A few weeks ago, I posted a photo on Instagram of a giant head of cabbage that came in our CSA box with a plea for a recipe. My good friend Julia came to the rescue with her delicious stuffed cabbage rolls. According to Julia these rolls come from the Czech side of her family. I think my mom made something similar when I was growing up, so these could be Czech, or they could be Midwestern… it’s hard to say. Either way, they are not to be missed. This may not be the most photo-worthy recipe you ever make, but the sweetness of the cabbage contrasts with the tanginess of the tomato and bite of the onion… it’s so soothing and delicious. Perfect for a winter meal, as a freezer meal, or just dinner on yet another rainy summer day.

Ingredients

1 head cabbage
1 pound ground beef, ground turkey, or sausage
1 cup instant rice or cooked rice
1 Tbsp minced onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 8-oz cans tomato soup

Instructions

1. Mix meat, uncooked instant rice, onion, salt and pepper together. Moisten with 2-3 TB of the soup and set aside.
2. Cook cabbage in boiling water and remove the leaves as they separate. Drain.
3. Put on each leaf 2 TB of the meat mixture, fold and tuck under (like a burrito) and hold together with a toothpick if needed.
4. Put stuffed cabbages in a deep oven pot. Mix the 2 cans of soup with 2 can-fulls of water. Pour soup mixture over cabbage rolls. Cover with a lid or foil and bake at 350 for 2 hours.

Note from Julia:
“This is such an easy recipe, and when the rolls cook, they infuse the sweet cabbage flavor into the meat. The tomato sauce also compliments the cabbage flavor, and also is delicious served as gravy over mashed potatoes as the side! I love this recipe! When I cook it it smells like home!”

Thank you, Julia, for sharing this delicious recipe with me! It has quickly become a favorite at the Wilcox’s. 🙂



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