PREP TIME: 40 mins | COOK TIME: 2 hrs 15 mins | COOLING TIME: 20 mins | TOTAL TIME: 3 hrs 15 mins | SERVINGS: 18 cabbage rolls (approximately)
You’ll love these Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls stuffed with flavorful ground beef mixture and clothed in tomato sauce. A fun, scrumptious way to dress up your old boring cabbage!
INGREDIENTS
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1 c. COOKED long-grain rice (or similar variety)
1.5 lbs lean ground beef (or ‘extra lean)
1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large Egg
1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
⅓ c. chopped fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried dill (dill weed)
½ tsp onion powder
½ to 1 tsp red chilli flakes (crushed red pepper flakes) (optional)
40.5 oz. tomato sauce, divided (About three (398 millilitres) cans or 13.5 oz. cans (roughly 5 c.)
1 medium head green cabbage (you’ll need about 18 leaves for the rolls and another 8 to 10 or so for the bottom of the dish and over top.)
½ c. water (leftover from boiling cabbage)
fresh dill, chopped (garnish to taste, optional)
How to make Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls
Step 1: According to package directions, cook the rice. Meanwhile, ready the oven. Preheat it to 350 degrees F.
Step 2: Place the ground beef with Worcestershire sauce, egg, cooked rice, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, dill, onion powder, red chilli flakes (if using), and a half cup of tomato sauce in a large bowl. Combine until well mixed.
Step 3: Boil the cabbage head to a large pot of boiling water for about 8 to 10 minutes. Careful not to turn it partway through cooking. Now, carefully remove the cabbage from the pot and do not discard the water in case you still need it to re-boil the cabbage when you start peeling off the leaves and for the sauce. Remember not to fill the pot all the way up as the cabbage will displace some of the water. I suggest testing the water before boiling by putting the cabbage head into the pot.
Step 4: Carefully remove the leaves once the cabbage is cool enough to handle, cutting the core out from the leaves. You likely need to put the cabbage back in the boiling water to soften more leaves for a few seconds. Allow it to cool then resume peeling off the leaves.
Step 5: Into the bottom of a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish or roasting pan, put some of the cabbage leaves. Distribute around 1/4 cup of the ground beef mixture on top of each leaf. Then, begin folding in the sides of a leaf, roll it up, and place seam side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the rest of the cabbage leaves and ground beef mixture.
Step 6: Whisk the rest of the 4 1/2 cups of tomato sauce with a half cup of cabbage water in a medium bowl. Then, pour this over the cabbage rolls. Note that into the tomato sauce you can stir around 1 tbsp or so of white or brown sugar if you prefer less tomato flavour.
Step 7: On top, place more cabbage leaves. Using aluminium foil, tightly cover the casserole dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes or until completely cooked.
Step 8: Very carefully remove the foil when done. Discard the top cabbage leaves and let the rolls cool for at least 20 minutes or so. Garnish with dill if desired and serve. For leftovers, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 2 to 4 days.
NOTES:
The best meat to use for this recipe is lean or extra lean ground beef.
Make sure to tightly roll the cabbage leaves and put them seam-side down in the casserole dish. If you prefer less of a tomato flavour, feel free to stir in a bit of brown or white sugar to the tomato sauce.
If using “no salt added” tomato sauce, just season with salt according to taste.
It is fine to replace some of the tomato sauce with canned tomatoes. You can also use diced or whole peeled tomatoes, simply crush them using a potato masher or your hands before using. If going this route, use 1 (28-ounces) can of tomatoes with 1 (13 to 14-ounces) can of tomato sauce.
You can mix a tbsp or two tomato paste into the sauce/water mixture to add more richness to the tomato sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 c. COOKED long-grain rice (or similar variety)
- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (or 'extra lean)
- 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large Egg
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
- ⅓ c. chopped fresh parsley
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried dill (dill weed)
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ to 1 tsp red chilli flakes (crushed red pepper flakes) (optional)
- 40.5 oz. tomato sauce, divided (About three (398 millilitres) cans or 13.5 oz. cans (roughly 5 c.)
- 1 medium head green cabbage (you'll need about 18 leaves for the rolls and another 8 to 10 or so for the bottom of the dish and over top.)
- ½ c. water (leftover from boiling cabbage)
- fresh dill, chopped (garnish to taste, optional)
Instructions
Step 1: According to package directions, cook the rice. Meanwhile, ready the oven. Preheat it to 350 degrees F.
Step 2: Place the ground beef with Worcestershire sauce, egg, cooked rice, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, black pepper, dill, onion powder, red chilli flakes (if using), and a half cup of tomato sauce in a large bowl. Combine until well mixed.
Step 3: Boil the cabbage head to a large pot of boiling water for about 8 to 10 minutes. Careful not to turn it partway through cooking. Now, carefully remove the cabbage from the pot and do not discard the water in case you still need it to re-boil the cabbage when you start peeling off the leaves and for the sauce. Remember not to fill the pot all the way up as the cabbage will displace some of the water. I suggest testing the water before boiling by putting the cabbage head into the pot.
Step 4: Carefully remove the leaves once the cabbage is cool enough to handle, cutting the core out from the leaves. You likely need to put the cabbage back in the boiling water to soften more leaves for a few seconds. Allow it to cool then resume peeling off the leaves.
Step 5: Into the bottom of a deep 9 x 13-inch baking dish or roasting pan, put some of the cabbage leaves. Distribute around 1/4 cup of the ground beef mixture on top of each leaf. Then, begin folding in the sides of a leaf, roll it up, and place seam side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the rest of the cabbage leaves and ground beef mixture.
Step 6: Whisk the rest of the 4 1/2 cups of tomato sauce with a half cup of cabbage water in a medium bowl. Then, pour this over the cabbage rolls. Note that into the tomato sauce you can stir around 1 tbsp or so of white or brown sugar if you prefer less tomato flavour.
Step 7: On top, place more cabbage leaves. Using aluminium foil, tightly cover the casserole dish. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes or until completely cooked.
Step 8: Very carefully remove the foil when done. Discard the top cabbage leaves and let the rolls cool for at least 20 minutes or so. Garnish with dill if desired and serve. For leftovers, place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 2 to 4 days.
Notes
The best meat to use for this recipe is lean or extra lean ground beef. Make sure to tightly roll the cabbage leaves and put them seam-side down in the casserole dish. If you prefer less of a tomato flavour, feel free to stir in a bit of brown or white sugar to the tomato sauce. If using “no salt added” tomato sauce, just season with salt according to taste. It is fine to replace some of the tomato sauce with canned tomatoes. You can also use diced or whole peeled tomatoes, simply crush them using a potato masher or your hands before using. If going this route, use 1 (28-ounces) can of tomatoes with 1 (13 to 14-ounces) can of tomato sauce. You can mix a tbsp or two tomato paste into the sauce/water mixture to add more richness to the tomato sauce.
