Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
– 1 cup cooked long-grain rice
– 1.5 pounds lean ground beef (or extra lean)
– 1.5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
– 1 large egg
– 1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
– ⅓ cup parsley, roughly chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 1.5 teaspoons salt
– ½ teaspoon black pepper
– ½ teaspoon dried dill
– ½ teaspoon onion powder
– ½ to 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
– 42 ounces tomato sauce, divided (Three 14-ounce cans, roughly 5 cups)
– 1 medium head green cabbage (about 18 leaves for rolls, 8 to 10 leaves for lining the dish)
– ½ cup water (from boiling cabbage)
– Fresh dill, chopped (garnish, optional)
Directions
1. Prepare Rice: Cook the rice according to package instructions and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, egg, cooked rice, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, dill, onion powder, red chili flakes (if using), and ½ cup of tomato sauce. Mix until well combined.
3. Boil Cabbage: In a large pot of boiling water, add the head of cabbage and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, carefully turning it over partway through. Remove the cabbage and reserve the boiling water. You’ll need it to re-boil the cabbage as you peel off the leaves and for your sauce.
4. Prepare Cabbage Leaves: Once the cabbage is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the leaves and cut out the core from each leaf. If needed, re-boil the cabbage to soften more leaves. Continue until you have enough leaves.
5. Assemble Rolls: Line the bottom of a deep 9″ x 13″ baking dish or roasting pan with some cabbage leaves. Take one cabbage leaf at a time, place about ¼ cup of the ground beef mixture on top, and wrap up (fold in sides and roll up). Place the rolls seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining mixture and leaves.
6. Make Sauce: Combine the remaining tomato sauce with ½ cup of cabbage water and whisk to incorporate everything. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls.
7. Bake: Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 1.5 hours, or until the cabbage is tender and the filling is cooked through.
8. Serve: Garnish with fresh dill if desired and serve hot.
Notes
– Use extra leaves to line the bottom and top of the dish to prevent burning.
– For a richer flavor, use beef broth instead of water in the sauce.
– Adjust the level of red chili flakes to your spice preference.
Enjoy your delicious Stuffed Cabbage Rolls!
