Cabbage rolls are a filling, creative meal to serve when you have guests coming over. I swear, cabbage never looked so pretty! 🤩 Plus, you’ll love how deeply flavored the stuffing is – it’s a meal all on its own! Wrap it in soft cabbage leaves, and the combination of textures and flavors is absolutely divine. In the U.S., cabbage rolls are prominent in Cajun and Creole cooking in the South. The rolls are usually filled with ground meat, rice, and chopped vegetables and stuffed into parboiled cabbage leaves with a tomato-based sauce.
Recipe Ingredients
How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage Rolls
Parboil Cabbage – Fill a large pot with water. Carefully remove the cabbage core and discard any discolored or torn leaves. Add the raw cabbage to the pot and boil it for 4-5 minutes or until the leaves are pliable and tender. Cooking time depends on the size of your cabbage. (Photo 1) Cool – Remove it from the stove, pour out the boiling water, and add ice water to the pan to stop the cooking process. Let it cool, and then once cooled, remove 10-12 cabbage leaves. Set aside. (Photo 2) Stuffing – In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, cooked rice, diced onion, garlic, paprika, egg, salt, white pepper, parsley, and chicken or beef bouillon. Mix well. (Photos 3-4) Stuff – Place about ¼ -⅓ cup of the meat mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf and tightly roll the leaf around the filling, tucking in the ends. Secure with toothpicks. Repeat the process until all the meat mixture is used up. Set the rolls aside. (Photos 5-6)
The Sauce
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium. Saute – Add the chopped onion, thyme, and garlic, stirring for about a minute. (Photo 7) Season – Next, add the tomato sauce, Creole seasoning, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Stir the pot frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom. (Photo 8) Simmer – Add the salt and bouillon (if desired) with about 2 cups of stock. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or more to blend all the flavors, stirring occasionally. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. (Photo 9) Stovetop Method – When the sauce is ready, add the stuffed cabbage seam-side down in a single layer. Spoon enough sauce over the stuffed cabbage to cover. Cover with a lid and simmer on medium-low heat, undisturbed, until tender, for 35-40 minutes. (Photo 10) Oven Method – Place the cabbage rolls, seam-side down, on top of the tomato sauce (I used a 12-inch pan) or a 9×13 casserole dish and bake at 350℉ (175℃) until the filling is cooked through and the cabbage is tender (about 45 minutes). Serve hot with rice.
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can make this delicious recipe a day ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Pop the cabbage rolls and sauce in a baking dish or large skillet to finish cooking when ready to serve. You can also store them in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for 2-3 months.
What Goes With Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Stuffed cabbage rolls go great with steamy rice or garlic mashed potatoes if you aren’t afraid of carbs. They also go well with crusty homemade bread and easy side salads too!
More Recipes for Cabbage Lovers
This blog post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos
