These oven-baked cabbage rolls are pure comfort food: tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory pork-and-beef filling, then baked in a simple tomato sauce until rich and juicy. They are wonderful for a family dinner and even better the next day, which makes them a smart make-ahead choice. If you love this kind of cozy, hands-off cooking, try the Lazy Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls and Classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls too.
Ingredients
- 800 g (1.75 lb) ground meat (pork and beef blend)
- 200 g (1 cup) rice, parboiled
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 onion, finely diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp dried garlic
- 10 ml (2 tsp) vegetable oil
- 1 whole head of cabbage
- For the sauce:
- 200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 onion, diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 100-200 ml (1/2-3/4 cup) water
Instructions
- Wash the cabbage, cut out the core and blanch in salted boiling water for 5-7 minutes. Separate the leaves, trim the thick ribs and pound them slightly.
- Saute the diced onion and grated carrot in oil for about 7 minutes.
- Mix the ground meat with the parboiled rice, the sauteed vegetables and the spices.
- Form the cabbage rolls and arrange them in a baking dish.
- For the sauce, saute the half onion, add the crushed tomatoes, water and spices. Pour over the rolls, cover with parchment paper and bake at 200 C (400 F) for 40 minutes. Remove the parchment for the last 10 minutes to brown. Serve with sour cream and herbs.
Tips
- Blanch the cabbage just until the leaves bend easily; overcooking makes them tear when rolled.
- Trim and lightly pound the thick rib of each leaf so the rolls fold neatly and cook evenly.
- Let the rolls rest for 10 minutes after baking so the sauce settles and the flavors deepen. For more comfort-food ideas, see Allrecipes.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 120.6 kcal, protein 7.6 g, fat 7.3 g, carbs 6 g