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The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
454 | Calories |
14g | Fat |
50g | Carbs |
33g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 454 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 14g | 18% |
Saturated Fat 5g | 27% |
Cholesterol 221mg | 74% |
Sodium 763mg | 33% |
Total Carbohydrate 50g | 18% |
Dietary Fiber 7g | 27% |
Protein 33g | |
Calcium 169mg | 13% |
*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. |
These cabbage rolls are stuffed with ground beef and rice and baked to perfection with a tangy tomato sauce. Cabbage rolls are a favorite comfort food from Eastern Europe and are often reserved for special occasions or big family dinners.
Instead of boiling the cabbage, there's an easy shortcut to soften the leaves if you plan ahead. The night before you plan to make the cabbage rolls, put the whole head of cabbage in the freezer. Take it out in the morning and give it the rest of the day or several hours to thaw. The leaves of the thawed cabbage will peel off easily and are flexible enough to stuff with no pre-cooking required!
The meat isn't cooked ahead of time, so try to use very lean ground beef to avoid the excess fat. Serve stuffed cabbage with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes for a filling and special meal.
Click Play to See This Savory Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe Come Together
Ingredients
- For the Rolls:
- 1 head green cabbage (about 1 dozen large cabbage leaves)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, more for the water
- 1 pound ground beef (85 percent or leaner)
- 3/4 cup rice (cooked)
- 1/2 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- For the Sauce:
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes (diced, undrained)
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup cold water (divided)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Peel about 12 to 15 large leaves off of the cabbage head.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Drop the cabbage leaves into a large pot of well-salted boiling water; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain well.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F (180 C/Gas 4).
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For the filling, combine the ground beef, rice, onion, egg, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well and divide into 12 portions.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Place a portion of the beef mixture (about 2-1/4 oz.) onto the center of each cabbage leaf.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Roll the leaf around the filling, burrito-style, folding in the edges to seal it in.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Fasten the rolls with toothpicks. Place the rolls in a single layer in a large baking dish or an oven-safe Dutch oven.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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For the sauce, combine the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar, and 1/2 cup of water.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Pour over the cabbage rolls. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil (carefully avoiding the toothpicks) and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour until the cabbage is tender and the sauce is bubbling.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Remove the rolls with a slotted spoon and discard the toothpicks.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Carefully pour the juices into a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water until dissolved. Add to the sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly until thickened.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Serve the cabbage rolls topped with the sauce.
The Spruce / Ahlam Raffii
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Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- For a low-carb option, replace the rice with steamed cauliflower rice.
- If you are looking for cabbage roll flavor but are short on time, try an "unstuffed" version.
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