Savory, seasoned beef and pork with rice, onions and peppers are wrapped in tender cabbage leaves then baked in a rich, tangy tomato sauce in this classic Southern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls recipe.
Just right for Sunday dinners or when your family needs a little extra love on a weeknight, Southern Cabbage Rolls are that kind of comfort food. They are so full of deep, soulful flavor; each roll is like a complete meal! Even those who might be a little suspect of cabbage are guaranteed to become a fan of this tangy, tomato-ey, savory dish.
RELATED RECIPE: Beefy Roasted Cabbage Steaks
You’ll find recipes for cabbage rolls all around the world, in lots of different cultures. But they are a specialty among Creole homecooks in my homestate. It’s also no surprise to find them on the Christmas holiday table or as a first meal on New Year’s Day.
But no matter when you decide to serve them, I know these tender, little cabbage pockets of seasoned beefy and pork goodness will be one of those heartwarming meals you will come back to again and again.
Kitchen Tools I Use for This Recipe
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Ingredients
- large head of green cabbage
- ground pork sausage
- ground beef
- instant rice
- green bell pepper
- yellow onion
- egg
- Italian seasoning
- all purpose Creole seasoning
- Worcestershire sauce
- tomato sauce, tomato paste & petite diced tomatoes
- minced garlic
- dried parsley
- brown sugar
- red wine vinegar
- salt & pepper
How To Make Southern Cabbage Rolls
Prep Cabbage. Boil the entire head of cabbage in a large stock pot for 5-6 minutes, just enough to make the leaves tender and pliable. Let the cabbage cool in ice water, then remove 12 leaves from the head. Use a sharp knife to cut out the hard ridge of the leaf in a V-shaped notch. This will make rolling the leave easy!
Assemble the Rolls. Spoon some of the meat and rice filling into each cabbage leaf. Roll the leaf around the filling by pulling together the v notch and rolling the notched end over the mixture. Fold sides in, then roll forward to the end of the leaf.
Bake. Place the rolls seam side down in a 9×13 dish, top with sauce, cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Don’t skip the foil; this will trap the steam and ensure your cabbage rolls are tender.
Recipe Tips
- Buy a large head of green cabbage, if you can. Larger leaves are easier to roll, and you will have extra leaves to work with, if you need them.
- Neither the ground beef/pork mixture nor the instant rice is cooked when you stuff it in the cabbage. It cooks in the oven while the dish bakes.
- The cook time listed in the recipe is accurate for cooking the raw meat in the cabbage rolls. To double check, use a meat thermometer and check for a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit for done rolls.
- Leftover Southern Cabbage Rolls can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They are also freezer-friendly!
Ingredient Variations
- If your family doesn’t like bell pepper, simply omit it from the recipe.
- We like to use hot & spicy ground pork sausage for even more flavor.
- Since ground beef and pork usually come in 1 pound packages, we also like to brown the halves of the pounds that aren’t used for the filling and add it to our tomato sauce for a really hearty meal.
- You can use either all beef or all pork for this recipe. We like the mix of meats for a depth of flavor.
- Adding chicken or beef broth to the water the cabbage is boiled in is another way to boost flavor.
What to Serve with Southern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- more rice
- Ultimate Pepper Jack Mac n Cheese (our family’s favorite)
- Mashed Potatoes
- Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
- Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas
Other Classic Comfort Food Recipes You’ll Love
- Best Meatloaf Ever
- Classic Family Pot Roast
- Classic Chicken Pot Pie
- Louisiana Dirty Rice
- Easy One Pot Beef Stroganoff
If You Love Comfort Food & Have Made This Recipe, Give It All The Stars & Leave A Fun Comment! Or Tag Me @SouthernDiscourse On Social Media To Be Featured. I Love Hearing From You!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground pork sausage
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup instant rice, uncooked
- 1/2 medium bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon all purpose creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 15 ounce canned tomato sauce
- 14-15 ounce petite diced tomatoes, not drained
- 6 ounce tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
- In a large stock pot, bring salted water to boil. Remove discolored or torn leaves from the head of cabbage. Use tongs to safely lower the cabbage head into the boiling water. Boil for 5-6 minutes. Remove from boiling water and place into a large bowl filled with ice water to cool.
- Combine filling ingredients in a large bowl, and combine sauce ingredients in another bowl. Add a thin layer of tomato sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Set aside.
- When cabbage has cooled, cut 1/2-1 inch from the stem end of the cabbage. Carefully remove 12 leaves from the head. Using a knife remove about 1/2 inch of the hard ridge from each cabbage leaf in a v-shaped notch. This will ensure you can easily roll the leaf.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling mixture into the center of each leaf. Roll each leaf by pulling together the v notch and rolling the notched end over the mixture. Fold sides in, then roll forward to the end of the leaf. (see video in post)
- Place each roll seam side down in sauce lined 9×13 dish. When all the cabbage rolls are in the dish, top with remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and place in preheated oven to bake for 45 minutes.
This is a well written recipe. I would add some spicy V8 juice to the meat mixture next time but over all a well written recipe. Thank you.
Hi, Chanda! Love that idea with the V8! Sounds perfectly delish! Thank you so very much for taking the time to make these rolls. Made my day!