Description
This easy cabbage rolls recipe features a delicious blend of ground turkey, Italian sausage, and rice wrapped in tender cabbage leaves, baked in a flavorful tomato sauce with aromatic spices and fresh herbs for a comforting and hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cabbage Rolls
- 1 head green cabbage, frozen
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Sauce
- 14 oz. crushed tomatoes
- 8 oz. tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil for sautéing
Instructions
- Freeze and prepare cabbage: Place the head of cabbage in the freezer and freeze completely for 24 hours. Remove and let thaw for 2 hours until leaves start to peel off easily, peeling a few leaves at a time as the center may remain partially frozen.
- Preheat oven and prepare dish: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a 9x13 inch casserole dish for baking the rolls.
- Make the sauce: In a pan over medium-high heat, sauté the diced red onion and minced garlic with olive oil for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the meat filling: In a large bowl, mix together the cooked white rice, ground turkey, Italian sausage, egg, Italian bread crumbs, and fresh parsley until thoroughly combined.
- Assemble the cabbage rolls: Lay a cabbage leaf flat on the surface. Using a medium ice cream scoop, place a portion of the meat filling in the widest part of the leaf. Fold the sides of the leaf in and roll tightly to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture.
- Layer and bake: Pour half of the prepared sauce into the bottom of the 9x13 casserole dish. Arrange the cabbage rolls seam side down in the dish and pour the remaining sauce evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until the rolls are cooked through and the meat is tender.
Notes
- Freezing the cabbage helps separate the leaves easily without tearing.
- Use Italian bread crumbs for added flavor or substitute with regular bread crumbs if unavailable.
- Ground turkey and Italian sausage can be substituted with all beef for a richer flavor.
- Adjust seasoning to taste in the sauce, adding more sugar if tomatoes are too acidic.
- Serve cabbage rolls hot with extra sauce spooned over the top for best results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cabbage roll
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
