Stuffed Cabbage Rolls should be placed into the comfort food category in my opinion. Wonderfully healthy cabbage that has been stuffed with ingredients we all love, then slowly braised in the oven until tender. In this recipe, there is an option for adding quinoa to the cabbage filling for a nice pop of new texture and added protein.
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Begin with the cabbage. Cut off the root base, but do not cut too low as you want the stem for presentation and additional fiber.
You’ll need 12 cabbage leaves to full a 9 by 13 casserole dish. I suggest cooking 1 or 2 more in case one break or rips.
Fill a large pot with water, about 2/3 of the way, and season with enough salt that the water would taste salty. Bring to a soft boil and add in the cabbage leaves.
Have a bowl ready with ice and water to shock the cabbage once they have cooked. You will want the cabbage soft enough to roll.
Preparing the stuffed cabbage rolls filling
Using a food processor, add in all listed ingredient below and combine
- 1/2 pound ground beef, add more if your food processor is big enough
- 1 cup ground sausage
- 1 green onion
- 6 mushrooms with stems
- 2 tsp garlic salt
Once combine, chop up one medium tomato, half of one large onion, one green onion, 1/2 cup of white rice (optional: instead add 1/4 white rice + 1/4 cup of quinoa)
We are reinforcing the ingredient flavors by adding in freshness like the green onion and tomatoes. This overall helps balance the recipe and it creates a more tasty bite.
Stuffed Cabbage Roll Tomato Sauce Recipe
You can use either straight tomato juice or V8. I do enjoy the extra flavor V8 offers. But using only tomato juice allows you to better control your flavor profile. Combine all ingredients listed below.
- 24oz can of tomato juice or V8
- 1 T Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp red pepper flake
- 2 tsp fennel seed (crushed) helps release the natural oils and flavors
- 1 1/2 tbsp of good quality chili powder ( I like using San Antiono chili powder)
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
Finishing, pour the tomato sauce over the stuffed cabbage rolls making sure to cover each cabbage roll to help flavor them and protect them while cooking.
Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil. Bake @ 325 for around one hour or until the tenderness you enjoy.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Cabbage Rolls Filling
- 2/3 pound Ground Beef
- 1 cup Ground Sausage
- 1 stalk Green Onion - add to processor
- 6 caps Mushrooms with stem
- 1 medium Tomato
- 1/2 large Onion
- 1 stalk Green Onion - add once combine
Tomato Sauce
- 24oz can Tomato Juice
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chile Powder
- 2 tsp Fennel Seed
- 1/4 tsp Fresh Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flake
Instructions
- Begin by combining the beef, the sausage, 1 green onion stalk, garlic salt, and all mushrooms in the food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Move base mix in a food processor into a mixing bowlThen chop 1/2 of one onion (small dice), chop one medium tomato, 1 stalk of green onion ( chopped) and add to the mixing bowl and combine ingredients
Preparing the Cabbage
- Cut the base off the head of cabbage
- Remove at least 12 leaves. I would cook 1 or 2 more in case they rip
- Cook until tender in soft boiling salted water for about 12 minutes or until tender. (salty like your cooking pasta)
- Once cooked place into an ice water bath to stop the cooking
Making the Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Layout one cabbage leaves and fill with the stuffing mix starting on the end without the stem. Try to not overfill. Using your fingers shape the filling.
- Roll up the cabbage back toward the thick stem end. This will provide a nice presentation.
- Once rolled up, lightly press down on the roll to help it keep its shape
- Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls in a 9 by 13 casserole dish. Try to keep the stem in the same direction for presentation.
- Pour the tomato sauce over all the cabbage rolls. Make sure to cover all of them. Add enough sauce to cover the cabbage rolls by half or more.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake @ 325 for around one hour or until tender.
- Peak Of The Season? Tomato Sauce Techniques
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