the rib from the bottom of each leaf, but don't cut more than a third of the way into the leaf.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, cooled onion, rice, raisins, and salt. With the stem side of the cabbage leaf facing you, place a scant ⅓ cup of the beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom edge over the mixture and then fold the sides over and roll into a tidy packet. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
- In a bowl, mix together the tomato sauce, broth, and paprika. Pour evenly over the cabbage rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Optional: Serve the cabbage rolls with a big dollop of sour cream.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate only based on 1 serving = 2 cabbage rolls.
- Try using chopped dried apricots instead of raisins.
