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Cabbage Rolls

These classic cabbage rolls are the same Grandma used to make and only take 20 minutes to prep.

Now, we’ve played around with the classic cabbage roll – also sometimes called “golumpkis” or, in Polish, gołąbki – before, with our Cabbage Roll Soup and Lazy Crock-Pot Golumpkis. We thought it was time, though, that we finally whipped some up the classic way, with some perfect meatballs wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked in a casserole dish. Take a look at how we perfected them, then read on for the full recipe so you can warm up with them, too.

Cabbage Rolls

Serves 10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 pounds green cabbage

SWEET AND SOUR TOMATO SAUCE

  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup water

MEAT FILLING

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ½ cup jasmine rice, rinsed
  • ⅓ cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and have a large bowl of cold water prepared and ready. Working in batches, blanch the cabbage leaves for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove the leaves from the boiling water and immediately submerge in the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, remove from the cold water and let drain completely. Remove any firmer cabbage stems by cutting a v-shape at the base of each leaf, making sure to have the point of the “v” point away from the base. Set the cooked cabbage aside.
  3. In a separate large bowl, make the sweet and sour tomato sauce by combining the crushed tomatoes, ground cinnamon, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and water. Stir until mixed.
  4. Pour ¼ of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish, and set aside.
  5. In another large bowl, combine the ground pork, ground beef, rinsed jasmine rice, parsley, onion, garlic, egg, black pepper and salt. Mix until well combined.In a large bowl, combine ground beef, pork, onion, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, egg and rinsed riceWoow
  6. Place the prepared cabbage leaves on a work surface.
  7. Scoop out approximately 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture, and roll it into an oval cigar shape between the palms of your hands. Place the meat oval horizontally on a cabbage leaf near the base, just above the “v” cut. Fold the sides of the cabbage leaf over the meat and roll like a burrito. Place in the prepared baking dish, seam side down.Place meat horizontally on the cabbage leaf near the baseWow
  8. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture and cabbage leaves, placing cabbage rolls snugly next to one another in the baking dish.Place cabbage rolls in the prepared baking dish, seam side downWow
  9. Pour the remaining sweet and sour tomato sauce, evenly, over the top of the cabbage rolls.
  10. Cover the baking dish with foil, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the meat and rice is cooked through.

And there we are! A great, classic, simple dish everybody in your family is sure to enjoy. We love that they work great as an appetizer, side dish, or even a main entree! Whatever you need them to be, these Cabbage Rolls are here to serve.

So what do you think of them? How does this recipe compare to ones you’ve had in the past? Let us know if you give them a tree, and of course, tell us how they turn out for you!