These amazing crockpot cabbage rolls with a mixture of ground beef, ground pork, rice, and a perfect blend of spices are cooked up tender and flavorful in a lightly sweetened tomato sauce with garlic and dill. You will love these tasty slow-cooked cabbage rolls.
My family is hooked on these. They are just that good! Of course, we love cabbage. If you are a cabbage lover, try fried cabbage, braised cabbage, and corned beef and cabbage.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Cabbage: Regular green cabbage or savoy cabbage. Savoy cabbage has softer leaves and a shorter boiling time, but it is more difficult to find.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can substitute white wine or rice wine vinegar.
- Dill: I like the flavor that fresh dill adds, but you can substitute fresh thyme or parsley.
- Ground meat: I use a mixture of ground pork and ground beef, but you can use all of one or the other. My husband loves them made with mildly seasoned pork sausage.
- Long grain rice: Basmati or jasmine rice are my go-to long grain rices. Their consistency and texture work well in this recipe.
- Paprika: Use sweet Hungarian paprika NOT smoked paprika.
How to Make Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Boil the cabbage, carefully removing the leaves as they soften.
- Sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil. Remove half the onion mixture.
- Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, and fresh dill. Simmer while you make the meat mixture.
- Combine half the onion mixture, ground pork, ground beef, egg, rice, paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley. 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. Fold in the sides and roll up the cabbage. Place cabbage rolls seam-side down in a single layer in the crockpot.
- Pour half the sauce over the first layer of cabbage rolls. Stack the rest of the cabbage rolls on top and add the rest of the sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Preparation Tips
- The ground meat does not need to be precooked.
- After boiling the cabbage and cooling enough to safely handle, 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.
- Cabbage rolls are best cooked on low so the rice cooks through properly and the cabbage leaves soften.
How to Soften and Remove Leaves From the Cabbage
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Submerge the cabbage in the boiling water for 5-10 minutes, rolling it over halfway through. Remove it and drain it in a colander. You may need to return the cabbage to the boiling water to soften more inner leaves further. A large head of cabbage will give you about 12-20 leaves for rolling.
You can also freeze the head of cabbage, but it takes some advance preparation. Cut out the core of the cabbage and place it in a freezer bag. Freeze overnight up to a few days. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
More Cabbage Recipes
Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 lb ground pork
- ½ lb ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup long grain rice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ treaspoon freshly ground black peppper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Submerge the cabbage for 5-10 minutes in the boiling water, rolling it over halfway through the boiling. Remove it and drain it in a colander. Remove 12-14 leaves. You may need to return the cabbage to the boiling water to soften more inner leaves.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions until soft. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Remove half the onion mixture.
- Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, and fresh dill. Simmer it while you make the meat mixture.
- Combine half the onion mixture, ground pork, ground beef, egg, rice, paprika, salt, pepper, and parsley. Working with the cabbage rolls on a flat surface, add about ⅓ cup of the meat mixture to the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides and roll up the cabbage. Place cabbage rolls seam-side down in a single layer in the crockpot.
- Pour half the sauce over the first layer of cabbage rolls. Stack the rest of the cabbage rolls on top and add the rest of the sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes or until warm.
Joan
Do you cook the rice first, before adding to the meat mixture?
Beth Pierce
I use Minute Rice. If you cannot access Minute Rice, parboil 1 cup of rice.
Salem
These were so cozy and comforting—perfect for a cold night. I appreciate that you simplified a classic without losing its heart. The mix of ground beef and pork gave it more flavor, and I love that it all came together in the crockpot. Definitely saving this one.
Beth Pierce
So happy that you liked it, Salame!
Lisa
This is a first for me, I had no idea you could make these in a crockpot! We love these cabbage rolls, they are delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Lisa! I agree!
Emman
This is the first time I made crockpot cabbage rolls. They were delicious and easy to make.
Ebony
I made these for dinner today and they were a hit! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!