Hard

Best Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Total Time
2h 38m
38m prep · 120m cook
Servings
4 people
Rating
Difficulty
Hard
2 views
🌱 Vegan 🥬 Vegetarian 🌾 Gluten-Free 🥛 Dairy-Free 🥜 Nut-Free ✡️ Kosher

Tender leaves of cabbage are wrapped around a hearty sirloin and rice filling and topped with a homemade tomato sauce in this family-friendly recipe for stuffed cabbage leaves. The hint of allspice and slight tang from vinegar create a perfect balance in this dish. They remind me of eating at a Lebanese food festival, although not quite as spicy. Serve with Greek salad or tabouli salad and warm pita for the perfect bite!

Ingredients

  • 6 teaspoons kosher salt , divided
  • 1 large head cabbage
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 0.5 cups minced onion
  • 1 , 14 ounce
  • 1 , 14 ounce
  • 0.75 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper , divided
  • 1 pound ground sirloin
  • 1 cup uncooked white rice
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 0.5 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 medium lemon , cut into 6 wedges
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley , or to taste

Instructions

  1. 1

    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in 4 teaspoons salt. Remove loose, outer leaves from the cabbage and place in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from the water and set aside.

  2. 2

    Remove core from the cabbage and carefully place the head in the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, removing the outer leaves one at a time as they loosen every minute. Set aside 12 large leaves and reserve inner portion of the cabbage for another use.

  3. 3

    Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Set aside 2 tablespoons minced onion for cabbage rolls; add remaining onion to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, undrained diced tomatoes, water, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  5. 5

    Prepare cabbage rolls: Mix sirloin, rice, garlic, reserved minced onion, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, remaining pepper, and allspice together in a bowl until well combined.

  6. 6

    Place a softened cabbage leaf on a cutting board and remove the bottom, tough portion of the stem. Place about 3 tablespoons meat filling into the center of the leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll the leaf up tightly, like a burrito or spring roll. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

  7. 7

    Pour 1 cup tomato sauce mixture in a bottom of a 9x13-inch or 11x7-inch baking dish. Place cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in the baking dish and pour remaining sauce on top. Cover tightly with foil.

  8. 8

    Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Lightly squeeze a wedge of lemon over each serving and garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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