Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls are one of those simple dinners I make on repeat. Soft cabbage leaves wrapped around a beef-and-rice filling, nestled into tomato sauce and braised low until everything is meltingly tender. I usually make my own sauce, but a good store-bought one is perfect on a busy night. My kids ask for these at least once a week, so I almost always double the batch for leftovers.

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Ingredients:

Tomato sauce. Homemade or store-bought.
Cabbage. Simmered until the leaves are soft enough to wrap and roll.
Ground beef. I use Buy Ranch Direct’s beef with liver, for extra richness and nutrients. You can swap pork for half if you like.
Rice. Cooked.
Paprika. For a little warmth.
Onion. Grated or finely diced so it melts in.
Garlic. A couple of cloves, for flavor.
Egg. To bind the filling.

Swiss Chard Rolls: Use about 2 large bunches of Swiss chard, 12–14 leaves, in place of the cabbage, and swap the paprika for a small pinch of grated nutmeg. Trim the thick stems, then blanch the leaves in well-salted boiling water for 20–30 seconds, just until softened, and transfer to cold water. Pat dry, and if the center ribs are still thick, trim them back so the leaves fold easily. Use a little less filling per roll than you would with cabbage, or overlap two smaller leaves.

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Cabbage Rolls

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• Author: coco et sel

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Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 (28-oz) jar crushed tomatoes
Salt, to taste

Cabbage Rolls

1 large green cabbage
1½ lb ground beef (or a mix of beef and pork)
¾ cup cooked rice
1¼ tsp paprika
1½ tsp salt, plus black pepper to taste
½ onion, grated or finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1-2 tbsp butter, for dotting the top

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Instructions

 

1. In a large pot, gently heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook 2–3 minutes more. Add the diced tomatoes and season with salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30–60 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cabbage and steam the rice.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Using a paring knife, remove the core from the cabbage and add it to the boiling water. Boil for about 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until the leaves are soft and pliable. Transfer the cabbage to a bowl and let cool slightly, then gently separate the leaves. Trim the thick center rib from each leaf by cutting a narrow V-shape at the base so the leaves roll easily without tearing.

3. In a bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, onion, garlic, egg, paprika, salt, and pepper.

4. Place 2–3 tablespoons of filling onto each cabbage leaf, fold the sides in, and roll up tightly.

5. Nestle the cabbage rolls into the sauce, seam-side down. Dot the top with butter and cover.

6. Cover and cook on the stovetop over low heat for 1½ hours, or bake at 350°F for 1–2 hours, until the cabbage is tender.

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