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Looking for something healthy and delicious that is not salad or smoothies? Homemade stuffed cabbage rolls are a perfect idea for any time. Warm and filling enough to be a comfort food but full of enough vitamins to be a healthy meal, homemade cabbage rolls are perfect whether it is for a summer barbecue or winter dinner. All you need is cabbage leaves to stuff with lean ground beef, rice, and tomato sauce with a few other add-ins for an easy stuffed cabbage rolls recipe to make tonight.
The reason it is usually called Polish cabbage rolls is because it originated in Poland. However, you will also see it as German, Russian, and European stuffed cabbage. Homemade cabbage rolls and stuffed cabbage are known all over the world with little difference between them. If you love cabbage rolls, who cares where it is from? You are probably more interested in where it is going… your stomach!
What is stuffed cabbage?
Also known as Polish cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage consists of cabbage leaves stuffed with a ground beef and rice mixture flavored with onion powder (or minced onions), garlic, fresh dill weed, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, Italian herbs, and fresh parsley. The sauce is made from diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, brown sugar, and a few other ingredients like salt and black pepper. You roll each cooked cabbage leaf with meat mixture and tomato sauce, then put them in a baking dish or roasting pan and cover with the rest of the rich tomato sauce. Then, just bake and serve!
Other ways to make stuffed cabbage rolls
You can make this dish in many different ways. For example, you could use ground turkey, pork, or some other ground meat instead of ground beef. You can also use a different type of rice and other types of cabbage. The first time I made cabbage rolls, my family enjoyed it made with green cabbage, ground beef, and long-grain white rice. It was so delicious; that they gave it a recipe rating of 5 stars! But you can make it how you like it.
How to serve stuffed cabbage
- Vegetarian stuffed cabbage with cooked rice, tomatoes, and avocado.
- Cheesy stuffed cabbage rolls topped with shredded mozzarella and cheddar.
- Italian stuffed cabbage made with ground sausage and seasoned with oregano and basil.
- Stuffed cabbage with diced chicken and alfredo sauce.
- Seafood cabbage rolls stuffed with shrimp and crab meat.
- Turkey stuffed cabbage with stuffing, cranberries, and green beans.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to cook cabbage?
First, fill a large pot with salted water and cook it on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, add your whole head of cabbage, and turn it down to medium-low or medium heat. Cook the cabbage in boiling water for five minutes or until the leaves are easy to work with. Then, remove the cabbage from the pot of water and let the cabbage drain while it cools. Do not get rid of the cabbage water because you can use it in your recipe. Reserved cabbage water has lots of starch and vitamins in it.
How do I roll the cabbage?
This easy cabbage roll recipe is not labor intensive. Take one cabbage leaf from the cooked cabbage, place seam side up on your cutting board, and cut a V with a sharp paring knife to remove the thick seam. Then, flip it over and add 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into the middle of the leaf and roll the cabbage leaf around it. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves, filling each cabbage leaf as you go.
What is the best rice for this stuffed cabbage rolls recipe?
Any kind of uncooked rice will work for this easy cabbage rolls recipe. Long-grain white rice is what I typically use but it is up to you. Since you are going to cook rice with other healthy foods like cabbage and lean ground beef, the healthiest rice is cauliflower rice, which is just cauliflower chopped into tiny pieces. But you could also use basmati, brown, black, or jasmine rice.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Shorten prep time by making the cabbage the day before. Then, just remove it about 30 minutes before you are ready to start rolling.
- Remember to turn the heat down after you bring water to a boil.
- Another way to save time is to prepare the meat mixture first. Just put the ground beef in a large bowl with salt, pepper, and other seasonings and work it all in until it is completely combined.
- Be sure to bake your stuffed cabbage in a preheated oven.
- If you like your stuffed cabbage sweet, add a tablespoon of white sugar to the water.
- You can store leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for several days. To freeze leftovers, wrap them in aluminum foil and place them in a freezer bag and they can remain frozen for three months.
- The nutrition information for stuffed cabbage includes high amounts of protein, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium as well as iron and fiber.
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