Classic Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce Recipe
Classic homemade cabbage rolls stuffed with a savory mixture of Italian sausage, ground beef, rice, and aromatic spices, all baked in a flavorful tomato sauce. This comforting dish features tender cabbage leaves filled with a hearty meat and rice filling, perfect for a family dinner or special occasion.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 cabbage rolls (serves 6) 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cabbage
- 1 head cabbage
Sauce
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 can (10.25 ounces) condensed tomato soup
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Filling
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup (186 g) cooked long-grain white rice
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- Parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prepare for baking the cabbage rolls.
- Prepare Cabbage: Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring it to a boil. Carefully add the whole head of cabbage using tongs. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 7-10 minutes until the cabbage is softened. Drain the water, then remove the cabbage from the pot and let it cool slightly.
- Remove Leaves: Once cooled enough to handle, gently peel off the outer cabbage leaves. Cut out the tough center vein at the base of each leaf. You will need 12 large leaves total, combining smaller leaves if necessary.
- Make Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground Italian sausage, ground beef, cooked white rice, diced onion, minced garlic, and egg. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Prepare Sauce: In a separate bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, condensed tomato soup, paprika, dried oregano, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper until well combined.
- Assemble Rolls: Place a cabbage leaf on a flat surface and spoon a generous amount of the meat filling onto the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
- Arrange in Baking Dish: Place each cabbage roll seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the top of the cabbage rolls to cover them.
- Bake: Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, until the cabbage is tender and the filling is cooked through.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the foil, sprinkle chopped parsley over the cabbage rolls, and serve warm as a satisfying main dish.
Notes
- Be careful when handling hot cabbage leaves to avoid tearing.
- If cabbage leaves are too small, overlap two leaves when wrapping the filling.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For a milder flavor, use only ground beef or substitute mild sausage with turkey sausage.
- Make sure to remove the thick vein from the cabbage leaves to make rolling easier and more pleasant to eat.
Keywords: cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage, baked cabbage rolls, ground sausage recipe, comfort food, hearty dinner
