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Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage roll recipes are a little like cake recipes. . everyone has a little different way of making them. . I wanted to share mine. . more for the handy hint about the cabbage. .but since I'm telling you that secret. .you may as well have the rest. Consider that you will take 2 days to make these. . .plan ahead for family gatherings. . .it is wonderful to pull them out of the refrigerator to warm up.

Cabbage Rolls
  • 1 large savoy cabbage
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 2 medium to large onions
  • 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil .. or even butter is fine
  • 1 cup white or brown rice. . . and 2 cups water
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cans tomato soup
  • 2 small bottles (individual serving sizes) tomato juice or vegetable cocktail . .like V8
  • 1 can or small carton chicken broth
  1. In the bag that you brought your savoy cabbage home. . .place the cabbage in the freezer and leave for 12 hours or overnight.. . .remove and leave to thaw at room temperature. .this will take awhile. . so I often take it the night before the day I want to make the cabbage rolls. The leaves will be soft and easy to use without having to boil them.
  2. In a small saucepan or a microwave safe covered dish. . .cook the rice. . set aside to cool. The rice can be made the day ahead and kept chilled in the refrigerator overnight.
  3. Chop the onions fine and saute them slowly until they are golden brown. . .set aside to cool.
  4. In a large bowl, break apart the ground beef, add the salt, pepper, eggs, sauteed onions and the rice. . mix together until combined. . use your hands.
  5. Remove the leaves from the cabbage, cutting away the tough part closest to the core.
  6. Spray your large casserole or two small casserole dishes with cooking spray.
  7. Put about a 1/3 to 1/2 cup meat mixture at the bottom of the leaf and roll up. . the meat amount varies depending on the size of the leaf. . repeat until all the meat is used up.
  8. In a large mixing bowl. . .combine the tomato soup, juice, and broth. . pour evenly over the cabbage rolls. Cover with foil. . or the lid.
  9. Bake the cabbage rolls slowly at 325 for two hours. . serve or cool on the counter. .remove the foil (if you don't. . you will have little bits of foil on your cabbage rolls where ever it touches. .) cover with plastic wrap. .and either refrigerate or freeze.
  10. For reheating . .thaw first if frozen . .remove the plastic wrap and cover with a lid or foil. . and just reheat in the oven. . for about an hour .. at 325. . . or if you want, they can be reheated beautifully in the microwave on sensor reheat.

65 comments:

  1. I am going to have to try your version. I am interest in the freezing of the cabbage. I bet that does work well. I just love your blog.

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  2. I like that tip about the cabbage...interesting :0)

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  3. Wow! I've gotta try the freezing part. I love cabbage rolls but hate the prep time so this would really cut down on the hassle of boiling it. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Ooooh THANK YOU! I have been looking for a good recipe for this for such a long time and your recipe sounds like what I think I recall seeing go into my grams cabbage rolls. :O)

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  5. I've been making cabbage rolls the lazy man's way. I haven't ever used savoy cabbage though so will try that next time.
    Great pic Lovella! Mouthwatering!!

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  6. I enjoy seeing different (new) recipes for cabbage rolls. They were one of my favorite meals growing up and they still are a comfort meal in a certain way. I also love the ease of serving them for large groups. My mil froze the cabbage too, but I have never tried it. Savoy cabbage is definetely the easiest to use. I like seeing the other variations, like the pre-fried onions.

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  7. I can't wait to try this one! Thanks for posting your recipe and trick for the cabbage Lovella!

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  8. That's been a long time since I've had those....They look delicious. How long did they take to make?

    I love your last comment....
    My goodness!!!

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  9. Your cabbage rolls look wonderful! I have used frozen cabbage on occasion...would freeze heads whole from the garden just for that purpose.

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  10. Oh gosh Lovella, you got me a hankering for these today. Hey, and I like the tip on the cabbage. Nothing like a good new tip to get a person all fired up to make a 'dish' again. Hmmmm...maybe tomorrow I'll have to go grocery shopping again! Thanks Lovella....and it looks just the way mom would have made it...which is a compliment of course!

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  11. My mother won a prize for her cabbage rolls, but I have never made them because of the boiling prep of the cabbage. This makes it sound so much easier.

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  12. Thanks for the freezer tip! I hate monkeying with the boiling water - just addes to the mess in the kitchen. My husband loves cabbage rolls, and I have a head of cabbage in the frig. I see a project coming on.......

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  13. What a clever trick for the cabbage! I bet that saves some of the nutrients that are lost boiling it, too!

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  14. Wow!!! The cabbage rolls look amazing. I grew up on cabbage rolls. We always had them for the holidays and any special day. My mom always used pickled(sauerkraut)cabbage.Brought back wonderful memories...beautiful picture! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

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  15. I love cabbage rolls but have never made them before! I am going to make them tomorrow, following this recipe! I am so excited!!! Thanks for your blog, I am loving it!

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  16. Also ... what are good sides to serve with Cabbage Rolls? *smile*

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  17. Thank you Kanga. . .
    good sides. . let me think. .
    Crusty bread. . mashed potatoes and a fresh steamed veggie of your choice that is in season.
    I also like a crisp green salad. The mashed potatoes and the cabbage rolls are soft comfort food that need a bit of crispness to balance the tastebuds.

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  18. First I want to thank you for all the wonderful recipes. Just mouth watering. I also make cabbage rolls (Hallupse), but when I cut the core out of the head of cabbage I run some water in the cabbage head and put it in a microwavable bowl with the core side down. Of coarse the core is not there anymore. I cook it on high for about 12 to 14 minutes and the leaves come off just wonderfully. You have to be careful as the cabbage is really hot so may want to either run some cold water over it or let cool for a little bit. This really goes fast if you do several head and then when the first one is cooled the rest can cool. I make lots of them and then put them in the freezer in ziplock bags and then when I need them I put them in the roaster (I layer them) and then put tomato soup over them and then the next layer. I also add some beef broth(maybe 1 cup or so) and then I cook them at 350 degrees for 2-3 hours, and then turn the oven down to 200 and let finish until the time for supper. This is really fast to just take out of the freezer and into the roaster and into the oven. No need to defrost them. I think the long time cooking makes the cabbage and the rolls taste better as the cabbage is really done and the meat is juicy too. I have had no complaints as of yet and I have made them for years and my Mother and Grandmother (both full German ladies) made them like this. Hope you Enjoy...Diane

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  19. My mother always used tomato soup mixed with milk in equal portions. This made a delicious gravy for the mashed potatoes

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  20. MMMM, I haven't had breakfast yet and now I want these!
    I buy cabbage rolls from a Ukrainian lady in my town. I have always wanted to make them myself and now I feel I can. I like that your mixture has alot of meat in it. And the frozen cabbage sounds simple enough.
    When I layer my rolls in the roaster I spread abit of sauerkraut amongst them (especially on the bottom of the pan) as well as the tomato sauce. Keeps them moist and helps them to not stick to the pan.
    Thank you! I LOVE your recipes. I am going to make some of your stuffed buns for the family's school lunches as well. So clever.

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  21. I love this site, it's great!
    However, these beautiful recipes are new to me and I sometimes can't tell if I'm feeding an army or just a few people. With this recipe, how many servings do you expect one person to eat and how many (approximately) does this make?

    Thank you and I wish you continued success.
    Havala

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  22. Havala,
    Thank you, It is sometimes hard to know ourselves since these recipes handed down don't have those particulars. I have made this recipe when our whole family is home. ..there are 6 of us. . and there is easily enough for another meal. . so I would say this recipe would feed 10. I would count on two per person.
    I hope this helps.

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    1. I've repinned this post. My name is Lovella as well. and after reading all this, I thought they were talking to me. I thought, oh, good lord, I'mma have to message each and every one of them to let them know it's not me lol. Thanks Lovella

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  23. If you want to add some more veggies, you can grate a little bit of carrot and zucchini into the meat and rice mixture...

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  24. I made your cabbage rolls this weekend. They were wonderful - thank you for the recipe! There is only 3 of us so we have plenty of leftovers - I froze about a third of them. I think I will add some grated zucchini or chopped spinach next time just to kick up the veggie content. My son is 4 so I'm always looking for ways to get in more veggies! He loved these by the way! I'm so glad I found your blog Friday, it's nice to find so many homey recipes.

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  25. I do the freezer method for the cabbage. I use ground pork instead of ground beef and not as much, fried with chopped onions and mixed with the cooked rice. Another method is to dissolve some sour salt in some lukewarm water and pour over rolls before baking along with the tomato soup. A few crystals is enough as it is very sour. Can be bought in Health Food Stores. This makes them taste the same as using soured cabbage
    leaves. Enjoy!

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  26. I love cabbage rolls, and yours look wonderful. My grandma Thiesen's were similar, but after rolling them up, she fried them in shortening until the cabbage was golden brown. Then she baked them with a gravy made from the drippings and tomato sauce and milk. I have never used the savoy cabbage. Next time, I will give it a try. Thank you for sharing!

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    1. I just came across the "cabbage rolls" & also make them like your grandma Thiessen does. Well, almost - I brown mine in oil but then use the drippings for gravy but do not add milk, some tomatoe juice,some pickle juice, some brown sugar, etc. - in other words, "to taste". I love reading what others have done too, thanks!!!!!

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  27. These sound delicious! The freezer method for the cabbage is fantastic! I didn't know about it. I am planning this recipe soon. Thank you.

    XO,
    Valerie

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  28. Thank you for this recipe. I am going to try freezing the cabbage next time. This sounds great. Very much like my own. I put a little sauerkraut on top of the cabbage rolls before I bake them. It gives them a fabulous flavor. Thanks for the
    Yummy recipes.
    Elaine

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  29. I do things a bit differently with my cabbage rolls...I do the frozen cabbage, but instead of rice, I use mostly cooked barley, or a mixture of barley and rice. I also make more of a sauce to cook them in, with canned diced tomatoes, tomato soup, mushrooms, onions,chopped green pepper and a shot of worcestershire sauce. It makes a delicious sauce for the cabbage rolls. Everyone has their own little variations, so just thought I'd like to share mine.

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  30. CABBAGE ROLLS *DONE RIGHT*

    >>MARRY ME

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  31. Hey thanks for this recipe. I'm going to cook them tonight, I'm cooking my wedding reception dinner for this Saturday, thats about 140 cabbage rolls.
    Thank you so much

    Christine

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  32. cabbage rolls are great when cooked with a little dill yumm!!!!

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  33. cabbage rolls are delicious with a little dill cooked with them yumm!!

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  34. I love these but I'm too lazy to make them.

    We keep packages of scramble fried beef in the freezer, in one or two cup packages.

    When I get a hankering for cabbage rolls I use this method:

    1 package coleslaw mix [doesn't matter what kind but I usually get the "Tri-colour" with purple cabbage and carrots added to mostly green cabbage.]

    Rice [white, brown, regular or Minute- whichever you prefer]

    1 pkg scramble fry beef.

    1 can tomato soup

    2 individual serving cans tomato juice [aprx 2 cups, can use V8 or Clamato too]

    Water - according to how much rice and what kind of rice you're using - just read the package directions.

    Combine all in large pot to cook on the stove-top or in a roaster/casserole dish to cook in the oven.

    Cook on medium heat for up to 2 hours. Check moisture level often after the first hour.

    Add more juice or water if required or leave the lid off if it's too juicy and the rice is cooked.

    It has taken me longer to type this than it does to throw this together.

    You can cook this on a higher temperature if you watch it closely and it can be done in an hour after you get in the door, OR, you can cook it longer on a lower temperature while you're doing laundry or some other task and you have the time.

    Very Lazy Working Woman's Cabbage Roll Casserole.

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  35. Lovella, I made these last night for dinner and they were outstanding. I added one finely crushed clove of garlic to the meat mixture and it was so delicious. I served these with the air buns from the Baking with Yeast recipes. Those buns wonderful and so easy to make. I put the leftovers in the freezer for laster. Thanks so much for all these outstanding recipes.

    xo Susan

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  36. aha they r in the oven now sure turned out to be a big batch i am single but i am sure i can give some away ty for the recipe

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  37. Thank you so much for making cabbage rolls so easy! Enjoyed using your recipe so much I mentioned it on my blog! http://buddingwisdom.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/just-do-it/

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  38. So Yummy !! Thank You

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  39. I've never made cabbage rolls ever! And these are truly the best I've ever tasted! I didn't have chicken broth so used beef broth. I also used a bit of tomato sauce instead of juice and added a splash or two of Worcestershire. Heaven!!!

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  40. Thank you for this recipe! I have one I've been making for years but yours sounds so much simpler and I love the tip about freezing the cabbage and letting it thaw, I'm sure it is easier to work with that way. I will be trying this recipe very soon. I love your recipes and your blog! I am following you over at summdaysummway.blogspot.com . I would like to post this recipe there and link it back to you if you don't mind. Thank you for a wonderful blog!

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  41. This looks AMAZING! I feel silly asking this - but is the meat raw when mixed with the rice and stuffed in the cabbage? Or is that pre-cooked too? Looking forward to making a bunch of these to stock in my freezer. YUM!

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  42. The meat goes in raw, it cooks in the sauce at 325F for two hours.

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  43. This may be a silly question, but after you cook them the instructions say to refrigerate or freeze the cabbage rolls. Do you need to do one of these as a final prep before you eat them, or can they be served right out of the oven?
    Thanks,
    Ashley

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  44. you can eat them right away...just be careful - they are hot ;)

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  45. Great recipe , but isn't it kinda ironic that Mennonite recipes are online?

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  46. I'm so disappointed.
    I made this recipe and followed each step, missing nothing.
    The cabbage rolls were good but the sauce tasted like chef boyardee pasta - yuck.
    I wiped off as much of the sauce as I could and then made a homemade marinara sauce and poured it over the top. It didn't make a great cabbage roll, but was far better than the recipe suggested.
    There was so much cabbage leftover, but since it was frozen there wasn't much I could do with it. I fried some onions, sliced the cabbage, and mixed in apple cider vinegar, mustard seeds, and a little salt and brown sugar. Turned out pretty good too, homemade sauerkraut.
    I you're looking for homemade cabbage rolls, keep looking.

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    1. Angie...I am so sorry you found the sauce so disappointing. I don't quite know what to say other than to apologize for your disappointment.

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  47. I freeze my cabbage...works well! BUT, I always cut the core out before I freeze it, as it make for quicker thawing. Leann.

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  48. I would like to try my hand at making and selling cabbage rolls. Would the cabbage rolls be better for the customer to cook or do I cook completely.

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  49. I would cook them completely before selling them. I don't think I would like to take the risk of selling raw meat. At home I cook them completely and then freeze them to reheat later. I find that they taste even better reheated.

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  50. I've made cabbage rolls before but find it so much work with boiling the cabbage. Last night I made them with the cabbage that I had froze the night before, Wonderful! worked like a charm! Saved so much work and mess that I'll make them more often now. Thank you so much!!

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  51. This recipe is SO amazing!!! I make this one at least once a month. FANTASTIC!

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  52. I just tried making cabbage rolls for the first time ever on Jan 1, using this recipe. They were amazing! Everyone raved about how good they were! I did not try the freezing method for the cabbage, however I cooked the cabbage in the microwave for about 12 minutes. I am getting ready to make a double batch to freeze. Thank you so much!!

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  53. Was wondering why the preference for savoy cabbage over regular green cabbage for the cabbage rolls?? Just curious.
    Thanks
    Sharon

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    1. Sharon, I find savoy cabbage leaves easier to work with. It really is just a preference. I tend to look at which cabbage looks fresher.

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    2. Thanks, made these as per the recipe - except I had to add a bit of garlic. They were outstanding. I will try them with the green cabbage although I like the savoy as I think the leaves may be a little thinner (and as you say easier to work with) and not quite as strong tasting. But cabbage of any kind is a favourite of mine.
      Sharon

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  54. Good morning.. Thank you for this recipe posted. what would be your opinion to make the cabbage rolls with Chinese napa cabbage ??

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  55. Love Cabbage Rolls..... My Mom would use Campbell's Tomato Soup too, but she added Dill with Sauted Onion to the rice. No Beef in the rice. Chopped Bacon on top with the Soup.

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  56. oh boy one of my favourite subjects. I was looking on the internet for what to do with cabbage leave left over. If I could bag them up somehow just the leaves and them take them out of the freezer and use to make another batch I sure enjoyed reading through all the ideas and recipes Austrian for my family and we cook them on the stove top rather than in the oven. I love the sour cabbage but that is not easy to find So I do as someone suggested, put some sauerkraut into the mixture or meat rice etc. I like to use only tomato juice, caraway seeds, fresh dill in summer when it is in the garden. W generally have a mixture of beef, pork and veal . Garlic a bit of onion maybe some green peppers and o celery Just depends what I have around Sometimes I put in a can of tomatoes into the mixture and just mush it all together. I am wintering in Florida and found at a local farmers stand a huge cabbage so that has got me thinking of saving leaves for a later date

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  57. Thanks for the inspiration! I see that several people have commented on the sauce - I used 1 can tomato paste, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can diced tomatoes (pureed) and 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes and it tastes like I remember from home meals. Hulapse was my favourite meal my Mom prepared (well, her sauerkraut soup was right up there too)! Also used ground turkey for a leaner meat and added some garlic, sage and thyme. In the oven right now - can hardly wait to have these tonight when my lovely wife comes home from work.
    An ex-Mennonite boy who loves to cook!!

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  58. Another quick tip for prepping the cabbage is to core the savoy cabbage then place cored side down in a large microwave save glass bowl. Pour hot water in until half the cabbage
    is covered. Seal tightly with saran wrap and place in microwave on high for 20 minutes. Remove from microwave and let steam for another 20 minutes. I usually have a 2nd cabbage ready to go in. Drain water, peel off outer leaves and trim up the centre vein. If leaves closer to core are not pliable enough repeat for another 10 minutes in water in microwave. Much safer and certainly faster. I take the time while the cabbages are cooking to prepare the rice and meat mixture. Can usually have 75- 100 cabbage rolls made and in the freezer in batches for cooking in the crockpot at a later date in under 3 hours.

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  59. My Grandma made the best! I love them! I'am trying your recipe tonite. Can't wait to see how they turn out. Love the frozen cabbage idea. That was the worst part of making them. Thank you for the recipe.

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