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Cabbage Rolls are a comfort food dish that takes the most modest of ingredients—cabbage, ground meat, rice, and tomato sauce—and stretches them to become a nourishing, hearty, and delicious dinner. No wonder they are beloved the world over!

easy stuffed cabbage rolls in baking dish

Why You’ll Love This Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe

  • Budget-Friendly Dinner. Cabbage rolls are made by steaming cabbage leaves until they are soft, then wrapping them around a savory mixture of meat, rice (or a similar grain), herbs, and spices. The meat filling is richly savory, and the rice provides bulk, making cabbage rolls a budget-minded meal that’s also supremely satisfying.
  • Global Favorite. Cabbage rolls are thought to have originated in the Middle East and now they stretch to Western Asia and North Africa. Chou farci in France, lahanodolmathes in Greece, Polish gloabki (“little pigeons”), Ukranian holubtsi (also “little pigeons”), Arabic mahshi malfouf, Jewish prakas…the list goes on and on! This cabbage roll recipe is influenced by Ukrainian and Polish versions.
  • Perfect for Making Ahead. Cabbage rolls are a bit of a project, but they are so satisfying and absolutely worth it! They also freeze and reheat like a dream—if you’re planning on making them, consider doubling the recipe to enjoy at a later date. (In a hurry? Try my shortcut unstuffed Cabbage Roll Soup!)
stuffed cabbage roll recipe on a plate

How to Make Cabbage Rolls

The Ingredients

  • Cabbage. Green cabbage is what I used for this recipe, as it’s generally the easiest to find and most affordable. You can use savoy cabbage instead if you can find it. Napa cabbage is also fine to use, but you’ll want to make sure the head you select is big enough for rolling.
  • Ground Beef. Adding ground beef to the filling gives this dish protein and flavor. For the best cabbage rolls, it is important to use a flavorful meat, such as ground beef or ground pork (or even a mix of the two).
  • Rice. Rice makes the cabbage rolls more filling. It also soaks up the delicious flavors from the meat mixture and sauce.
  • Egg. Adding an egg to the filling helps hold everything together.
  • Onion + Garlic. For flavor and moisture.
  • Spices. The key to making the cabbage rolls and sauce scrumptious. Dried oregano, nutmeg, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt, and pepper are what I used in this recipe.
  • Tomatoes. Both tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes are used to prepare the savory sauce. The sauce keeps the cabbage rolls moist and blankets them in rich flavor.
  • Honey. For a touch of natural sweetness to balance the acidity.
  • Red Wine Vinegar. Adds acidity and depth of flavor to the sauce.

Substitution Tip

If you prefer not to use ground beef, you can swap it for ground pork. I don’t recommend using a less flavorful ground meat, such as ground turkey or chicken for this recipe.

The Directions

rice in a pot for cabbage rolls
  1. Prepare. Cook rice to al dente. Core the whole head of cabbage and peel off any dirty leaves. Simmer the cabbage in a large pot of water for about 15 minutes.
sauteeing onions for cabbage rolls
  1. Cook the Aromatics. Sauté the onion. Add the garlic.
making cabbage roll stuffing
  1. Start the Filling. Transfer the onion and garlic to the rice bowl.
mixing cabbage roll stuffing for stuffed cabbage rolls
  1. Combine. Add the beef, egg, herbs, and spices, mixing to combine.
coring cabbage for classic cabbage roll
  1. Prep the Leaves. Peel 12 larger, tender cabbage leaves from the head. Trim any tough ribs off the leaves.
chopped cabbage for traditional cabbage rolls
  1. Chop. Cut the remaining cabbage into strips. Scatter them in the baking dish.
rolling together traditional cabbage rolls
  1. Fill. Assemble the cabbage rolls by adding the beef mixture to the center of a cabbage leaf.
easy cabbage roll recipe
  1. Roll. Fold the sides inwards to create the sealed cabbage roll.
cabbage rolls in a baking dish
  1. Arrange. Place them in the baking dish.
cabbage roll sauce for classic cabbage rolls
  1. Make the Sauce. Pour the tomato sauce into the bowl that held the beef. Add water to one of the empty tomato cans, then pour it into the bowl. Stir in the tomatoes, spices, and herbs.
classic sauce being poured on top of cabbage rolls
  1. Finish Assembling. Pour the sauce over the rolls.
cabbage rolls with sauce in baking dish
  1. Bake. Cover the pan with foil. Bake cabbage rolls at 350 degrees F for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Spoon the hot liquid over the top of each cabbage roll. Re-cover the dish and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. ENJOY!
easy and healthy cabbage rolls in baking dish

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Cover and refrigerate leftovers, or place them in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • To Reheat. Rewarm cabbage rolls in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave. 
  • To Freeze a Small Portion. Store leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • To Freeze a Full Dish. Cover the dish with foil, then wrap it in plastic wrap a few times (or place the individual cabbage rolls in a large freezer bag). Thaw in the refrigerator overnight (this can take 1 1/2 -2 days). Reheat covered in a 350 degrees F oven for about 25-30 minutes (make sure you remove any plastic!).

Meal Prep Tip

Up to 1 day in advance, chop the onion and garlic and core the cabbage. You can also par-cook the rice as directed in Step 1. Refrigerate each ingredient until you’re ready to finish the recipe.

cabbage roll recipe with meat

What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls

easy cabbage rolls on a plate

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Use a Small/Medium (NOT LARGE) Head of Cabbage. Larger cabbage leaves are tougher, making them more challenging to cook through properly; they are also harder to roll.
  • Cook the Rice Just to Al Dente. The rice will continue to cook in the oven, so don’t overdo it when you boil the rice or your filling will be mushy.
  • Resist the Urge to Overstuff. If you put too much filling in each leaf, the rolls will be difficult to roll up and they may fall apart when you cook them. If you have extra filling, you can roll it into meatballs and bake it along with the rest of the dish.
  • Cook Until Tender. If your cooked cabbage is tough, it’s likely because the cabbage is not cooked through yet. Continue to cook the rolls until they’re tender. It’s also important to make sure you let the rolls rest after they’re finished baking.
traditional cabbage roll recipe in a baking dish

Cabbage Rolls

4.77 from 30 votes
This traditional stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is made with ground beef and rice, then baked in homemade tomato sauce. Comfort food goodness!

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 12 cabbage rolls

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice rinsed and drained*
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 6 cloves garlic minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 medium head green cabbage 1 1/2 to 2 pounds—DO NOT use a larger head or the leaves will be difficult to cook through, difficult to roll, and it will be harder to stem
  • 1 pound lean ground beef I used 90% lean
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon honey

Instructions
 

  • Place one of the oven racks in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  • Combine the rice and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered on low, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes, until the rice is partially cooked (it will keep baking in the oven). Strain the rice through a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water to remove any excess liquid and starch. Place in a large bowl and set aside. Keep the pot handy (no need to clean it).
  • Meanwhile, core the cabbage: Peel off any dirty leaves from the cabbage head. Sit the cabbage on your cutting board so the stem side is facing directly upwards. Using a paring knife, make 4 cuts that are each 1/2-inch away from the core so that the cuts form a square. Make each cut at an angle so that your knife is pointing down towards the core as you slice. Shimmy the knife through each corner of the square shape to help loosen the core. Then, pull on the cabbage stem area to remove the core. You may need to wiggle your paring knife around the square again to help loosen it. Discard the core.
  • Simmer the cabbage: Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a medium-low heat such that the water simmers. Carefully lower the cabbage (with its core side facing the bottom of the pot and the top of the head facing up) into the pot and cover it. Let simmer for 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon or handheld medium sieve, carefully lift the cabbage out of the water. Let cool until you can handle it safely, 10-15 minutes.
  • To the now-empty pot you used to cook the rice, add 2 tablespoons of oil and the onion. Sauté over medium-low heat for 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the onion-garlic mixture to the bowl of rice.
  • Add the ground beef, egg, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. With a fork or your hands, mix to combine, making sure not to overwork the meat. Only mix until just combined. Set aside.
  • Place the semi-cooled, cooked cabbage on a cutting board. Peel 12 larger in-tact leaves off of the cabbage (peel from the core side for easy removal). Trim any tough, thick ribs from the stem side of the cabbage leaf by using a paring knife to cut a V shape around the rib to remove it. (Don’t cut off too much or it will be hard to roll.) Set aside.
  • Quarter and chop any remaining cabbage into thin 1/4-inch strips. Scatter evenly over the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Assemble the rolls: Add 2 heaping tablespoons of the beef mixture to the center of a cabbage leaf (it's OK if the leaf is still a little damp).
  • Fold the sides of the leaf inwards to cover the meat, then begin rolling from the stem side, until you have a cabbage roll.
  • Place seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining cabbage until you have 12 rolls. If there is any leftover beef mixture, roll it into small (about 1-to 1 1/2-inch) meatballs and arrange them in the pan in between the rolls.
  • To the now-empty bowl that held the beef mixture, add the tomato sauce. Add 1/2 cup water to one of the empty tomato sauce cans, swish around, and add the water to the bowl. Mix in the crushed tomatoes, garlic powder, bay leaf, vinegar, honey, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Stir gently to combine.
  • Carefully pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls. Lift the cabbage rolls a bit to ensure the sauce gets distributed beneath them.
  • Spray a piece of foil large enough to cover the pan with nonstick spray. Cover the pan tightly with the foil, placing it spray-side down. Place onto a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until the cabbage is nearly fork tender and easily cuts with a paring knife, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Remove from the oven and carefully uncover the pan. Use a spoon to ladle the hot sauce from the bottom of the pan over each cabbage roll. Recover the pan securely with foil and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve right away or store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Video

Notes

  • *If you prefer white rice, you can swap the same amount of long-grain white basmati rice. White rice cooks more quickly than brown, so you’ll only need to simmer for about 12 minutes to par-cook it; strain, rinse, and use in the recipe just like the brown rice.
  • TO STORE: Cover and refrigerate leftovers, or place them in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Rewarm cabbage rolls in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave. 
  • TO FREEZE A SMALL PORTION: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • TO FREEZE A FULL DISH: Cover the pan with foil, then wrap in plastic wrap a few times (or place the individual cabbage rolls in a large freezer bag). Defrost in the fridge overnight (if you are defrosting an entire pan, this can take 1 1/2 -2 days). Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for about 25-30 minutes (make sure you remove any plastic!).

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cabbage roll (of 12)Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 12gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 39mgPotassium: 614mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 566IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 72mgIron: 3mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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14 Comments

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    1. Hi Eileen! No, I’m sorry I don’t. Here is a link to all of my vegan recipes https://www.wellplated.com/category/recipes-by-diet/vegan/ I also have a great deal of vegetarian recipes on the website as well.

  1. Hi Erin,
    I always enjoy your recipes but I have noticed that you don’t include the amount of sodium in the nutritional breakdown.
    As someone on a low sodium diet, I would appreciate that information
    Thank you,
    Mary

    1. Hi MK! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!

    2. I feel the same way MK! I am following a low sodium diet and always check the ingredients for signs of sodium. If any canned products are used like tomatoes or beans, I always choose “no sodium” varieties. If the recipe states to add a 1/2 tsp of salt, I leave it out or only add 1/8, etc. I look for lower sodium varieties of cheese too. Sodium can really add up!

      1. Hi Margaret! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!

  2. I’m trying to add more veggies to my diet and this looks like a great way to do it! Lots of veggies, but lots of meat too! Even my kids loved them so much. It was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much.5 stars

  3. I used hot Italian sausage mixed with ground beef and it was awesome, my husband and 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’. Mine is not as attractive as yours but definitely super tasty! Thank you so much!5 stars

  4. Absolutely wonderful and healthy. Nice flavor, texture and color. And it’s so easy to make. Used my own homemade chicken stock instead of the vegetable stock. I toast some sourdough bread and make a spinach salad to round it out! Thanks so much!5 stars

  5. I love cabbage rolls, but have never dared to make them. I’ve always been intimidated by the cabbage, and that’s because I didn’t know the secret. Cooking the full cabbage beforehand!! Juicy looking cabbage rolls and I can’t wait to make some for dinner.5 stars