Growing up, my neighbor Mrs. Kovac made cabbage rolls every Sunday, and the smell that drifted out of her kitchen window was something I still think about decades later. She never called them anything fancy, just “rolls,” and she always made enough to feed half the block. I finally got her to walk me through the process one afternoon, and what struck me most was how simple and honest the whole thing was. Ground pork and beef mixed together with rice, a generous hit of marjoram and paprika, the whole thing wrapped up tight in a softened cabbage leaf and buried under tomato sauce.
This is comfort food for a cold night, and a batch makes 12 medium rolls. Marjoram in a cabbage roll, you say? Yup, it’s only half a teaspoon, but don’t skip it. Baking them covered first keeps everything moist, and that final uncovered stretch lets the tomato sauce concentrate and caramelize just slightly on top.
Make a big batch. They reheat well, and honestly they taste even better the next day once everything has had time to settle together.
Soften the Cabbage Leaves and Prepare the Meat and Rice Filling
Slavic cabbage rolls are blanched cabbage leaves wrapped around ground pork and beef, rice, marjoram, and sweet paprika, then baked under tomato sauce until the leaves are soft and the sauce thickens a little on top. They are a classic of Eastern European home cooking, and you’ll find that none of the steps are hard, they just take a little time.
Roll the Cabbage and Bake with Tomato Sauce
Spread a portion of the meat mixture near one end of each softened cabbage leaf, then tuck, fold, and roll tightly. Arrange the rolls in a deep baking dish over a layer of extra chopped cabbage mixed with tomato sauce. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 200C (392F) for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
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Baked Slavic Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce
- Total Time: 85 minutes
- Yield: Makes 12 rolls or 3-4 servings
Description
Ground pork and beef mixed with rice, marjoram, and paprika, rolled in blanched cabbage leaves and baked under tomato sauce. Makes 12 medium rolls.
Ingredients
- 1 head of white cabbage (700 grams)
- 1.75 lb. (or 800 g) ground pork and ground beef mix, or use just beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup raw long grain rice, boil after measure = 2 cups cooked or 400 grams
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
- 1 tsp. sweet paprika
- handful finely chopped fresh parsley
- Tomato sauce to pour over the rolls before baking
Instructions
- Boil the rice and set aside to cool down. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove any damaged or bruised outer leaves from the cabbage and discard. Peel away the cabbage leaves from the cabbage and place in boiling water for up to 10 minutes or until soft and bendable. Remove each leaf from pot with a pair of tongs then set aside to drain.
- Preheat the oven to 200C or 392F. In a large mixing bowl combine the meat, rice and all of the spices. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and spices are well distributed. Grab a softened cabbage leaf and spread some meat mixture towards one end of the leaf. Tuck, fold and roll the cabbage then set the roll aside. Repeat until all of the meat filling is used up, this recipe makes 12 medium rolls. Place the rolls inside a deep baking dish. There will be extra leftover cabbage that can either be placed on the bottom of the baking dish to form a bed on which the cabbage rolls are placed over to bake. In addition, finely chop the extra cabbage and mix with the tomato sauce.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, place the baking dish in the center of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove aluminum. Use a fork to test the softness of the cabbage leaves, making sure they are soft and wilted. Once cabbage rolls are soft, bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes to allow the tomato sauce to thicken.
Notes
- Let the cooked rice cool before you mix it into the meat, so it blends in evenly and doesn’t warm the filling.
- Lay any leftover cabbage in the bottom of the baking dish as a bed for the rolls, or chop it and stir it into the tomato sauce.
- After 45 minutes covered, test a leaf with a fork. The cabbage should be soft and wilted before the foil comes off for the last 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Slavic
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 25
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use all beef instead of a pork and beef mix?
Yes, the recipe notes this as an option. All-beef rolls will be slightly leaner and firmer. The pork adds fat that keeps the filling moist during baking, so if using all beef, check the rolls toward the end of cooking to make sure they are not drying out.
How do I keep the cabbage leaves from tearing when I roll them?
Blanch the leaves until they are fully soft and flexible before rolling. If any thick ribs remain stiff, use a knife to shave them down slightly so the leaf folds without cracking.
Can these cabbage rolls be made a day ahead?
Yes. Assemble the rolls and refrigerate unbaked overnight. The next day, pour the tomato sauce over them and bake them for the time in the recipe. They can also be fully baked, cooled, and reheated in the oven at 350F, covered, for about 20 minutes.
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