Ingredients
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. dried oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
15 cabbage leaves
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. uncooked white rice
1/4 c. Italian bread crumbs
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. In a large deep skillet (or large pot) over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Pour over tomatoes then add vinegar, sugar, and oregano. Step 2Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 1In a large pot of boiling water, blanch cabbage leaves until tender and flexible, about 1 minute.Step 2Make filling: In a large bowl, combine ground meats, 1 cup sauce, rice, bread crumbs, onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.Step 3Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish. Step 4Using a paring knife, cut out the hard triangular rib from each cabbage leaf. Place about ⅓ cup filling into one end of each leaf, then roll up, tucking in the sides as you roll. Place rolls seam side-down on top of sauce in baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce on top of cabbage rolls then cover dish with foil. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes, until rice and meat are cooked through. Step 5Garnish with more parsley before serving.
Don’t feel like rolling? Make our Unstuffed Cabbage Casserole instead. 😏 Another fun take on the beef and rice combo are these porcupine meatballs that are just as delicious as they are fun! P.S. Are you keto? If you answered yes, then this recipe is not for you! With both added sugar (brown sugar) and carbs like rice and bread crumbs, it’s tricky to adjust this recipe for the keto diet. While removing the sugar won’t effect too much, removing the rice and bread crumbs will make it very difficult to roll the meat mixture into the cabbage. If you’d like to make something similar, try our cabbage burritos! Without the beans and corn, they’re completely keto-friendly. Have you made these yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
