Description
Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls dance with hearty flavors of tender meat, rice, and aromatic herbs wrapped in delicate cabbage leaves. Comfort nestles perfectly on plates, inviting you to savor each traditional bite of this classic Eastern European comfort dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Cabbage and Filling:
- 1 head green cabbage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 0.5 lb ground pork
- 1 cup cooked rice
Seasoning and Aromatics:
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 egg
Sauce and Liquid:
- 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Carefully core the cabbage and immerse the entire head in boiling water for 3-4 minutes until outer leaves become pliable and easy to separate.
- Remove cabbage leaves gently, trimming thick stems to ensure smooth rolling. Set aside leaves to cool and drain.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice, minced onion, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, dried dill, and beaten egg. Mix thoroughly until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Lay out cabbage leaves flat and place a proportionate amount of meat mixture near the stem end of each leaf.
- Roll the cabbage leaves tightly, folding in sides to create neat, compact parcels that seal in the filling.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking together tomato sauce, beef broth, tomato paste, white vinegar, and brown sugar in a large cooking pot.
- Arrange stuffed cabbage rolls seam-side down in the sauce, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
- Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for approximately 1.5 hours at 325°F, allowing flavors to meld and meat to cook completely.
- Periodically check liquid levels and gently turn rolls to ensure even cooking and sauce coverage.
- Once meat is fully cooked and cabbage is tender, remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use tender cabbage leaves without tears to ensure perfect rolling and prevent filling leakage during cooking.
- Chop onions and garlic finely to distribute flavors evenly throughout the meat mixture and enhance overall taste profile.
- Experiment with ground meat variations like turkey or lamb for different flavor dimensions and dietary preferences.
- Allow rolls to rest after cooking to help them retain shape and absorb additional sauce, intensifying the delicious taste and texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg