1. Main Page
  2. Second course
  3. Cabbage rolls made from fresh cabbage with meat in a saucepan

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Meat, Braised in a Pot

Made with fresh young cabbage, these rolls come out especially tender. Stuffed cabbage rolls are a timeless favorite. You can make them in a skillet, in the oven, or braised in a pot — and braised in a tomato sauce with vegetables and seasonings, they turn out juicy, tender, and fragrant.

JuliaAuthor avatar
Recipe author
Cabbage rolls made from fresh cabbage with meat in a saucepan
Watch the video
Cabbage rolls made from fresh cabbage with meat in a saucepan Cabbage rolls made from fresh cabbage with meat in a saucepan Cabbage rolls made from fresh cabbage with meat in a saucepan Cabbage rolls made from fresh cabbage with meat in a saucepan
0
0

Composition / ingredients

Servings:
Translation table of volumetric measures
Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe
By weight of the composition:
Proteins 19 % 4 g
Fats 48 % 10 g
Carbohydrates 33 % 7 g
133 kcal
GI: 86 / 14 / 0

Cooking method

  1. Step 1:

    Step 1

    How do you make cabbage rolls with fresh cabbage? Gather your ingredients. You can use short- or long-grain rice, and any ground meat you like — mine is a pork-and-beef blend. If your onions are large, 2–3 will do; mine are small.

  2. Step 2:

    Step 2

    To blanch the cabbage, use a large, roomy pot with plenty of space around the head. Set the head in the pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for about 2 minutes, until the outer leaves soften. Holding the head steady with a fork, cut the top couple of leaves free at the base with a knife and carefully peel them off — watch out for the steam.

  3. Step 3:

    Step 3

    Keep blanching the leaves this way, working through the ones large enough to stuff. They should be pliable but not overcooked. I ended up with 16 leaves of various sizes.

  4. Step 4:

    Step 4

    Rinse the rice well several times. Boil it in salted water until almost done, then drain it in a sieve.

  5. Step 5:

    Step 5

    Make the tomato sauce. Scrub and peel the carrots, then grate them on the coarse side of a grater.

  6. Step 6:

    Step 6

    Peel and rinse the onions. Grate half of them on a medium grater for the filling. Cut the rest into small dice. I used red onion, but regular white or yellow onion works fine.

  7. Step 7:

    Step 7

    Combine the ground meat with the grated onion and cooked rice. Season with salt and black pepper and mix well.

  8. Step 8:

    Step 8

    Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet and add the grated carrot and diced onion. Sauté over medium heat, stirring now and then, until half-cooked.

  9. Step 9:

    Step 9

    Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables.

  10. Step 10:

    Step 10

    Pour in enough water to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil.

  11. Step 11:

    Step 11

    Add the paprika and basil, season lightly with salt, and stir. Use whatever seasonings and spices you like.

  12. Step 12:

    Step 12

    Cover the skillet of tomato sauce and take it off the heat.

  13. Step 13:

    Step 13

    With a sharp knife, carefully shave down the thick rib at the base of each cabbage leaf so it's easy to roll.

  14. Step 14:

    Step 14

    Place a portion of filling at the base of a leaf.

  15. Step 15:

    Step 15

    Roll it up tightly, folding in the sides like an envelope.

  16. Step 16:

    Step 16

    Fill all the cabbage leaves the same way. Lay a layer of rolls on the bottom of a pot.

  17. Step 17:

    Step 17

    Spread half the vegetables from the tomato sauce over the top.

  18. Step 18:

    Step 18

    Add another layer of rolls and pour the remaining tomato sauce over them.

  19. Step 19:

    Step 19

    Set the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Simmer the rolls over medium heat for about 40 minutes, adding the bay leaves 7–10 minutes before the end.

  20. Step 20:

    Step 20

    Serve the cabbage rolls hot. Enjoy!

  • To keep onions from stinging your eyes, rinse the onion and knife in cold water. And to stop the cutting board from soaking up the smell, rub it with a lemon wedge before slicing.
  • If you use a pre-made spice blend, read the label first — many already contain salt, so account for that or you may over-salt the dish.
  • You can swap the tomato paste for canned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or ketchup.

Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish

  • Raw wild rice - 353  kcal/100g
  • Raw brown rice - 360  kcal/100g
  • Boiled brown rice - 119  kcal/100g
  • Raw fortified white rice - 363  kcal/100g
  • Boiled fortified white rice - 109  kcal/100g
  • Raw long-grain parboiled white rice - 369  kcal/100g
  • Boiled long-grain parboiled white rice - 106  kcal/100g
  • Dry instant rice - 374  kcal/100g
  • Instant rice, ready to eat - 109  kcal/100g
  • Rice - 344  kcal/100g
  • Carrots - 33  kcal/100g
  • Dried carrots - 275  kcal/100g
  • Boiled carrots - 25  kcal/100g
  • Fresh basil - 27  kcal/100g
  • Dried basil - 251  kcal/100g
  • Bay leaf - 313  kcal/100g
  • Ground black pepper - 255  kcal/100g
  • Mixed ground meat - 351  kcal/100g
  • Vegetable oil - 873  kcal/100g
  • Tomato paste - 28  kcal/100g
  • Salt - 0  kcal/100g
  • Onion - 41  kcal/100g
  • White cabbage - 28  kcal/100g
  • Boiled white cabbage - 21  kcal/100g
  • Paprika - 289  kcal/100g

Similar recipes

Related and additional categories: