CABBAGE ROLLS

By   December 22, 2013

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls are very popular among Slavic people. It’s truly a classic dish. Usually Cabbage Rolls are made out of cabbage leaves and meat. There are some variations: some like to cook cabbage rolls with pork, some like it with turkey meat. Some people like to add rice or other grain to the meat…possibilities are endless. There is no right or wrong. So don’t be afraid to experiment with it.

You can make Cabbage Rolls a day or two ahead of time. So go ahead and impress your guests with this fancy, yet simple European classic.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small green cabbage
  • 1 package of ground turkey (or pork, or beef)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 medium or large carrot, shredded
  • 1 cup uncooked rice, cooked and cooled
  • 1 can of tomato sauce
  • salt, pepper
  • bay leaf (optional)

Start with cutting out a core from a cabbage head. Put the cabbage in a pot of boiling water. Bring it to boil, and cook until the outer leaves come off easily with the fork. It is very important to not overcook. Repeat with the rest of the leaves. Again, leaves should be tender, but not falling apart. Outer leaves cook faster, so remove them with the fork as soon as they come off easily. The whole process usually takes about 5-10 minutes. Reserve the water in which the cabbage was cooking.

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Let the cabbage leaves cool, then cut off the hard rib on each leaf with kitchen scissors.

Cabbage Rolls

Cut some bigger leaves in half.

Cabbage Rolls

Some leaves from the very center of the cabbage are very small, I use them to cover the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking.

DSC_0639

Prepare the meat mixture. Mix together ground meat, cooked rice, salt, pepper.

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Place a small portion of meat mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf. Form a roll. Tuck in the edges. Repeat with the rest of meat and cabbage. Place Cabbage Rolls snuggly in a pot.

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Prepare the sauce. Preheat the large skillet with  1 tbsp. of canola oil. Cook onions until tender. Add carrots, and cook for about 2 min on medium heat. Add tomato sauce and let simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Pour over the Cabbage Rolls.  Add 1 or 2  bay leaves (optional), and pour the reserved water just enough to cover the Cabbage Rolls. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat, and let it cook on slow/medium heat for 40 minutes.

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage Rolls (1 of 3)

Cabbage Rolls (3 of 3)

Serve with the sauce in which the Cabbage Rolls were cooked in and/or sour cream.

There you have it. Traditional European perfect, comforting, and nutritious dish just in time for holidays.

10 Comments on “CABBAGE ROLLS

  1. Josie

    So excited to try these tonight! I grew up in Wyoming and haven’t been exposed to many Slavic recipes, so these are a good place to start, I think. Thanks for sharing your recipes, and I look forward to trying more soon.

    1. VerasCooking.com Post author

      Welcome Josie,
      I would love to hear back from you on how Cabbage Rolls turn out for you. I hope you’ll love it. If you have any questions along the way, please ask. 🙂

  2. Josie

    My family loved these! Straightforward, simple recipe which was fun to try. Thanks!

  3. Pingback: WHAT’S FOR DINNER? | Vera's Cooking

  4. Tzivia

    Wow stuffed cabbage yummmm delish there’s another Jewish holiday coming up and my mom is would like to make stuffed cabbage this recipe looks soooooo good and so very tantalizing am wondering if this can be made in advance and then refrigerate overnight and then pop in the oven the next day or is it best made fresh BTW love your summer 16 pix look like u and the family had fun gurl thanx lots

    1. Vera Post author

      You know, I love making Cabbage Rolls for holidays, because they could be cooked in advance, and they reheat very well. Plus, I even think that they taste better the “next day”. Enjoy!

  5. Tzivia

    Oh wow so it can go either way cool yup it’s such a holiday food totally and completely girl your recipe is very similar to my how my mom used to make it such nostalgia thanx so much for sharing

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *