This delicious traditional Polish stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe combines ground sausage, ground beef, and long-grain rice wrapped in tender cabbage leaves with a sweet and tangy tomato sauce.
They are one of our favorite full-flavor comfort food recipes, perfect for the cold fall and winter months. I like to serve this stuffed cabbage recipe with pumpernickel bread with soft butter or crusty potato bread, mashed potatoes, and sautéed green beans.
This cabbage roll recipe calls for ground beef and sausage, but you can use all of one. You can even use ground pork or a mixture of these ground meats. It boils down to what you and your family like best. Please read all my helpful hints and tips for this soul-warming recipe. Cabbage Rolls should be fun and easy, so you make them often for your family.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients.
- Olive oil: extra virgin is best
- Vegetables: onion, garlic, canned diced tomatoes, a large head of cabbage (so you have large leaves to work with), and extra leaves just in case.
- Vinegar: I use apple cider vinegar, but you can use balsamic, red wine, or champagne vinegar.
- Brown sugar: for just a touch of sweetness and to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Seasonings: salt, black pepper, dried parsley, and paprika
- Ground meat: choose whatever mixture of ground beef, pork, or sausage your family likes best. My husband loves sausage, so I often make it with 100% ground sausage.
- Egg: one large egg, please
- Rice: I use Minute Rice. If you cannot access Minute Rice, parboil 1 cup of rice.
How to make Cabbage Rolls
This is the nutshell version. See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
- Soften the cabbage leaves by submerging the leaves in boiling water.
- Prepare the sauce for the cabbage rolls by cooking the onion and garlic. Then add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vinegar, and brown sugar.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground sausage, ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread a thin layer of the simmering tomato sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish.
- Roll the cabbage rolls and place them seam-side down in a single layer in the casserole dish. Repeat until all the cabbage rolls are stuffed.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Don’t skip the step of boiling the cabbage. It makes all the difference when rolling these guys. Rolling a cabbage leaf that isn’t boiled is almost impossible because it’s as stiff as a board.
- The ground meat does not need to be precooked.
- After boiling the cabbage, use a sharp knife to slice the root end off about 1/2 – 3/4 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 add 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 1/2-2 tablespoons brown sugar.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil so the rolls steam in the oven and soften the cabbage leaves.
Ways To Soften Cabbage Leaves
To roll cabbage rolls, the leaves must be soft and pliable, or they will tear. Here are 3 ways to achieve this.
- Boil the head. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. I use an 8-quart stockpot. Then, submerge the head of cabbage in the pot for about five minutes. I usually roll it over about halfway through the cooking time. Then, remove it and drain it in a colander. Once drained and cooled, cut about 1/2-3/4 inch above the stem end and discard.
- Freeze the head: Freeze the whole uncored head of cabbage for 2 days. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Microwave the head: Place a cored head of cabbage on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 7-8 minutes. Carefully turn the head halfway through the cooking time.
More Cabbage Recipes
- Braised Cabbage
- Cabbage and Sausage
- Cabbage Roll Soup
- Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Colcannon
- Cabbage Casserole
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Family-friendly Cabbage Rolls stuffed with ground pork, ground beef, and rice smothered in a sweet and tangy tomato sauce.
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Servings: 12 cabbage rolls
Calories: 173kcal
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Cabbage Rolls
- 1 large head green cabbage
- ½ pound ground pork sausage
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup Minute Rice or long-grain parboiled white rice
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Add the whole head of cabbage and boil for 5 minutes. Remove to a 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. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce into 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 tightly. Place the rolls in a single layer in the casserole dish. Repeat until you have made and arranged all the cabbage rolls in the casserole dish. Top with remaining tomato sauce.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 80-90 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on reduced power in the microwave.
- To freeze, first cool to room temperature. Cover the baking dish with 2 layers of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge. Remove the casserole from the fridge 40 minutes before reheating. Remove the plastic wrap and cover with aluminum foil only. Reheat at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 153IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg
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Chenee
This was my first time making cabbage rolls but they really came out good! Not as attractive as yours but definitely super tasty!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Chenee! So glad that you liked the cabbage rolls and that they turned out great.
Kim
These were so good and the cabbage came out so tender. The kids ate without complaining about the “green stuff” and that is amazing!
Beth Pierce
That really is amazing.
Ali
These cabbage rolls were great. They reminded me of my polish Grandmother’s cabbage rolls. Or as my grandmother called them “Golumpki”. Thanks for the recipe.
Michael B
This is a very straightforward recipe. I used hot Italian sausage mixed with ground beef and it was a little too spicy for my wife, however, I enjoyed it very much. The sauce! Its all about the sauce and my mind is spinning with ideas for how I can use the recipe for many other dishes as it is a beautiful, rich, tomato ‘gravy’. Thank you Thank you Thank you,.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine Michael! So glad that you liked the cabbage rolls.
Kathleen
Amazing recipie. I a little more than doubled the recipie to make a bunch for my husband’s lunches and it turned out great. I altered a few things but I used a big package of beef and pork, 3 eggs, 2 cups of rice and probably 12 garlic between the sauce and meat. I also used 2 whole onions and balsamic vinegar instead of cider vinegar. For the sauce just to add a little bit more to it i also added 2 cans of tomato soup, 2 cans of diced tomatoes (1 with herbs and spices), and 1 large can of tomato sauce. It turned out great and was a major hit. I used a large cabbage and about half way through my cabbage I noticed the leaves were hard to pull off and so I boiled the cabbage a bit more to help and it worked perfect. Cutting off the stems in a V of each cabbage leaf helped a lot and made it very easy to roll. I will defiently be making this again! Thankyou!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Kathleen. I am glad that you liked the recipe and thanks for the tips.
AO
My first time making these. Not bad! I used 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork. Next time will consider using ground sausage for a little more flavor. I used more like a whole medium onion (3-4 inch) in both the sauce and in the filling. Used more garlic because we ALWAYS use more garlic in most any recipe 🙂. I noticed that the filling directions included no salt and pepper, so I added. I baked for an hour and they were kinda dry. Next time, I think Ill follow the suggestion noted on some other recipes and use cooked rice. I’ll double the sauce. Overall pretty darn good A good start ing place for adding your own touches
Frank
Five stars for this recipe, was so delicious, and loved your post and how easy it was to follow. I shared the recipe with my sister. She will love it.
Sammie
Wow, your traditional Polish stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe description has made my mouth water! Combining ground sausage, ground beef, and long-grain rice wrapped in tender cabbage leaves with a sweet and tangy tomato sauce sounds delicious and comforting, especially for the cold fall and winter months. Serving it with pumpernickel bread with soft butter and a light dessert like Lemon Chiffon Pie is a perfect way to round out the meal. You have great taste in full-flavour comfort food recipes!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sammie! I sure hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Melanie
I love cabbage rolls. These are so delicious. Such a great comfort food dish and one of my favorites.
Beth Pierce
One of my favorites, Melanie!
Maria Azanha
Wow, it’s amazing that I’ve never considered making these before! They look absolutely heavenly, and I believe my husband would also be quite interested in trying them out!