Beef and Rice Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

Introduction

You blanch the cabbage for 3 minutes, fill each leaf with beef, cooked rice, onion, milk, and egg, then bake the rolls under a sweet-tart tomato sauce. The sauce thickens at the end with cornstarch, so it coats the rolls instead of running thin on the plate. This fits a make-ahead dinner well because the rolls hold together and reheat without much loss in texture.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 cabbage leaves
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ cup milk
• 1 lb (about 500 g) ground beef
• ¾ cup cooked rice
• 1 egg

Sauce

• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup water
• 2 Tbsp vinegar
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with ½ cup cold water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Put cabbage into pot of boiling water, cover, let sit for three minutes, then drain.
3. Combine ground beef, milk, egg, rice, onion, pepper, and salt. Divide into twelve portions.
4. Place 1 meat portion on each cabbage leaf.
5. Roll leaf around filling and fasten with toothpick.
6. Place the rolls in a baking dish.
7. Combine tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar, water, and vinegar, then pour over cabbage rolls.
8. Cover baking dish, and bake at 350°F (175C) for 40 minutes.
9. Remove cabbage rolls from pan, and take out toothpicks. Place on the serving dish
10. Add cornstarch and water to sauce mixture and stir together. Warm, if needed, to allow the cornstarch mixture to thicken the sauce.
11. Pour the completed sauce over the rolls on the serving dish.
12. Garnish as desired and serve.

Variations

• Swap the ground beef for ground turkey if you want a lighter filling; the rolls will be a bit less rich and slightly softer.
• Use cooked brown rice instead of cooked white rice for a firmer filling with a more pronounced grain texture.
• Replace the chopped onion with finely chopped shallot if you want a milder allium flavor that blends more quietly into the filling.
• Add chopped parsley to the beef and rice mixture for a fresher finish without changing the structure of the rolls.
• Use crushed tomatoes in place of chopped tomatoes if you want a smoother sauce with fewer tomato pieces.

Tips for Success

• After the cabbage sits in boiling water for three minutes, drain it well so extra water does not thin the filling and sauce.
• If the thick stem on a cabbage leaf feels rigid, trim it down slightly before rolling so the leaf wraps more easily.
• Divide the meat mixture into twelve portions before you start filling the leaves so the rolls cook evenly and finish at the same time.
• Keep the baking dish covered for the full 40 minutes so the cabbage softens instead of drying out at the edges.
• Warm the sauce only until the cornstarch mixture thickens; if it gets too thick, loosen it with a small splash of water.

Storage and Reheating

Store cooled cabbage rolls and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe container or tightly wrapped baking dish for up to 2 months.

Reheat in a covered baking dish at 350°F until hot through, about 20 minutes from the fridge. For smaller portions, microwave covered in short intervals, spooning extra sauce over the rolls to keep them from drying out. Thaw frozen rolls in the fridge overnight before reheating for the most even result.

FAQ

Can you make these ahead?

Yes. You can assemble the rolls and sauce a day ahead, refrigerate them in the baking dish, and bake when needed.

Can you use uncooked rice in the filling?

No. You need cooked rice here because the baking time is not long enough to soften raw rice inside the cabbage.

What should you do if the cabbage leaves tear?

Use the torn leaves anyway and place the tear on the inside of the roll or overlap two smaller pieces. Once baked in sauce, they usually hold together well.

Can you use a different meat?

Yes. Ground turkey or ground lamb both work in the same amount, though turkey makes a lighter roll and lamb gives a stronger flavor.