Cabbage Rolls

My grandmother always made cabbage rolls throughout my childhood and in homage to her, I decided to take inspiration from her recipe and elevate the classic.

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Cabbage Rolls

Yield 16 large rolls

Author Kirsten Deneka

Prep time

40 Min

Cook time

1 H & 30 M

Total time

2 H & 10 M

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Ingredients

• 1 head of cabbage (for larger rolls) OR 2 heads of cabbage (for smaller rolls)

Filling:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 4 cups of cooked white rice
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh dill
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 milk + 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• Pepper to taste

Sauce:

• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (796 mL)
• 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 tsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. (Optional) Freeze cabbage overnight and remove at least 6 hours before you want to make the cabbage rolls.
2. Simmer cabbage in salted water until the cabbage becomes soft. (Approx 15-20 mins).
3. Remove and let cabbage cool until able to touch with hands. Remove leaves carefully and use a pairing knife to remove the hard core of each leaf. Set aside
4. To start filling, dice onion and mince garlic and sauté on medium low heat with olive oil until softened (5-7 mins). Set aside to cool. Mix beef, pork, and rice in a large bowl and add onion/garlic mixture. To a separate small bowl, add breadcrumbs and milk and allow to sit for 3 mins. Add the breadcrumb mixture as well as the rest of the ingredients to the rice/meat.
5. To make the sauce, dice up onion, carrot, bell pepper, and celery. Saute on medium heat until softened. Add seasoning, salt & pepper, and tomato paste. Cook out tomato paste for a few minutes until darkened. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato juice and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add mixture to a blender, and blend until smooth. Add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of the roasting dish you're using.
7. To make your cabbage rolls, lay out a leaf and add desired amount of filling and and roll tightly by bringing in both sides. Tuck in each end.
8. Layer cabbage rolls on your roast pan and top with remaining sauce. Cover pan tightly with tin foil.
9. Bake cabbage rolls in a 375 F oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling and the cabbage should be soft.
10. Serve with fresh dill and sour cream and enjoy :)

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Heritage, Comfort, Saucy

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