Taste test the sauce. The sauce is supposed to be a bit sweet and sour. I always like to try a spoonful and adjust the flavor as necessary.
Be prepared with extra cabbage leaves. It’s not unusual for cabbage leaves to rip when preparing stuffed cabbage, so I always like to tear off a few extra leaves.
How long do cabbage rolls need to bake? It really depends on the size of the cabbage rolls but typically at least an hour. You want to give plenty of time for the meat to cook through and the cabbage to become tender.
Can I Prepare This In Advance?
Yes, you can assemble the cabbage rolls in advance. Just assemble as directed, cover the baking dish with foil, and refrigerate up to a night in advance. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time or allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
Homemade cabbage rolls are perfect with creamy mashed potatoes. Try our recipe for Amish-style mashed potatoes with browned butter. A side of buttered noodles and steamed or roasted vegetables, like broccoli, also goes very well with the cabbage rolls.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep the leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight food storage container. Refrigerate for up to three days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or oven until hot.
Ingredients
Sauce:
▢2 tablespoons olive oil
▢1/2 medium onion diced
▢4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
▢28- ounce can crushed tomatoes do not drain
▢15- ounce can tomato sauce
▢2 tablespoons tomato paste
▢Salt and pepper to taste
▢¼ cup brown sugar
▢1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
▢1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
▢1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
Cabbage Rolls:
▢1 pound extra lean ground beef
▢1 cup cooked rice white or brown
▢1 tablespoon onion powder
▢4 cloves garlic minced
▢1 teaspoon salt
▢1/2 teaspoon black pepper
▢1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
▢1 teaspoon paprika
▢1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs blend
▢1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
▢1 egg
▢1 head of cabbage.
Instructions
To Make the Sauce:
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil then add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian herbs, salt and pepper, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
Simmer the sauce for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
Coat a 9×13 inche baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the dish; set aside.
To Make the Cabbage Rolls:
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Immerse the cabbage head in the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the leaves are pliable. Remove from water and peel off 12 large leaves. When the leaves are cooled, cut a v-shaped notch at the base of each to remove the thick rib of the cabbage. Set the cabbage aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, onion powder, garlic, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Italian herbs, 2 tablespoons of the fresh parsley, and the egg.
Add 1/2 cup of the prepared tomato sauce to the bowl and stir to combine.
Take 1/3 of a cup of the meat mixture and shape it into a log, place it in the center of a cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf around the meat then place in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves.
Top the cabbage rolls in the pan with the remaining sauce. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350F for 70-90 minutes, or until the cabbage is fork-tender and the meat is cooked through.
Sprinkle the cabbage rolls with the remaining parsley and serve hot with mashed potatoes.
