Italian Style Cabbage Rolls
Tender cabbage leaves filled with a savory Italian-style meat and rice mixture, baked slowly in a rich tomato sauce until tender and flavorful. These comforting Italian cabbage rolls make a hearty family dinner and are perfect for make-ahead meals.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cabbage
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups my easy marinara sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage by removing as much of the core as possible. Then place the cabbage in a large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes or until you can easily separate the leaves with thongs. You may need to help the leaves off using a knife. Set aside to cool. The smaller leaves can be frozen for soup.
- Make the filling in a saute pan in 2 tbsp. of olive oil cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Then add the ground beef and cook until brown.
- Using the same water from the cabbage cook the rice for 5-7 minutes or until the rice is cooked al dente. Drain the rice
- Mix the cooked ground beef mixture with rice. Add the egg , parmesan, Italian parsley and 1 cup of the marinara sauce, salt and pepper to taste mix until well combined
- Assemble the cabbage rolls: Place a cabbage leaf on a flat surface place 2 tbsp. of the filling in the center . Fold the flaps over the filling then roll up jelly roll style.
- Line an oven proof casserole dish with 1 cup of my easy marinara sauce. place the filled cabbage rolls on top. Top with the remaining 2 cups of marinara.
- Bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 35- 45 minutes. Top with additional Italian parsley
Notes
Don’t overcook the cabbage leaves when blanching them. You want them tender enough to roll but still sturdy enough to hold the filling. Remove the thickest part of the center rib if needed—it makes rolling the cabbage much easier and gives you neat, evenly cooked rolls.