Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce is a gluten-free cannelloni. Made of spiced ground beef/pork filling with garlic, onion, and rice topped with a tomato sauce. It’s a comforting dish without all the carbs.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce are a popular dish throughout Eastern Europe to Asia. Although they have many different variations from place to place, some are made with a side of sour cream others with savoy cabbage, etc. This version is closer to the Polish version called Gołąbki which is a mix of minced beef and pork filling cabbage rolls cooked in the oven with a simple tomato sauce.
Cabbage the Magnificent
You could use Savoy or red cabbage also for this recipe. Although, the traditional and thickest would be the green cabbage. For once a veggie is used as a container, and cutting on the carbs and gluten is always a welcomed break for the stomach. You could use the technique and fill the cabbage with anything you like, for example, a nice minced spicy chicken filling or with tofu, or sweet potatoes for the vegetarian.
The Filling
The filling consists of minced meat (pork and beef) mixed with rice and some onions. The only difference with the original recipe is the added garlic and cumin powder. At this level, it’s important to season well the meat with salt and pepper.
The Process
It’s a fairly simple recipe but on the other hand, it’s got a long preparation. Better make them on a Sunday to make sure you’ll have time to make them. The process is quite long because you’ll need to boil and separate each cabbage leave, make the filling, then roll, make the tomato sauce and finally cook in the oven for an hour.
However, if you like to take your time, even the kiddos could help to roll some of those meat rolls up. As they say: Good things come to those who wait and this is no exception.
So let’s make those meaty cabbage rolls!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 green cabbage
- 100 ml chicken broth
The Filling
- 400 g minced pork
- 400 g minced beef
- 200 g cooked rice
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- salt and pepper
The tomato sauce
- 4 tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp thyme
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start by cutting out the stem of the white cabbage and take the first “dirty”leaves off.
- Cook the cabbage in a pot of salty boiling water for 10 minutes (Don't over fill).
- With the help of kitchen tongs, take the outside leave from the cabbage one by one as they get loose during the boiling step and let them cool on a clean towel.
- Cut the onion garlic and mix all together into the minced meat, rice, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Cut off the thicker stem from each cabbage leaf (easier to roll).
- Make a fast cylindrical patty with the meat mixture.
- Add the meat to the lower end of the leaf and roll them up (folding the sides first).
- Add each roll to a large and deep enough oven proof recipient.
- Blend the tomato, two garlic cloves, thyme, salt and pepper and pour over the rolls (or a canned tomato sauce).
- Add the broth, salt and pepper.
- Cook at 180°C (350F) for an hour, covered with aluminum foil.
