Polish cabbage rolls are such a wonderful comfort food and everyone always loves them at first bite. They’re made by wrapping juicy ground beef and sausage, along with rice, in cabbage leaves, pairing them with a bold and vibrant tomato sauce which is tangy and sweet.
They’re good served at any time but are especially perfect for the cooler fall and winter months. You can try these out once and then make your own tweaks if you wish. Ground beef and sausage are a great mix, but you can try any kinds of ground meat or any blends you want, depending on what you prefer.
Serve these with bread or crispy roasted potatoes to round out the meal. One head of cabbage should be enough to make a trayful of these tasty little bites. If you want to save time, you can always add a tablespoon of vinegar and 1½ tablespoons of brown sugar to a readymade marinara sauce.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe:
Cabbage rolls are easy to make and the combination of tender cabbage, juicy meats and rice, seasonings, and a tangy tomato sauce go together so beautifully.
How to Serve Them:
Enjoy these hot from the oven, paired with bread or roasted potatoes.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Variations and Substitutions:
You can use any kind of meat in these, or any blend of different ground meats. You can use brown rice if you prefer it or even another grain such as couscous or quinoa.
Ingredients needed:
- Green cabbage
- Ground beef
- Ground pork sausage
- Minced garlic cloves
- Medium onion
- Minute rice or par-boiled white rice
- Egg
- Ground paprika
- Dried parsley
FOR THE SAUCE:
- Medium onion
- Olive oil
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Brown sugar
- Cider vinegar
- Minced garlic cloves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Step 15. Spread the rest of the sauce on top, then cover with foil.
Step 16. Bake in the oven for 80 to 90 minutes.
Polish stuffed cabbage rolls make a delicious meal and all the ingredients go together really well. Garlic, parsley and paprika add a gorgeous flavor.
Can You Make Them Ahead?
You can assemble them ahead and then cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 2 days before cooking. It’s best to bring the casserole dish to room temperature before putting it in the oven (you don’t want it to crack with the extreme heat change!)
Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls are easy to make and the combination of tender cabbage, juicy meats and rice, seasonings, and a tangy tomato sauce go together so beautifully.
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork sausage
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- ½ finely chopped medium onion
- ¾ cup minute rice or par-boiled white rice
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
FOR THE SAUCE:
- ½ finely chopped medium onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 14½ ounce can petite diced tomatoes
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring a big pot of water to a boil and put the whole cabbage in there.
- Boil for 5 minutes then drain in a colander and allow to cool.
- Cut about ½ inch off the stem end and then remove 12 leaves.
- Cut the tough rib out of the stem end in a V-shape.
- Now heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onion in there for a few minutes.
- Turn the heat down, add the garlic and cook for a minute, stirring all the time.
- Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, vinegar, and sugar.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, and then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spoon a little of the tomato sauce into a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish.
- Combine the meats with the onion, garlic, rice, egg, paprika, and parsley in a bowl.
- Put about ⅓ cup of the meat mixture in the middle of each cabbage leaf.
- Tuck in the sides, rolling them tight.
- Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls on top of the thin layer of tomato sauce in the casserole dish.
- Spread the rest of the sauce on top, then cover with foil.
- Bake in the oven for 80 to 90 minutes.
- Cook Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Marie Rayner is a retired Chef, freelance writer, recipe developer, food blogger, and Cookbook author. She makes her home in Chester, UK, where she lives with her husband, Todd, and their much beloved English Cocker, Mitzie. Her motto is “Life is far too short to eat bad food,” and her goal is to share delicious and easy recipes which anyone can enjoy and cook in the comfort of their own home.
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