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Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
4.9 from 264 votes

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

Stuffed Cabbage Leaves are filled with a mixture of ground meat, cooked rice, minced onion, fresh dill, egg, and sauerkraut, wrapped in tender cabbage leaves softened by boiling or freezing. The filling is partially pre-cooked and seasoned before assembly. Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes are included in the cooking liquid, and flavor additions like lemon juice, brown sugar, paprika, and garlic balance acidity and spice. The dish gently simmers to meld flavors and fully cook the filling.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 281 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients

  • 1 large green cabbage 3.5-4 lbs.
  • 1 pound ground beef I use half and half, or ground chicken, or a mixture
  • 1 cup long grain rice cooked, white or brown
  • 1/3 cup onion finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons dill fresh minced
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut divided
  • 28 ounces tomato sauce 2 cans, divided
  • 14 ounces tomato 1 can, diced or crushed
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or more to taste, fresh
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse the cabbage clean, then immerse it in a large pot of boiling water and cook it for 4-5 minutes until leaves are soft and pliable, but not overly soft. 
  2. Drain the cabbage in a colander and let it sit until cool enough to handle.
  3. Alternatively, you can freeze the cabbage overnight (or up to 3 days). Defrost the cabbage for about three hours. This will make the leaves pliable in the same way that parboiling does.
  4. Prepare your filling. In a bowl, mix together ground meat, cooked rice, minced onion, minced dill, egg, ½ cup sauerkraut (drained of juice), 1/3 cup tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste. I use about 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper—kosher meat needs less salt. To test the seasoning of the meat, you can fry up a small portion in a skillet or pop it in the microwave till it’s thoroughly cooked, then taste it. It’s easy to under-season the filling, so err on the side of adding extra pepper and salt.Tip: You can make this filling ahead and refrigerate a few hours to overnight; this will allow the flavors to marinate and make it firmer and easier to handle.
  5. Peel off the large cabbage leaves from the head of cabbage, keeping only the leaves that are whole/intact and big enough to stuff. Chop up the remaining smaller leaves along with the core of the cabbage. Reserve.
  6. Place your large leaves on a cutting board.
  7. Take a leaf and pat it dry with a paper towel.
  8. Shave down the tough, thick part of the stem at the base of each leaf using a paring knife, being careful not to cut through the leaf itself. Repeat process for the remaining leaves.Now it’s time to stuff the leaves. Place a leaf on the cutting board, stem end closest to you. The leaves tend to curl in one direction, so make sure that the curl is facing upward—in other words, it should have a bowl-like shape with edges that curl up, not down.
  9. Place 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling at the base of the leaf, centered, about 1/2 inch above the edge. Do not over-stuff the leaves; you want a substantial amount of filling, but a good amount of cabbage leaf around the edges makes for easier rolling.
  10. Fold the base of the leaf up and over the filling till it’s completely covered.
  11. Fold the left edge of the leaf inward. Leave the right side of the leaf open.
  12. Continue rolling the leaf till it’s completely rolled up (with the right end still loose/open).
  13. Tuck the loose end of the leaf inward, pushing it into the filled center of the leaf.
  14. This will create a neat package that has a better chance of holding together in the pot.
  15. Continue the process for the remaining leaves. Depending on how many useable leaves your cabbage has, you may find you have some leftover filling. Simply roll that filling into meatballs; you can place them into the pot along with the stuffed leaves, so you don’t waste anything.
  16. In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the tomato sauce with the diced or crushed tomatoes, lemon juice, brown sugar, tomato paste, paprika, garlic and allspice. Warm up over medium heat till bubbly and fragrant. Taste the sauce; season with salt and pepper and more brown sugar or lemon, if desired.
  17. Put remaining 1 cup of sauerkraut and the chopped cabbage leaves/core into the bottom of a pot. Spread the mixture out to create an even layer, then pour ½ cup of chicken broth or water over the top of the leaves.
  18. Place half of the stuffed cabbage leaves on top of the sauerkraut mixture.
  19. Pour 1/3 of the warmed tomato sauce over the first layer of stuffed cabbage leaves.
  20. Put another layer of stuffed leaves on top...
  21. ...and top with the rest of the sauce.
  22. Heat the pot over medium high and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cover the pot. Let the cabbage leaves cook for 2-2 ½ hours till the thickest parts of the leaves are tender. Check the pot periodically to make sure it’s not boiling too vigorously—this can make the leaves fall apart. A slow, even simmer works best.When finished cooking, remove the stuffed cabbage leaves from the pot carefully with tongs. Top the stuffed cabbage with some of the sauce and a very generous sprinkle of black pepper. Serve hot. Leaves can be refrigerated for 4-5 days or frozen and reheated before serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories 281kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 15g (30%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Cholesterol 63mg (21%) Sodium 896mg (37%) Potassium 986mg (21%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 15g (30%) Vitamin A 1160IU (23%) Vitamin C 75.5mg (84%) Calcium 122mg (12%) Iron 4.2mg (23%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 281

% Daily Value*

Calories 281kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 15g 30%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 63mg 21%
Sodium 896mg 37%
Potassium 986mg 21%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 15g 30%
Vitamin A 1160IU 23%
Vitamin C 75.5mg 84%
Calcium 122mg 12%
Iron 4.2mg 23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.