Hearty Beef and Rice Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Hearty Beef and Rice Cabbage Rolls featuring tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a flavorful mixture of beef, rice, and spices, baked in a tangy fire-roasted tomato sauce. This comforting dish blends savory, sweet, and mildly spicy flavors and makes a perfect wholesome family meal.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 cabbage rolls, serving 6-8 people 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tangy Tomato Covering
- 2 dessert spoons of fine olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced yellow globe onion
- 1 teaspoon mashed garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon flaked dried crushed red chili peppers
- 1 (28-ounce) tin fire-roasted tomatoes (with liquid)
- 1 (15-ounce) tin plain tomato purée
- Culinary crystal salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 soup spoons packed brown sugar
- 1 soup spoon quality red wine vinegar
For the Cabbage Parcels
- 2 pounds 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio minced beef
- 1½ cups prepared cooled white rice
- ½ cup finely diced yellow globe onion
- 2 teaspoons mashed garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon culinary crystal salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin spice
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
- ¼ cup fresh green parsley, finely chopped
- 2 beaten chicken eggs
- 1 complete globe of cooking cabbage
- Non-stick cooking aerosol for the baking dish
Instructions
- Craft the Tomato Sauce: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté gently until translucent and soft. Add mashed garlic and crushed red chili peppers, cooking for about one minute until fragrant. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their liquid and tomato purée. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian herb blend. Stir well and cook for 4 minutes. Add brown sugar and red wine vinegar. Raise heat slightly to bring the mixture to a simmer. Let the sauce cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes to develop flavor. Set aside.
- Prepare the Cabbage and Filling: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Submerge the whole cabbage head and blanch for 7–8 minutes until outer leaves are pliable. Remove and place on a baking tray to cool slightly. Gently peel off 12 large, intact outer leaves. In a large bowl, combine minced beef, cooled cooked rice, diced onion, mashed garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, Italian seasoning, chopped parsley, and beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly by hand until well incorporated. Lay each cabbage leaf flat and trim off the thick central vein with kitchen shears to facilitate rolling.
- Assemble and Bake the Rolls: Place a portion of the beef and rice mixture centrally on each cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides and roll tightly from the stem end to form neat parcels. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9″x13″ baking dish with non-stick aerosol. Spread half the tomato sauce evenly on the bottom. Arrange cabbage rolls seam side down in the dish. Cover rolls with remaining tomato sauce. Seal tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender and meat thoroughly cooked. Serve garnished as desired.
Notes
- Blanching cabbage softens the leaves, making them easier to roll without tearing.
- Trimming the thick vein from the cabbage leaves prevents bulky rolls and ensures even cooking.
- Using 80/20 beef maintains a good balance of moisture and flavor.
- Allow the tomato sauce to simmer to deepen the flavors and balance acidity with brown sugar.
- Baking covered helps keep the cabbage moist and seals in the flavors.
- Leftovers store well and taste even better the next day after flavors meld.
Keywords: beef cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage, baked cabbage rolls, tomato sauce, comfort food, hearty dinner
