Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 10/23/19
Cabbage Rolls, Baked

The Spruce / Diana Rattray
  • Total: 100 mins
  • Prep: 25 mins
  • Cook: 75 mins
  • Yield: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
320 Calories
10g Fat
32g Carbs
27g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 320
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 12%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 669mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Protein 27g
Calcium 79mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These cabbage rolls are baked in a baking dish with a tomato-based sauce. The mixture of ground beef, rice, and onion makes a delicious filling for the partially cooked cabbage leaves.

The head of cabbage is frozen and then thawed, which softens the leaves and makes them easy to peel and stuff. 

2:02

Click Play to See This Baked Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 12 to 14 large cabbage leaves
  • Filling
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 3/4 cup cooked rice
  • 1/2 cup onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • Sauce
  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (undrained)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water (plus 3 tablespoons for thickening the sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather ingredients.

    Cabbage rolls ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Freeze the whole head of cabbage for several hours or overnight. Let thaw for a few hours, then cut around the core and gently peel leaves off (starting at core end) under warm running water. They should be flexible enough to stuff. If not, steam gently to soften.

  3. If you are starting with a fresh unfrozen head of cabbage: Peel and drop the cabbage leaves into boiling salted water. Cover and cook for 3 minutes or just until pliable. Drain well.

    Thaw cabbage
    The Spruce

  4. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C/Gas Mark 4.

  5. For filling, combine ground beef, rice, onion, egg, paprika, and salt, pepper, and milk. Mix well and divide into 12 portions.

    Combine ingredients for cabbage rolls
    The Spruce

  6. Place a portion of the ground beef mixture into the center of a cabbage leaf.

    Place meat in cabbage leaf
    The Spruce

  7. Roll leaf around filling; fasten with a toothpick. 

    Roll cabbage leaf and fasten with tooth pick
    The Spruce

  8. Place in a baking dish or Dutch oven. Repeat with the remaining ground beef and cabbage leaves.

    Finish stuffing the remaining cabbage leaves
    The Spruce

  9. In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, and 1/2 cup of water.

    Combine ingredients for sauce
    The Spruce

  10. Pour sauce over cabbage rolls.

    Pour sauce over cabbage rolls
    The Spruce 

  11. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cooked through and cabbage is tender.

    Cook cabbage rolls
    The Spruce

  12. Remove the cabbage rolls to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Take out the toothpicks and discard.

  13. Place the pan with juices over medium heat or transfer the juices to a saucepan and place over the heat. Combine the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water and mix until smooth. Stir the cornstarch and cold water mixture into the sauce; bring the sauce to a boil and cook until thickened.

    Cabbage rolls
    The Spruce

  14. Serve and enjoy!

Tip

  • If you don't have time to freeze the cabbage, place the whole head—cored or not—in a microwave-safe dish with a small amount of water and microwave it on full power for about 10 to 15 minutes. The leaves should peel off nicely.