When cooked, cabbage takes on a sweet, garden-y flavor with plenty of depth, ideal for complementing more savory flavors. Easy Cabbage Rolls show just how delicious that kind of pairing can be with not one but two different types of meat in its filling: fatty beef and juicy pork. Soaked in a rich, bright tomato sauce and filled with tender, fluffy rice, Easy Cabbage Rolls are remarkably hearty; it’s like a complete meal in every bite!
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- 1 cup rice, uncooked
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 2 small onions, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup tomato sauce, divided
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can tomato soup
Directions
Step 1 –Cut about 1/4-inch off the bottom of the head of cabbage.
Step 2 –Place the entire head of cabbage in boiling water. Boil until the leaves soften, about 2 minutes.
Step 3 –Remove the head from the water and peel off the softened leaves, removing any tough stems from the leaves.
Step 4 –Return the cabbage head to the boiling water to soften any leaves still on the head, and boil any removed leaves if they aren’t quite softened enough. Set the softened leaves aside to cool.
Step 5 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 6 –Cook the rice according to the package directions, but reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes. The rice should be slightly underdone since it will be cooked further later on. Set the rice aside.
Step 7 –In a large skillet, cook the pork, beef, and onions until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Step 8 –Add in the garlic, dill, and parsley and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 9 –Drain the fat from the skillet.
Step 10 –Add the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, 1/3 cup tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to the skillet, stirring to combine.
Step 11 –Stir in the egg.
Step 12 –Mix the remaining 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce and the tomato soup in a bowl.
Step 13 –Spread a thin layer of the tomato soup mixture into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan or baking dish.
Step 14 –Lay a softened cabbage leaf flat. Add 1/3-1/4 cup of the meat and rice filling to the center of the leaf.
Step 15 –Fold in the side of the leaf and then roll the cabbage up. Place the cabbage roll in the baking pan, seam side down.
Step 16 –Repeat this process with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
Step 17 –Pour the remaining tomato soup mixture over the cabbage leaves.
Step 18 –Cover the baking pan tightly with foil.
Step 19 –Bake the cabbage rolls until cooked through and tender, 75-90 minutes.
Step 20 –Let the cabbage rolls cool for 15 minutes.
Step 21 –Serve!