🍽️ Serves: 6–8
⏱️ Total Time: ~1 hr 30 min
🥬 Style: Savory, cheesy, herby, and saucy
📦 Ingredients:
🥬 For the Cabbage:
- 1 large head of green cabbage
- Large pot of boiling water
🧆 For the Filling:
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casing removed
- 1 cup cooked rice (white or arborio)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper
- Optional: pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
🍅 For the Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2–3 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Optional: 1 tbsp fresh basil or 1 tbsp tomato paste for richer flavor
👨🍳 Instructions:
1. Prepare the Cabbage Leaves
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Carefully remove the core from the cabbage.
- Boil the whole head for 5–10 minutes, gently peeling off 10–12 large leaves as they soften.
- Set leaves aside to cool. Trim thick vein on each leaf with a knife for easier rolling.
2. Make the Sauce
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (30 seconds).
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, sugar, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.
- Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add basil at the end.
3. Make the Filling
- In a large bowl, mix together:
- Ground beef
- Italian sausage
- Cooked rice
- Onion
- Garlic
- Egg
- Parmesan
- Herbs and seasonings
💡 Optional: Fry a tablespoon of the mixture in a pan to taste for seasoning before stuffing.
4. Assemble the Rolls
- Lay a cabbage leaf flat.
- Place ~⅓ cup of filling at the base.
- Fold sides inward, then roll up tightly like a burrito.
- Repeat with remaining leaves.
5. Bake or Simmer
Option A: Baked Version (Best Texture)
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.
- Place rolls seam-side down. Top with more sauce.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45–55 minutes, until tender.
Option B: Stovetop Version
- Layer sauce in a deep pot or Dutch oven.
- Nest rolls in, cover with remaining sauce.
- Simmer, covered, on low heat for 60–75 minutes.
6. Serve
- Let cool slightly before serving.
- Top with more grated Parmesan and chopped parsley or fresh basil.
🧀 Optional Additions:
- Add mozzarella or provolone on top in last 10 minutes of baking
- Stir in a splash of red wine to the sauce while it simmers
- Add ricotta cheese to the filling for a lasagna-like flavor
🧊 Storage:
- Fridge: 3–4 days (tastes even better next day)
- Freezer: Freeze fully baked rolls in sauce up to 3 months
