These delicious traditional stuffed Cabbage Rolls are made with ground sausage and ground beef with a sweet and tangy tomato sauce. They are one of our favorite comfort food recipes and perfect for the cold fall and winter months. I like to serve them with pumpernickel bread with soft butter and a light dessert like Lemon Chiffon Pie.
If your family is anything like mine then they love a great cabbage dinner. My family just loves cabbage and can never seem to get enough of it. Have you tried any of my other cabbage recipes? Southern Fried Cabbage, Haluski (Bacon Cabbage and Noodles) Cabbage Stir Fry with Bacon and Sausage along with these delectable Cabbage Rolls are just a few of our favorites.
Now this Cabbage Rolls recipe calls for ground beef and ground sausage but you can use all of one or the other. You can even use ground pork or a mixture of all of these ground meats. It really just boils down to what you and your family like best. Be sure to read all my helpful hints and tips for this soul-warming recipe. Cabbage Rolls should be fun and easy so you can make them for your family often.
How to make Cabbage Rolls
Start by boiling the whole head of cabbage in a big pot of water for about five minutes. This helps the leaves become more pliable for stuffing and rolling. It also helps keep the leaves from tearing when removed from the head. Let the cabbage drain and then carefully peel 12 leaves from the head.
Next heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Then add the onion and cook for several minutes. Next reduce the heat and add the garlic and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Now add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, cider vinegar and brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then let the sauce simmer while you prepare the stuffed cabbage.
Now in a large bowl mix the ground sausage, ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper together. Spread a thin layer of the simmering tomato sauce in a bottom of a casserole dish. Working with the cabbage rolls on a flat surface add about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture to the center of each cabbage leaf. Now fold in the sides and roll up the cabbage placing seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat until all the cabbage rolls are stuffed. Then pour remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 80-90 minutes.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- Buy a large head of cabbage so you have large leaves to work with and extra leaves just in case.
- Choose what ever mixture of ground beef, ground pork or sausage your family will like best. My husband loves sausage so I often make it with 100% ground sausage.
- Don’t skip the step to boil the cabbage. It really makes all the difference when it comes to rolling these guys. It is almost impossible to roll a cabbage leaf that has not been boiled since it is stiff as a board.
- The ground meat does not need to be precooked.
- After boiling the cabbage slice the root end off about a 1/2 – 3/4’s inch up. This will make it easier to remove the leaves.
- Are you always in a hurry and need to cut a few corners? Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce and simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 1/2 -2 tablespoons brown sugar.
- Switch out the cider vinegar for balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil so they steam a little bit in the oven softening the cabbage leaves.
- Cut a V shape on the root end of each cabbage leaf to get rid of the tough part of the leaf and to make it easier to roll.
- If you do not have access to Minute Rice than simply parboil 1 cup of rice.
How to soften and remove the leafs from a head of cabbage
First bring a large pot of water to a boil. I use an 8 quart stockpot. Then submerge that head of cabbage in the pot for about five minutes. I usually roll it over about halfway through the cooking time. Then remove to a colander to drain. Once drained and cooled cut about 1/2-3/4 inch above the stem end and discard. These simple steps will make it so much easier to remove the leaves and make them more pliable for rolling.
Classic cabbage rolls are one of my favorite comfort food dishes. Here are some more favorites you should try:
- Cheesy Pierogi Casserole
- Chicken and Vegetable Stew
- Pan-Fried Chicken and Creamy Gravy
- Cabbage Roll Casserole
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
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PrintClassic Cabbage Rolls
Family friendly Cabbage Rolls stuffed with ground pork, ground beef and rice smothered in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 cabbage rolls 1x
- Category: main meal
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
Cabbage Rolls
- 1 large head green cabbage
- 1/2 lb ground pork sausage
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup Minute Rice (or parboiled rice)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Bring a large stock pot of water to boil. Add the whole head of cabbage and boil for 5 minutes. Remove to colander to drain and cool. Once cooled cut 1/2 inch off the stem end of the cabbage. Carefully remove 12 leaves and cut the tough rib out of the stem end in the shape of a V.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes; stirring several times. Reduce heat to low and add garlic. Cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, cider vinegar and brown sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. In a large bowl mix the ground pork sausage, ground beef, onion, garlic, egg, rice, parsley and paprika. Place about 1/3 cup of the meat mixture in the center of the cabbage roll. Bring in the sides and roll tight. Place on tomato sauce in casserole dish. Repeat until all the cabbage rolls are made and in the casserole dish. Top with remaining tomato sauce.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 80-90 minutes
Notes
- Buy a large head of cabbage so you have large leaves to work with and extra leaves just in case.
- Choose what ever mixture of ground beef, ground pork or sausage your family will like best. My husband loves sausage so I often make it with 100% ground sausage.
- Don’t skip the step to boil the cabbage. It really makes all the difference when it comes to rolling these guys. It is almost impossible to roll a cabbage leaf that has not been boiled since it is stiff as a board.
- The ground meat does not need to be precooked.
- After boiling the cabbage slice the root end off about a 1/2 – 3/4’s inch up. This will make it easier to remove the leaves.
- Are you always in a hurry and need to cut a few corners? Use your favorite jarred marinara sauce and simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1 1/2 -2 tablespoons brown sugar.
- Switch out the cider vinegar for balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil so they steam a little bit in the oven softening the cabbage leaves.
- Cut a V shape on the root end of each cabbage leaf to get rid of the tough part of the leaf and to make it easier to roll.
- If you do not have access to Minute Rice than simply parboil 1 cup of rice.
Keywords: how to make cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage rolls, galumpkis, sarmale
Kim
I’m looking for something a bit different for dinner…. and I think I found it! Thanks!
★★★★★
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert
These Cabbage Rolls are sound delicious! Dangerously good…
★★★★★
Vikki
My family loved these delicious cabbage rolls, and I loved how simple they were to make!
★★★★★
katerina @ diethood.com
Cabbage rolls are my favorite! I can’t wait to try this!! YUM!
★★★★★
Kevin
This will be a staple at our house! So good!
★★★★★
Suzy
This is one of those classic recipes that we keep coming back to! So tasty and easy to make!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
What a delicious dinner recipe! Adding this to my dinner line up for the week; looks too good to pass up!
★★★★★
Andrea Metlika
We love cabbage dishes too! These cabbage rolls sound wonderful. Cantbwait to try them.
★★★★★
Lili
These cabbage rolls are exactly what I’m making for dinner tonight.
★★★★★
Michelle
Wow, these cabbage rolls look delicious! That sauce is amazing too! Great recipe, thanks for much for sharing it.
★★★★★
Jessie
Wow!! This sounds so good so much flavor! This is one I have to wait for a weekend to try so that I have a little more time.
★★★★★
Dannii
I really like cabbage, but I get bored having it the same ways all the time. I can’t wait to give these a try.
★★★★★
Danielle Wolter
This was my first time making cabbage rolls and they came out delicious! Great easy to follow instructions made this so easy to make.
★★★★★
Chris Collins
Perfect for a hearty and delicious dinner! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
★★★★★
Jamie
I’m always looking for ways to use cabbage and this is a great idea! That sauce looks lovely too!
★★★★★
Jeannette
This is a weeknight dinner that just can’t go wrong! Love how homey it is and so good for getting some veges in. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
My husband’s family makes these every year for celebrations. I am always so excited to go over for dinner, but now I can have them year round!! Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Emily Liao
Had leftover cabbage so this was the perfect way to use it up! Loved how these rolls came out and the sauce was delicious.
★★★★★
Jacqueline Meldrum
I’m going to try this with veggie sausages. Thanks for the cabbage tips, I probably would have blithely bought a too small cabbage
★★★★★
Jacque Hastert
That tomato sauce has me drooling! I can’t wait to make these cabbage rolls and enjoy them with my familly. We love cabbage, but I have never made cabbage rolls.
★★★★★
laurie
Would love to try this version of stuff cabbage. Sounds yummy…Wondering if you could cook these in a dutch oven on the stove? A current recipe i have for stuff cabbage is where you slowly cook it for a couple hrs on the stove and i like the way it turns out.
Beth Pierce
I am sure you can. You would need to go slow and easy so they don’t burn on the bottom. I love my Dutch ovens.
Christine
I have never made cabbage rolls before today. These cabbage rolls are delicious and a big hit with my husband. I will definitely make these again and will recommend!!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks Christine! So glad that you liked them! We love them too!
Chad
Do you cook the rice before mixing it with the meat?
Beth Pierce
If you were able to get minute rice than no. If you had to start with just regular long grain or short grain rice than you need to parboil it. Here is a post on how to parboil rice
Jamie
One of my favorite meals to make for my family. It’s hearty, comforting, and the cabbage is so perfectly tender!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
This was such a delicious recipe; quite possibly my new favorite dinner recipe! So bold and flavorful; delicious!
★★★★★
Jacqueline Meldrum
I always forget about cabbage rolls but now you have inspired me!
★★★★★
Jo
Love all the flavors here, Made these over the weekend and they were a hit! thank you!
★★★★★
Heather Johnson
these were perfection! i love the filling on the rolls – so delicious!
★★★★★
Carrie Robinson
Oh yum! This is such a classic recipe. 🙂 Definitely making this soon.
★★★★★
Gail Montero
Looks absolutely tasty, like something my family will enjoy! Adding this to my must-try list!
★★★★★
Natalie
My family loves cabbage rolls. Your recipe sounds somewhat different from how I make it. But definitely delicious. I will give it a try. Thanks!
★★★★★
Courtney
Love the sausage added to these cabbage rolls, it brings so much flavour to the dish!
★★★★★
Kay
Fantastic recipe, the tip for softening the cabbage leaves worked perfectly!
★★★★★
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I’ve never had these before but I know it’s something my family will love. It looks so comforting.
★★★★★
Dannii
I haven’t made these in ages, thanks for the reminder. Yours look delicious. Super comforting.
★★★★★
Claudia Lamascolo
I love stuffing cabbage and now freezing the whole head the leaves wilt so no boiling I am trying your stuffing today its different than mine! thanks
★★★★★
Jo
These cabbage rolls are AMAZING!! Seriously so much flavor and so delicious, Family approved!
★★★★★
Gail Montero Raines
My kind of comfort food – yum! My family will enjoy this and have seconds for sure!
★★★★★
Megan Lehr
These were so fun to make and kept me interested in my paleo eating!
★★★★★
Sara Welch
Served this for dinner last night and it was a hit all around the table! So hearty and delicious; easily, a new family favorite dish!
★★★★★
Jamie
This looks so delicious and satisfying! I love how the cabbage creates a perfect package filled with goodness! Delicious!
★★★★★
Biana
These Cabbage Rolls look so delicious! Will be making them soon, thank you for inspiration!
★★★★★
Julia
I loved the addition of the sausage to the filling, so much more flavour than just from ground beef. Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
Betsy
My husband Loved this! He’s so happy to be getting the leftovers! Starting these from scratch, I never would have thought about the pliability of the cabbage leaves if you had not said. Thanks! Going to have to make this again for sure!
★★★★★
Jennifer
We LOVEE these cabbage rolls! They are so tasty and such a unique and yummy dinner!
★★★★★