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Stuffed cabbage rolls with tomato sauce

This recipe takes humble ingredients—ground beef, rice, fresh cabbage, and a simple yet savory tomato sauce—and transforms them into a meal that feels like a warm hug on a plate. It’s a dish that brings families together, makes your kitchen smell incredible, and leaves everyone reaching for seconds.
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Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Sauce:
  • 1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Cabbage Rolls:
  • 1 large head cabbage
  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 ½ cups cooked white rice
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the sauce:
  1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft, then add garlic for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Prepare the cabbage:
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook cabbage head for 8 minutes until leaves are flexible. Cool under cold water and peel off 12 large outer leaves, trimming the thick ribs.
Make the filling:
  1. In a bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, chopped onion, parsley, eggs, cumin, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Assemble rolls:
  1. Place a portion of the meat mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Roll tightly like a burrito and set aside.
Bake:
  1. Spread half the sauce in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange cabbage rolls on top and pour remaining sauce over them. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 90 minutes, until cabbage is tender and filling is cooked through.
  2. Enjoy!