Just when you think you had the best ever recipe for cabbage rolls, then another one comes along like this one.
These are so easy, I have a secret I have been using for years to share today with you.
Once you try my secret, you will never think these are time-consuming again and make them in no time.
It's a foolproof time saver for sure.
We just love cabbage rolls, but when I started out cooking, I never wanted to try them, they look way too complicated.
One day I met an elderly wonderful lady named Amelia, that taught me this trick and it's now over 30 years and making them often without feeling stuffing cabbage was a long and tedious chore!
This tip will let you make them often in no time!
Not going to give you that secret yet though, check out my recipe card at the end to print this off.
I love the stuffing also, it is similar to my other favorites like Stuffed Zucchini or Stuffed Peppers.
Please let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments.
History on Stuffed Cabbage
I was so surprised to read some of these facts.
Can you imagine my surprise when researching stuffed cabbage, to find that not only did I share my stuffed cabbage Italian style heritage with Poland, Czech Republic, Russia and the rest of Eastern Europe—there was Italy, Greece, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and the Middle East to contend with!
It seems that there is a stuffed cabbage for almost every culture.
Of course, the Polish have a large claim, and their golumpki is well known all over the globe and a delicious example of making these.
Many cultures claim to have invented the recipe for stuffed cabbage: Persian, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish. Cultivated cabbage arose from the wild mustard plant, prevalent in and native to the Mediterranean.
The ancient Greeks (and Romans) knew about cabbage as early as 600 BCE (Before Common Era), so it’s possible that ancient Greek cooks are the winners.
You have come to mom's recipe on this blog with a version that is Italian Style all the way. read on.
A Childhood Favorite Meal!
I always loved these growing up as a kid.
Mom made them often, Italian style of course.
I can remember as a child mom would go play bingo and they had this at a Polish community center in my hometown.
They had several other delicious foods on their menu but mom would always order these there and I loved them.
They were full of delicious pork and rice in this little wrap I had no idea what it was at that age.
As time went on and mom started making them, I was shocked it was cabbage, being only 7 at the time.
Ours are quite different in flavors, but I grew up on these flavors and still make them the same way.
This would not be an authentic Polish way to make what they called golumpki, but these sure are delicious!
Mom's Way
Everything had an Italian flair no matter what mom cooked.
Whether it was steak, vegetables or even breakfast foods, somewhere in that recipe was garlic.
She always used Italian sausage, never breakfast style sausage.
Dad was a stickler on Italian food period, and it had to have that taste of Italy or he wouldn't be happy.
Our stuffed cabbage rolls became Italianized for dad to like them.
Easy Recipe
I just love easy recipes.
Cooking can sure be a chore sometimes and take way to long.
I can tell you one thing for sure, these are great on top of the stove, in the oven-baked which requires more liquid or even in an instant pot or slow cooker.
All the methods will work quickly and it's all up to you what you choose for a cooking method.
Not hardly how my mom made them back in the 1960's time period, it was on top of the stove only.
Now in the 2000s, there are so many cooking methods.
Rolling the Cabbage
Once the cabbage is limp, it's easy, add a few teaspoons of filling to the middle of the leaf, then fold in the first two sides left to right. Then the top and bottoms.
Make sure the seam is down when placing them in a casserole dish, I don't use toothpicks!
I hate the toothpick method, why you ask?
Because on-time years ago, a piece of a toothpick was broken inside and I almost choked to death.
You can tie them if you like with cooking string but I prefer not to, seam side down and that it, slow-cooked they never open up.
Make Sure You Roll Them Tight
Ok, I know you're not convinced they won't open up.
Secret number one, after you stack them seam side down in the pot or casserole dish, place a plate on top, one that withstands the heat, it will keep them from moving around and stay seam side down closed tight.
Yes, there is another secret that's huge, keep reading.
The Filling
I like to use ground sirloin in mine and a little sausage meat, you can use all ground beef, but after all, this is an Italian blog right?
We have tried ground turkey but it needs so much seasoning to taste good, it just didn't make sense to substitute it for flavor.
There isn't that much in the roll to worry about it.
I do watch my cholesterol intake and use lean meats.
If you want to use turkey ground up, it's ok, you just need to double the seasonings.
Tips
- Cook on low heat, you never want to cook too fast or the cabbage will stick to the bottom.
- Keep seam sides down.
- Use an ovenproof plate on top to fit the pan
- Fresh plum tomatoes work great in the sauce or whole tomatoes put through a food processor
- Use any cooking method, stovetop, oven or slow cooker
Ingredients You Will Need
- cabbage
- garlic minced fine
- oregano, bay leaf, parsley and garlic powder (all dry)
- basil leaves minced
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- grated cheese pecorino Romano
- whole tomatoes
- sugar
- diced fresh tomatoes
- tomato paste
- white wine (we use Pinot Grigio)
- water
- ground sausage raw
- raw sirloin beef ground
- rice raw long grain
- water or chicken broth
- egg
Try Some of My Other Favorite Appetizer Recipes
12 Easy Christmas Appetizers
30 Appetizer and Side Dish Recipe Roundup
New Year's Eve Party Appetizers
Game Day Recipes
Ready for the Big Reveal?
I know you had to scroll all the way down to the big secret reveal on this time saver right?
Ok, here it is.
No boiling the cabbage first, nope!
FREEZE IT!!
All you have to do is freeze the whole head of cabbage, soon as you get home from your supermarket, stick the whole head in the freezer, left in the bag.
This eliminates boiling, wilts the head of cabbage when thawed, all you have to do is remove the leaves, rinse well and start stuffing.
It was the best secret someone from Poland taught me many moons ago and I still use this method and thank goodness she gave me that tip!
The cabbage is perfect to roll without worry it will break or fall apart, plus it doesn't stink up the house!
Pin Me For Later
Easy Peasy!
Well, that's it folks, hope you enjoy these are much as we do, this is my most favorite recipe and how my mom made her stuffing.
You can change it up any way you like for herbs and stuffing them.
We aren't fond of onions so if you like them go ahead and add them but this is our version!
Our Italian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are our favorite when to make them!
Enjoy!
Italian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Yield: 20
prep time: 10 Mcook time: 1 H & 25 Mtotal time: 1 H & 35 M
These are delicious stuffed cabbage roll with rice, meat in a rich tomato sauce with herbs and spices.
ingredients:
- 1 head of cabbage placed in the freezer overnight and then thawed (it's easier to roll wilted leaves and eliminates the boiling step)
- 2 cloves of garlic minced fine
- 1 teaspoon salt, oregano, parsley and garlic powder (all dry)
- 2 fresh basil leaves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- add salt to taste I use around 1 teaspoon
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- grated cheese pecorino Romano
- 1 - 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes put through the food processor (or 2 pounds fresh plum put through a food processor)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 can tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine (we use Pinot Grigio)
- water
- 1 cup ground sausage raw
- 1 cup raw sirloin beef or ground pork
- 1 cup rice raw long grain
- 1 egg
- water or chicken broth if starts to dry out
instructions:
How to cook Italian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- If you didn't thaw the cabbage from the freezer, just run it under hot water until the leaves unfold.
- Remember this eliminates boiling! and this is the big secret reveal!
- Place the raw rice, raw meats in a bowl, and mix all ingredients together adding the herbs, spices, cheese, egg, except for bay leaves, broth, wine, pureed tomatoes, broth, sugar and paste.
- In a large 5-quart Dutch oven place the tomato paste in the bottom of the pot add the wine, and sugar, to the, can to remove anything leftover paste.
- On a cutting board place one leaf at a time adding the filling to each one, roll up two sides to the middle then folding over the others making sure all four sides are covered and no filling is showing.
- You can fasten with a toothpick (which I don't do) or carefully stack them fold seam side down in the Dutch oven (as I do) without using the toothpicks.
- The filling will stay in place seam side down.
- You can place a plate on top to keep them from moving and opening.
- After you have filled and folded each one and stacked with the fold-down, pour the crushed tomatoes over the top. Add water to fill to just cover the cabbage rolls.
- Sprinkle more garlic powder over the top of the sauce. Add the bay leaf.
- Bake or cook on top of the stove on low or in the Dutch oven covered with the top or piece of foil on 350-degree hot oven for around 2 1/2 hours or until the cabbage is soft and tender when pierced with a fork.
- Add more water if necessary and starts to dry out.
- Note you can't really overcook them so don't worry just keep liquid plentiful so they don't stick or burn.
- Serve with grated cheese on top.
Calories
106.97
106.97
Fat (grams)
4.84
4.84
Sat. Fat (grams)
1.83
1.83
Carbs (grams)
9.89
9.89
Fiber (grams)
1.83
1.83
Net carbs
8.06
8.06
Sugar (grams)
4.61
4.61
Protein (grams)
4.90
4.90
Sodium (milligrams)
319.63
319.63
Cholesterol (grams)
13.94
13.94
Pin me for later
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2013. It was edited and re-published in 2019.