Italian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Italian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a kicked-up twist on a classic East European favorite! This hearty, comforting meal will put a smile on everyone’s face and it’s sure to become a new favorite!
Servings: 6 -8
Equipment
Ingredients
- Cooking spray or oil for baking pan
- Salt
- 1 large head green cabbage 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped (approximately 1 heaping cup)
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 3/4 pound ground chuck
- 3/4 cup converted white rice (parboiled rice)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sauce
- 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water to rinse out the crushed tomatoes can
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Calabrian hot pepper paste or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13 x 9-inch baking dish by spraying with cooking spray or lightly brushing with oil.
Prep the Cabbage
- In a large soup pot, heat 4 quarts of generously salted water to boiling over high heat.
- Carefully place the cabbage head in the water. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Transfer cabbage to a colander. When cool enough to handle, peel off 12 outer leaves.
Cook the Rice
- Add the uncooked white rice using the same water from blanching the cabbage leaves. Bring back to a boil and cook for 6-7 minutes or until the rice is cooked al dente (to the tooth). (You should be able to bite down on a rice kernel, but there should be resistance. You don't want it cooked entirely or too soft). Drain the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold tap water to cool. Drain again. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Without taking too much out, cut the thick ribs from the base of the leaves in an upside-down V-shape so you have 2 "flaps" and can fold them up easily.
Filling
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 3-4 minutes just to soften. Remove from heat. Transfer half the onion to a large mixing bowl.
- To the onion in the bowl, add Italian sausage, ground chuck, rice, Parmesan cheese, water, chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper.
- Divide the filling into 12 even portions.
- Place even amounts of the filling in the center of each cabbage leaf. Starting at the bottom of the leaf, fold the "flaps" over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish and repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
Sauce
- To the onions in the skillet (save a bowl) add crushed tomatoes, water used to rinse out the can, tomato paste, hot pepper paste, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper to taste. Stir together then pour over the filled cabbage leaves.
- Cover securely. Bake until cooked through in the center to 165 degrees, approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Use chicken or turkey sausage in place of pork Italian sausage.
- Riced cauliflower can be used, but don't cook it first.
- To divide the filling evenly so it's not by guessing when filling the leaves, cut the filling into quarters in the bowl, then cut each quarter into thirds. This gives you 12 even portions.
- Can be assembled 12 hours in advance with fresh ground beef. (You don't want to assemble too far in advance because of the ground beef.)
- Refrigerate until needed.
- Let sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed.
- Bake first, cool and freeze in airtight containers in the quantity desired.
- Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through to 165 degrees in the center.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 867mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 683IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 4mg