Cabbage Rolls

Print Recipe

4.25 from 4 votes

Traditional stuffed cabbage with meat and rice, smothered in tomato sauce

Prep Time1

Cook Time3

Total Time4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: German, Hungarian, Polish, ukrainian

Keyword: authentic cabbage rolls, cabbage rolls, easy cabbage rolls, freezing cabbage for cabbage rolls, how to make cabbage rolls, how to make cabbage rolls with frozen cabbage, stuffed cabbage, traditional cabbage roll recipe

Servings: cabbage rolls

Calories: 195kcal

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground pork
2 cups cooked rice previously frozen is best or slightly undercooked rice
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp paprika
1-2 heads green cabbage 1 very large or 2 smaller
1 can tomato soup
4 cups plain tomato juice large can, 1.36 litre

Instructions

Wrap cabbage tightly in plastic and freeze solid, preferable at least a week.
Cook rice according to manufacture instructions and freeze.
Remove cabbage from freezer at least 8 hours prior to assembly and thaw at room temperature or over night in refrigerator.
Combine beef, pork, rice, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Add a little tomato juice if the mixture seems a bit dry. Maybe ¼ cup. This is optional but sometimes a little liquid helps.
Cut centre core from cabbage bottom. Pull a few leaves off and lay in the bottom of a large baking dish. Run hot tap water over cabbage if necessary as you assemble the rolls if it's still partially frozen.
Pour tomato juice over leaves in pan, just enough to cover the bottom.
To assemble rolls, spoon about ⅓ cup of meat mixture onto bottom part of cabbage leaf. Roll tightly, folding in sides to make a small bundle. Lay rolls in one layer in baking dish. Repeat until all meat is used up. Discard leftover cabbage. Use one very large baking dish or roasting pan. Or, make in 2 smaller pans. You can also pile the rolls on top of each other. If you do, spoon tomato soup over first layer before adding second.
Spread undiluted tomato soup over top of cabbage rolls. Pour tomato juice over top to mostly cover rolls. You will not need all the juice.
Cover pans tightly with foil or lid and bake at 325° for 2 hours, then increase heat to 350° for one more hour. If you're freezing the Cabbage Rolls, cook for the first 2 hours, cool, then freeze. Reheat at 350° for one hour, or longer if they're still frozen.
Serve with mashed potatoes if desired.

Notes

Nutritional information is for 1 of 16 cabbage rolls.

Nutrition