Beef Cabbage Rolls. Recipe

• servings: Serves: 4-6
• total time: 2 hours 49 minutes

Ingredients

Cabbage:

green cabbage - 1 medium head

Filling:

ground beef (80/20 works best) - 2.2 lb (1 kg)

onion - 1 medium, finely diced

carrot - 1 medium, grated

white rice - ½ cup (parboiled)

garlic - 2 cloves, minced

fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro) - 3 tbsp, chopped

salt - 1½ tsp (or to taste)

black pepper - 1 tsp

sweet paprika - 1 tsp

chili flakes or hot paprika - ½-1 tsp (optional)

Sauce:

crushed tomatoes - ¾ cup (180 ml)

beef broth or water - ¾ cup (180 ml)

salt - ½ tsp

sugar - 2 tsp

To serve (optional):

sour cream

fresh herbs

HOW TO COOK:

Directions

Cut out the core of the cabbage. Place the whole head into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, until the leaves soften and separate easily. Transfer to cold water and let cool.

Carefully peel off the leaves. Trim the thick center vein slightly so they’re easier to roll.

Cook rice in boiling water for 6-7 minutes (it should be about half-cooked). Drain and let cool.

In a skillet, sauté onion and grated carrot with a little oil for 2-3 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, mix ground beef, sautéed veggies, rice, garlic, herbs, salt, pepper, paprika, and chili. Mix gently - don’t overwork.

Place about 2-3 heaped tablespoons of filling onto each cabbage leaf. Roll tightly, tucking in the sides.

Mix crushed tomatoes, broth (or water), salt, and sugar. Warm slightly to dissolve everything.

Arrange rolls seam-side down in a deep baking dish. Pour sauce over until mostly covered. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 40 minutes.

Remove foil, spoon sauce over the rolls, and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized.

Serve hot with sour cream and fresh herbs.

INFO (approx.):

Prep: 30 min | Cook: 60 min

520 kcal | 38 g protein | 32 g fat | 28 g carbs (per serving)