Cabbage Rolls with Meat Filling
Tender savoy cabbage leaves around a savory meat filling, braised in a dark gravy.
- Preparation
- 40 min
- Cook/bake time
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
Tender savoy cabbage leaves around a savory meat filling, braised in a dark gravy.
Cabbage rolls are winter soul food par excellence. Soft cabbage leaves envelop a juicy meat filling and braise slowly in a rich sauce until everything is tender as butter. There is a bit of effort involved in rolling, but the result is a dish that tastes like home. Serve classically with boiled potatoes to soak up the sauce.
Cabbage leaves are stiff because their cell walls are under pressure. Blanching destroys this pressure. The cell water escapes, the leaves become pliable, and they can be rolled without breaking. During the subsequent braising, the pectin between the cells breaks down further, which is why the rolls are tender as butter after an hour, even though the raw cabbage would be almost unchewable.
Detach 8 large leaves from the savoy cabbage. Blanch them in boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until they are pliable. Shock them in ice water and cut the thick central rib flat so they do not break when rolling.
Vigorously knead the ground meat with the bread roll, onion, egg, mustard, and spices until a uniform filling is formed.
Lay out 2 leaves overlapping for each roll, distribute the filling on top, fold in the sides, and roll everything up tightly. Secure the rolls with kitchen twine or roulade pins. This will give you 4 large rolls.
Sear the rolls in clarified butter until brown all over and remove them. Sauté the onion and tomato paste in the fat and deglaze with broth. Return the rolls and let them braise covered for 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove the rolls and refine the sauce as desired with a dash of cream, then let it reduce briefly. Remove the twine and serve the rolls with plenty of sauce.
Mix two tablespoons of cooked rice into the filling for a lighter and more filling option.
Replace the ground meat with a mixture of lentils, fried mushrooms, and breadcrumbs.
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 16 g |
| – of which sugar | 7 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
Both are classic. Savoy cabbage is more tender and softens faster, while white cabbage is a bit firmer and heartier. White cabbage needs one to two minutes longer when blanching.
Roll them tightly, tie them with twine, and sear them with the seam facing down. After searing, the shape holds much better.
Yes, cabbage rolls can easily be braised the day before and reheated, they only get better. They are also suitable for freezing.
Sign in to rate and comment on this recipe.
Sonja Bode
18. Juni 2026
Mit Wirsing viel einfacher zu wickeln. Schön saftig, die ganze Familie war begeistert.
Sven Ahrens
10. Juni 2026
Etwas Arbeit, aber es lohnt sich. Die Sauce mit Sahne war perfekt.
Steffen Kaiser
5. Juni 2026
Erstes Mal gemacht, hat gut geklappt dank der Wickel-Anleitung.
Here some of the ingredients never reach the plate: most frying oil stays in the pan, and in a stock the solids are strained off. How much of it ends up in the food cannot be calculated – counting a litre of oil would quintuple the figure, leaving it out would describe a dish baked without fat. So this is an editorial estimate rather than a total that would look dependable without being so.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
