Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Prepare rice

Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rinsed rice and 1 cup cold water in a small saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 8 minutes until slightly tender but still with a bite. Remove from heat and let sit covered 5 minutes. Rice should be partly cooked so it finishes inside the roll.

Mix filling

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, par-cooked rice (fluffed), finely diced onion, minced garlic, egg, chopped parsley, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp smoked paprika. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined—do not overwork to keep filling tender. Refrigerate while preparing cabbage.

Core and blanch cabbage

Bring a large pot of salted water (1 tbsp kosher salt) to a rolling boil. Remove core from cabbage with a sharp knife. Place whole head into boiling water for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until outer leaves soften and peel away easily. Use tongs to transfer softened leaves to a bowl. Repeat until you have 10–12 large pliable leaves. Reserve remaining cabbage for another use.

Trim leaves

Trim the thick vein at the base of each leaf with a sharp knife to make them easier to roll (cut a shallow V or slice to flatten). Pat leaves dry with paper towels. Brush both sides lightly with olive oil and season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Assemble rolls

Lay a cabbage leaf flat, place about 3 tablespoons of filling near the stem end (adjust to leaf size). Fold stem end over filling, fold sides in, then roll tightly toward the tip to make a neat cigar-shaped roll. Secure with a toothpick or kitchen twine if needed. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling (should make about 10–12 rolls).

Make sauce

In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 24 oz tomato sauce, 14 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 cup water or beef broth until smooth and slightly sweet-tart. Taste and adjust salt if desired (the filling already contains salt).

Preheat grill and prepare pan

Preheat grill to medium heat (350–375°F / 175–190°C). If using charcoal, bank coals to one side for indirect heat. Grease a grill-safe pan or cast-iron skillet with a little olive oil and place it on the grill to preheat for 5 minutes.

Arrange rolls and add sauce

Place cabbage rolls seam-side down in the preheated pan snugly but not overcrowded. Pour the prepared sauce over the rolls, using a spoon to coat each roll and add about 1/4–1/3 cup sauce per roll. Cover the pan with a lid or tightly with two layers of aluminum foil to trap steam.

Grill (indirect) until cooked

Set the pan over indirect heat (not directly over flames) and cook covered for 35–45 minutes, checking once at 30 minutes. Rolls are done when meat is cooked through (internal temperature 160–165°F / 71–74°C) and rice is tender. If using a grill without lid, lower heat and monitor to avoid burning; keep covered with foil.

Optional finish

For a lightly charred exterior, remove foil for the last 5 minutes and move pan to direct heat briefly, watching closely so sauce doesn’t burn. Alternatively, brush extra sauce on top and place rolls directly on grill grates for 1–2 minutes per side to get grill marks, then return to pan.

Rest and serve

Carefully remove pan from grill. Let rolls rest covered 5 minutes to redistribute juices. Remove toothpicks/twine. Serve 2 rolls per person with extra sauce spooned over. Garnish with additional chopped parsley if desired.