Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls (inspired by Nan)

These easy Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls are stuffed with a savoury ground beef mixture, coated in tomato sauce and are oh so scrumptious! Inspired by my grandmother, it’ll be the only stuffed cabbage roll recipe you’ll need!

Hey friends!

Today I’m sharing another family recipe with you!

I mentioned a while back that I would share this easy cabbage roll recipe with you guys one day and I couldn’t be more excited to do so!

These old-fashioned cabbage rolls are inspired by my grandmother or, as I call her, Nan.

For as long as I can remember, Nan was known in our family for her stuffed cabbage rolls.

She actually learned to make them from my grandfather (pop) when he was just a young fellow working and living in Toronto with his friend’s family, who were Polish.

When I attempted to get the recipe from Nan, I had to question some things she was telling me (or wasn’t telling me, lol). I tease, I tease 😛

Did you ever watch Everybody Loves Raymond? There’s an episode where Debra gets her mother-in-law’s recipe for meatballs, but they didn’t quite turn out the same because her mother-in-law secretly (and very much intentionally) left out an ingredient.

Nan laughed when I teased her about it, but I think she’s proud of how these turned out.

In all seriousness, though, I made a couple of tweaks to put my own spin on them but, at the heart, they’re Nan’s.

And when I cook ’em? All I think about is how much the house smells like hers when she makes them. Who would have thought that stuffed cabbage leaves could be so delicious? That smell and taste just makes me happy.

Ingredients

• Cabbage (I used standard green cabbage, but you could use savoy).
• Cooked rice. Opt for something like a long grain brown rice over, say, a quick cooking rice.
• Egg
• Aromatics, like onion and garlic
• Herbs, like parsley and dill
• Seasonings, like Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, onion powder, red chili flakes (chili flakes are optional)
• Tomato sauce. If you don’t have tomato sauce on hand, opt for a simple pasta sauce. Alternatively, you could use some canned tomatoes and tomato sauce (more on that later).
• Water

How to Make Cabbage Rolls

Step 1: Prepare the Meat Filling

In a bowl, combine –

• Ground beef
• Worcestershire sauce
• Egg
• Cooked rice
• Minced onion
• Parsley
• Salt, pepper, dill & onion powder (and red chili flakes, if you want)
• Tomato sauce

Next, simply mix to combine everything.

Step 2: Prepare the Cabbage

• The easiest way to prepare cabbage for stuffed cabbage rolls is to place the full head of clean cabbage in a pot of boiling water for 8-10 minutes (covered ajar). You can carefully flip cabbage over part-way through.

Tip: Don’t fill your pot of water to the brim. When you place the head of cabbage in there, it will displace some of the water. To be sure how much water you’ll need, test it out before bringing the water to boil.

• Once cabbage is cool enough to handle, cut off leaves (one at a time). Then, remove core from each leaf.

Tip: As you get so far into removing the leaves, you will have to place the head of cabbage back in boiling water to soften those leaves further in the centre of the cabbage.

Step 3: Stuff The Cabbage Rolls

• Place about 1/4 cup of filling in the cabbage leaf (I like to shape into somewhat of a log).
• Fold over sides of cabbage.
• Roll up.

Step 4: Assemble Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in Casserole Dish and Bake

• Place some cabbage leaves in the bottom of a greased baking dish.
• Top with stuffed cabbage rolls.
• Mix tomato sauce with a little reserved cabbage water and pour over top.
• Cover with more cabbage leaves
• Tightly cover the casserole with foil and bake until cooked through. That’s it! You’ve made delicious old-fashioned cabbage rolls!

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How To Know When They’re Done

As Nan says, take one out and test it!

The recommended internal cooking temperature of ground beef is at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (according to the Government of Canada).

Use a food thermometer to be sure by inserting into one or two of the cabbage rolls.

I typically cook cabbage rolls for 2 hours, 15 minutes to 2 hours, 30 minutes. Check at the former.

If they aren’t done, continue cooking.

Can I Thicken The Cabbage Roll Sauce?

If you want things a little thicker, place the tomato sauce into a pot over medium heat.

Allow it to come to a low simmer and cook, uncovered, until it has reduced to the consistency that you like.

How Long Do They Last

Properly stored in the refrigerator, cabbage rolls will last 3 to 4 days.

How To Reheat

To reheat cabbage rolls, place them in a skillet (on medium heat) with a little tomato sauce and splash of water. Cover and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

Alternatively, you can reheat in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. Place cabbage rolls in a casserole dish (with a some tomato sauce and splash of water). Cover with foil. Warm for about 30 to 40 minutes or until heated through.

Serving Suggestions

These old-fashioned cabbage rolls are super hearty all on their own. However, if you want to make things even more substantial with garnish/sides, any of these work –

• Sauerkraut (and, honestly (though not traditional), I love with kimchi)
• Sour cream
• Homemade bread
• Mashed potatoes
• Skillet potatoes
• Simple side salad
• Splash of vinegar (I love a little touch of vinegar on my cabbage rolls). The little bite just works!

More Tips for Making These Old- Fashioned Cabbage Rolls

Use lean or extra lean ground beef. If the beef is too fatty, it will leach out into your tomato sauce and the end result will be too greasy.

Roll the cabbage leaves tight and place in the casserole dish seam side down.

You can add a little brown or white sugar to your tomato sauce if you want less of a tomato bite.

If you opt for a ‘no salt added’ tomato sauce, you may have to add a little salt to the mix. Just add to taste.

Alternatively, you can replace some of the tomato sauce with canned tomatoes. Use diced or whole peeled tomatoes (crush whole canned tomatoes with your hands or a potato masher). If opting for this, use one 28 ounce can of tomatoes, along with one 14 ounce can of tomato sauce.

To add more richness to the tomato sauce, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste into the sauce/water mixture when pouring over the stuffed cabbage rolls.

Like this Stuffed Cabbage Roll Recipe? You May Enjoy These Too

• Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup – With very little prep, this hearty comfort food classic is delicious on a cold day with a hunk of buttery bread.
• Traditional Newfoundland Cod au Gratin – Fresh cod baked up in a creamy white sauce and topped with bread crumbs and cheese. Talk about comfort food!
• Salt Cod Fish Cakes – This is my mom in law’s recipe and we have every Tibb’s Eve (December 23rd). There’s loads of salt fish, potato and savoury. I love mine with a drizzle of molasses!

Hope you love these easy cabbage rolls as much as we do! We think they’re the best cabbage rolls because they’re inspired by Nan (so we may be a little biased 😉 ).

Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon,

Dawn

Make this stuffed cabbage rolls recipe? That’s awesome! Love it if you left a comment and rating below. Many thanks!

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