Cabbage Rolls with Creamy Tomato Sauce (2024)

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Ingredients

For the Cabbage

• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• approx. 6 quarts water for boiling
• 1 head green cabbage

For the Filling

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 medium red onion, diced small
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon thyme

For the Topping

• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• 15 ouncecan diced tomatoes

For the Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

For the Cabbage

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Fill a large pot with water and add 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of white vinegar and bring it to a boil.
3. Remove the core of the cabbage and boil it whole for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Once the cabbage is done, carefully peel off the leaves (the cabbage will be hot!) and allow them to cool.

For the Filling

1. Cook your rice according to directions and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and add in the diced red onion.
3. Saute the onions for about 10 minutes on medium heat until they’re softened. Add in the 2 teaspoons of garlic during the last two minutes.
4. When it’s done, set the onion mixture aside to cool.
5. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the cooked rice, ground beef, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, dried herbs, and the onion mixture.
6. Roll the mixture into 8 equal-sized, oblong meatballs.
7. Place each meatball in the center of a cabbage leaf, wrapping the leaf around it like a parcel.
8. Line a9x13 dish with the cabbage leaves that you did not use, ensuring that the entire surface and sides of the pan are covered with cabbage leaves. This will prevent your rolls from sticking to the dish and burning.
9. Place your cabbage rolls, seam side down, to make sure they don’t open up while baking and pour on the diced tomatoes.
10. Finally, use the left over cabbage leaves to cover the top of the rolls to protect them from burning during baking. Again, make sure the entire surface is covered.
11. Bake the rolls for1 hour and 20 minutes.

For the Sauce

1. Add the coarsely chopped white onion to a food processor along with 1/4 cup of water. Puree the mixture until the sauce is completely smooth (no chunks!).
2. In a large sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup of butter and add the pureed onion mixture. Cook the mixture on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Whisk in the flour and make a roux (a mixture of flour and fat that is cooked to thicken sauces). The mixture will get a bit gooey, but just keep whisking.
5. After a minute or so, add in the tomato sauce, whisking vigorously to remove any remaining lumps.
6. Add the chicken stock, cream, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook the mixture for 3-4 minutes until it starts to bubble and thicken.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

Put It All Together

1. Once the cabbage rolls are finished baking, remove them from the oven and carefully peel away the burnt pieces of cabbage from the top.
2. Serve each cabbage roll warm, topped with sauce, diced tomatoes, and parsley (to make it even prettier).