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Lazy cabbage rolls in the oven in tomato sour cream sauce

Baked Lazy Cabbage Rolls in Tomato-Sour Cream Sauce

A hearty dinner that comes together fast! Unlike the classic version, these lazy cabbage rolls in sauce are a breeze to make — no boiling the cabbage separately and wrapping each roll by hand. It's a complete meal for the whole family that even a beginner can handle.

Ropotushka

Recipe author

Lazy cabbage rolls in the oven in tomato sour cream sauce

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Minced meat

600

Rice

White cabbage

300

Carrots (large)

Onion

Vegetable oil

Wheat flour

Salt

0.5

Spices dry

Butter

Sour cream

200

Tomato sauce

Water

100

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 20 % 6 g

Fats 57 % 17 g

Carbohydrates 23 % 7 g

206 kcal

GI: 57 / 43 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make lazy cabbage rolls in the oven? Gather your ingredients. Start with 350–400 g of cabbage, since you'll trim off the parts you can't use (wilted or tough leaves and the core), which brings the weight down. Use any ground meat you like — if you buy it ready-made, choose a good-quality one with no additives, but grinding your own is even better. I'm using pork and chicken. Take the butter out of the fridge to soften.
Step 2:

Cook the rice in a saucepan. Rinse it several times, then add water at a ratio of 1 1/2 cups water per 1 cup rice. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then cook for 5 minutes — the rice should be only half done, since it will finish cooking inside the rolls. Rinse it with cold water, drain it in a colander, and let it cool completely.
Step 3:

Peel the onion and carrots and scrub them clean under running water. Grate the carrots on the large holes of a box grater and dice the onion small. Cut this way, the vegetables cook faster and give the rolls a nice color.
Step 4:

Heat a skillet and carefully pour in the vegetable oil — use one with a high smoke point, like refined sunflower, olive, or grapeseed. Since carrots take longer than onion, start with the grated carrots. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, for about 3 minutes.
Step 5:

Once the carrots start to soften, add the diced onion and cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Be sure to stir so the vegetables cook evenly and don't dry out.
Step 6:

Pull off any wilted outer cabbage leaves, then rinse the cabbage well and dry it on a towel or paper towels. Finely shred it with a knife or food processor.
Step 7:

Take a deep bowl that's roomy enough for mixing. Add the ground meat, rice, cabbage, and half of the sautéed vegetables — set the other half aside for later. Season with salt and spices and mix thoroughly by hand until well combined.
Step 8:

Add the butter and knead well. It makes the rolls juicier and keeps the mixture from sticking to your hands.
Step 9:

Shape the mixture into oval or round rolls.
Step 10:

Pour enough water into a saucepan to submerge a roll, and bring it to a boil. Dip each roll in with a slotted spoon for 30–40 seconds, then transfer it to a baking dish. This helps the rolls soak up the sauce and hold their shape after baking.
Step 11:

Add the flour to the reserved sautéed vegetables and mix well.
Step 12:

Spread the carrot-onion mixture over the top of the rolls. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Step 13:

Make the sauce. In a deep bowl, stir the sour cream together with the tomato sauce. Add the water and a pinch of salt and mix until smooth.
Step 14:

Pour the sauce over the rolls in a thin, steady stream.
Step 15:

Cover the baking dish with foil and place it on the middle rack of the oven for about 1 hour. The time may vary depending on your oven.
Step 16:

Carefully remove the foil so you don't burn yourself, then return the dish to the oven for another 15 minutes.

The cooking time also depends on the cabbage. Young cabbage with tender leaves cooks fast, while firm winter varieties take longer. To check for doneness, tuck a few extra pieces of chopped cabbage into the dish alongside the rolls; when you start wondering whether it's time to turn off the oven, pull one out and poke it with a fork. If the cabbage is soft and pierces easily, the rolls are done.
Serve the finished rolls hot for lunch or dinner with fresh vegetables and a sprinkle of herbs. Lazy cabbage rolls don't need a side dish — they stand on their own.
Use any rice you like for this recipe: long-grain, short-grain, medium-grain, red or brown, parboiled or not. Just keep in mind that the water amount and cooking time will vary by type, so check the package instructions!
If you use a premade spice blend, check the label — many already contain salt, so account for that or you risk over-seasoning the dish.
Keep in mind that every oven is different. Your temperature and baking time may vary from what's written here, so watch the dish as it bakes.