Cabbage Rolls with Meat
Dive into a hearty delight with our mouthwatering cabbage rolls, where tender cabbage leaves embrace a flavorful blend of seasoned ground meat, rice, and aromatic herbs. Each bite bursts with comfort, making this dish a perfect family favorite. Get ready to impress your taste buds and warm your soul with this easy-to-make recipe!
Prep
30
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 cabbage
- water for zalivka
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- sour cream for zalivka
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- tomato paste for zalivka
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- salt for zalivka
📦Other(1)
- ground meat seasoned with tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, raw washed rice, and finely chopped parsley with onion
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Remove the core from the cabbage and boil it until the leaves soften.
- 2
Carefully remove the leaves one by one as they soften.
- 3
Season the ground meat with tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, raw washed rice, and finely chopped parsley with onion.
- 4
Mix the meat well and prepare the cabbage leaves by cutting them in half and filling them like burritos.
- 5
Place the rolls on a bed of leftover cabbage leaves.
- 6
Prepare the zalivka by mixing tomato paste, sour cream, water, and salt.
- 7
Pour the mixture over the rolls and simmer on low heat covered for an hour and a half.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch cabbage in 212°F water for exactly 2-3 minutes per leaf, removing them as the thick stem becomes pliable but before the leaf tears - overcooked leaves lose structural integrity and won't hold filling.timing2-3 minutes per leaf
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of meat to uncooked rice because rice expands 2.5x during cooking and needs space within the cabbage wrap to prevent bursting.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Shave the thick stem portion of each cabbage leaf to 2-3mm thickness with a sharp knife so it rolls uniformly without creating thick, chewy spots that cook unevenly.technique2-3mm thickness
- ✓Maintain zalivka sauce at exactly 185-190°F during the 90-minute simmer because boiling breaks the sour cream emulsion while too low heat won't properly cook the rice filling.timing185-190°F
- ✓Layer reserved cabbage leaves on the pot bottom because they contain natural sugars that caramelize at low heat, preventing sticking while adding depth to the braising liquid.technique
Share this recipe
Prep
30
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Cabbage Rolls with Meat
Dive into a hearty delight with our mouthwatering cabbage rolls, where tender cabbage leaves embrace a flavorful blend of seasoned ground meat, rice, and aromatic herbs. Each bite bursts with comfort, making this dish a perfect family favorite. Get ready to impress your taste buds and warm your soul with this easy-to-make recipe!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 cabbage
- water for zalivka
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- sour cream for zalivka
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- tomato paste for zalivka
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- salt for zalivka
📦Other(1)
- ground meat seasoned with tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, raw washed rice, and finely chopped parsley with onion
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Remove the core from the cabbage and boil it until the leaves soften.
- 2
Carefully remove the leaves one by one as they soften.
- 3
Season the ground meat with tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, raw washed rice, and finely chopped parsley with onion.
- 4
Mix the meat well and prepare the cabbage leaves by cutting them in half and filling them like burritos.
- 5
Place the rolls on a bed of leftover cabbage leaves.
- 6
Prepare the zalivka by mixing tomato paste, sour cream, water, and salt.
- 7
Pour the mixture over the rolls and simmer on low heat covered for an hour and a half.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch cabbage in 212°F water for exactly 2-3 minutes per leaf, removing them as the thick stem becomes pliable but before the leaf tears - overcooked leaves lose structural integrity and won't hold filling.timing2-3 minutes per leaf
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of meat to uncooked rice because rice expands 2.5x during cooking and needs space within the cabbage wrap to prevent bursting.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Shave the thick stem portion of each cabbage leaf to 2-3mm thickness with a sharp knife so it rolls uniformly without creating thick, chewy spots that cook unevenly.technique2-3mm thickness
- ✓Maintain zalivka sauce at exactly 185-190°F during the 90-minute simmer because boiling breaks the sour cream emulsion while too low heat won't properly cook the rice filling.timing185-190°F
- ✓Layer reserved cabbage leaves on the pot bottom because they contain natural sugars that caramelize at low heat, preventing sticking while adding depth to the braising liquid.technique