Prepare the cabbage
Remove the core of the cabbage.
Place cabbage in a large pot of boiling salted water.
Gently peel off softened leaves as they loosen.
Set leaves aside to cool. Trim thick veins if needed.
2ď¸âŁ Make the filling
Heat oil in a pan and sautĂŠ onion until soft.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
In a bowl, combine:
Ground meat
Rice
Onion & garlic
Tomato paste
Salt, pepper, paprika, herbs
Mix well (donât overmix).
3ď¸âŁ Roll the cabbage
Place 2â3 tbsp filling on each cabbage leaf.
Fold in sides and roll tightly.
Repeat until filling is used.
4ď¸âŁ Prepare the sauce
In a bowl, mix crushed tomatoes, water/broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper.
5ď¸âŁ Cook the cabbage rolls
Stovetop method
Line the bottom of a large pot with leftover cabbage leaves.
Arrange rolls seam-side down.
Pour sauce over rolls (they should be mostly covered).
Add bay leaf.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 1½â2 hours.
OR Oven method
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Place rolls in a baking dish.
Pour sauce over.
Cover with foil and bake 1½ hours.
đ˝ Serving Suggestions
Serve hot with sour cream or yogurt
Enjoy with crusty bread or mashed potatoes
đą Variations
Vegetarian: Replace meat with mushrooms & lentils
Middle Eastern style: Add cinnamon & allspice
Polish/Romanian: Use pork + smoked meat
Low-carb: Skip rice, add cauliflower rice
