Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Sarma/Golabki)
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Sarma/Golabki)
Ingredients
For the Cabbage
- 1 green cabbage, large head
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
For the Sauce and Baking
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for drizzling
For Serving
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, or sour cream, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully place the whole head of cabbage into the boiling water. Blanch for 10-15 minutes, or until the outer leaves soften and can be easily peeled off. Remove the softened leaves one by one with tongs, allowing them to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, carefully trim or cut out the tough central rib from each cabbage leaf, being careful not to tear the leaf.
⏱️ 20 min
- 2
Prepare the filling: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Stir in the minced garlic, sweet paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the rinsed uncooked white rice, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Assemble the cabbage rolls: Lay a prepared cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of the meat and rice filling near the base of the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf inwards over the filling, then roll the leaf tightly from the bottom up to form a compact, cylindrical cabbage roll. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
⏱️ 20 min
- 6
Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large oven-safe pan or Dutch oven, arrange any leftover small cabbage pieces or torn leaves on the bottom to create a bed for the rolls. Neatly arrange the assembled cabbage rolls in layers over the cabbage bed.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 7
Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour the sauce evenly over the cabbage rolls until they are partially submerged. Tuck the bay leaves among the rolls. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Bake the cabbage rolls: Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove the lid/foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is very tender and the filling is cooked through and the rice is soft.
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Serve hot, garnished with fresh lemon wedges and a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, if desired.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Sarma/Golabki)
Ingredients
For the Cabbage
- 1 green cabbage, large head
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef, 80/20 lean
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
For the Sauce and Baking
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, for drizzling
For Serving
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt, or sour cream, as needed
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully place the whole head of cabbage into the boiling water. Blanch for 10-15 minutes, or until the outer leaves soften and can be easily peeled off. Remove the softened leaves one by one with tongs, allowing them to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, carefully trim or cut out the tough central rib from each cabbage leaf, being careful not to tear the leaf.
⏱️ 20 min - 2
Prepare the filling: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Add the ground beef to the skillet with the onions. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Stir in the minced garlic, sweet paprika, and tomato paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the rinsed uncooked white rice, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Assemble the cabbage rolls: Lay a prepared cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of the meat and rice filling near the base of the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf inwards over the filling, then roll the leaf tightly from the bottom up to form a compact, cylindrical cabbage roll. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
⏱️ 20 min - 6
Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large oven-safe pan or Dutch oven, arrange any leftover small cabbage pieces or torn leaves on the bottom to create a bed for the rolls. Neatly arrange the assembled cabbage rolls in layers over the cabbage bed.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 7
Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour the sauce evenly over the cabbage rolls until they are partially submerged. Tuck the bay leaves among the rolls. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Bake the cabbage rolls: Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove the lid/foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the cabbage is very tender and the filling is cooked through and the rice is soft.
⏱️ 120 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Serve hot, garnished with fresh lemon wedges and a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, if desired.
⏱️ 3 min