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My Polish grandmother’s recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls is an old-fashioned dinner that stands the test of time. Cabbage leaves are filled with meat and rice and then cooked in a sweet tomato sauce for a classic crowd-pleasing meal! Pair them with cucumber dill salad, potato pancakes, mashed potatoes, or sauerkraut.
Table of Contents
- Polish Stuffed Cabbage Recipe
- Ingredients for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- What to Serve with Stuffed Cabbage
- Recipe FAQs for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
- The Secret to Perfect Cabbage Rolls
- How to Store & Reheat Cabbage Rolls
- Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Stuffed Cabbage Recipe
- More Stuffed Cabbage Recipes to Try
- Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Polish Stuffed Cabbage Recipe
My dad’s mother is from Poland, so he was raised on these Gołąbki or Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. My grandmother prepared the stuffed cabbage for us every time she visited, so the hearty meal has become synonymous with special occasions like birthdays, holidays, and family gatherings.
Gołąbki is the plural form of gołąbek, which comes from the Polish word gołąb, meaning “pigeon.” Apparently, the shape of stuffed cabbage rolls resembles a bird, hence the name! You may have also heard the recipe referred to as Golumpki or Kohlrouladen (German Stuffed Cabbage Rolls).
The traditional dish is popular in the cuisines of Central Europe and is often served during the Christmas season or for special occasions such as weddings. German stuffed cabbage is similar to this Polish stuffed cabbage recipe; however, the Kohlrouladen often includes a brown gravy rather than a tomato sauce and might not include rice. No matter what you call them, you will soon realize why these amazing stuffed cabbage rolls are so well-loved!
Ingredients for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for our favorite stuffed cabbage recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Cabbage: you’ll need one very large whole head of cabbage or two smaller heads of green cabbage. Remove the tough outer leaves, and use a paring knife to cut off the toughest parts of the rib and stem. Savoy cabbage also works well for stuffed cabbage since its leaves are somewhat elastic and have a lovely waffle-knit texture.
- Meatloaf mix: a combination of ground beef, ground veal, and ground pork gives the stuffed cabbage the best flavor. If you prefer, you can substitute with only ground beef.
- White rice: you’ll need uncooked white rice, which you parboil in salted water for about 4 minutes. The rice will finish cooking in the oven. You can use packets of parboiled rice as a shortcut if you like (just skip the cooking instructions on the package).
- Butter: to sauté the onion.
- Onion: for a savory flavor.
- Stale bread or breadcrumbs: acts as a binder to bring the filling together.
- Beef broth: adds flavor and moisture to the stuffed cabbage filling.
- Parsley: fresh herbs are our preference for the best flavor, but you can substitute with a smaller amount of dried parsley flakes.
- Bacon: serves as a crispy, smoky, flavorful garnish. You’ll also use the bacon drippings to cook the stuffed cabbage.
- Condensed tomato soup: you’ll need a family-size can of condensed tomato soup or two smaller cans. My grandma always used Campbell’s soup (rather than plain tomato sauce), which is obviously not a traditional Polish ingredient. The soup gives the dish a slightly sweet, rich tomato flavor, so just trust me on this one. Don’t skip it! If using tomato sauce instead of the soup, you’ll want to season the sauce with salt, pepper, and brown sugar. The sauce will also be thinner than the soup.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: enhance the other flavors in the dish.
How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Even folks who claim to not like cabbage seem to enjoy this meal! The low-and-slow cooking process results in tender, sweet cabbage that has a very mild (almost undetectable taste), so the leaves just serve to hold the filling together. The meat mixture is similar to a meatball! And while the recipe is definitely more involved and time-consuming than most of the meals that I share on this blog, it’s well worth the effort for a special occasion!
- Steam the cabbage leaves to make them soft enough for rolling. I do this in the microwave (thanks to my mom’s easy shortcut tip), but you can also steam the cabbage in a pot of water on the stovetop like my grandmother used to do. Both methods are included in the recipe below! Blog readers have also mentioned that you can freeze the cabbage and then use the thawed, softened leaves for rolling (no boiling necessary).
- Once the leaves are soft, carefully pull them off one at a time and place them on a cutting board.
- Sauté the onion in butter in a large skillet on the stovetop.
- Fry the bacon until crisp, reserving the drippings in the pot.
- Prepare the filling for your stuffed cabbage by combining the meatloaf mix, parboiled rice, sautéed onion, breadcrumbs, beef broth, and parsley in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper and up to 1 tablespoon of sugar, if desired. The mixture should be very moist.
- How to roll stuffed cabbage: Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat and rice filling onto each cabbage leaf. It helps to trim off some of the stems from each leaf to make the rolling process easier. Then roll up the cabbage leaves burrito-style! Start at the stem end, roll up slightly, and then fold in the sides and continue rolling. You can use toothpicks to secure the rolls as necessary.
- Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in a large Dutch oven that’s coated with bacon grease. You can stack the cabbage rolls on top of each other as necessary.
- Pour and spread the tomato soup over top of the cabbage rolls, then cover the pot and simmer over very low heat for about 2 hours. The cabbage rolls will slowly steam in the pot so the meat cooks through and the rice becomes tender.
- Serve the stuffed cabbage on a plate, spoon the sauce over top, and garnish with the cooked bacon and fresh parsley.
What to Serve with Stuffed Cabbage
Here are some easy sides that go well with the stuffed cabbage:
- Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, or Skin-On Mashed Red Potatoes
- Buttered Dill New Potatoes
- Great Grandmother’s Potato Pancakes
- German Potato Salad or My Grandmother’s Easy Potato Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Dill Salad or Cucumber Salad with Vinegar
- Easy Sauerkraut with Crispy Bacon
- Rice Pilaf
- Buttered Noodles
- Crock Pot Applesauce, Easy Homemade Applesauce, Baked Apple Slices, or Fried Apples
- Braised Red Cabbage or Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onions
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Biscuits, Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, or Drop Biscuits
- Skillet Cornbread, Honey Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, Sweet Cornbread Muffins, or Corn Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread {No Knead, No Yeast!} or Honey Beer Bread
- Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread or Easy Baguette
- Wedge Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon, Southern-Style Green Beans or Roasted Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Creamed Peas
Recipe FAQs for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Are stuffed cabbage rolls healthy?
This meal includes vegetables, protein, and starch in one dish. It’s hearty and satisfying, full of nutrients, and absolutely delicious! The total number of cabbage rolls prepared will vary depending on how many leaves you get from your head of cabbage. The large recipe yields enough to serve about 10-12 people, with each serving including about 373 calories, 37 grams of carbohydrate, 19 grams of protein, and 17 grams of fat.
Do you put eggs in stuffed cabbage?
It depends on the cook! Some recipes call for an egg as a binder in the filling; however, my Polish grandmother never used egg in her stuffed cabbage recipe…so I don’t either. The egg is definitely not necessary to keep the filling together.
Do you have to cook cabbage rolls before freezing?
You do not have to cook cabbage rolls before freezing them! You can simply prepare the recipe right up until baking. Instead of arranging them in a Dutch oven, put the stuffed cabbage rolls in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw before baking, then prepare as usual.
What’s the best way to freeze cabbage rolls?
Unbaked cabbage rolls are best kept in the freezer in plastic freezer bags. Arrange them neatly in the freezer bags, remove the excess air, and make sure to label and date the bags before freezing. Prepared leftover stuffed cabbage rolls can be kept in a freezer-safe container like Tupperware storage containers or a baking dish with a lid.
The Secret to Perfect Cabbage Rolls
- Don’t roll the cabbage rolls too tightly. The rice expands as it cooks, so cabbage rolls stuffed too tightly might tear or burst in the cooking process, causing that yummy filling to spill out and fall apart.
- Spread a spoonful of tomato soup on the bottom of the Dutch oven before layering the cabbage rolls. Especially if you have multiple layers of rolls, this will help keep that bottom layer nice and moist, and you don’t have to worry about burning.
- Lean meat is best because you won’t have a way to drain off excess fat when the meat cooks.
How to Store & Reheat Cabbage Rolls
How to Store:
Leftover stuffed cabbage will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the stuffed cabbage rolls, which is great because the recipe yields a very large portion. If you don’t need all of the cabbage rolls for one meal, package the cooked extras in an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You get two dinners for one effort!
How to Reheat:
To reheat the stuffed cabbage rolls, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, you can warm the cabbage rolls in a Dutch oven (covered) over very low heat just until heated through (about 20-30 minutes). Alternatively, you can place the cabbage rolls in an oven-safe baking dish, cover with foil, and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through. Individual portions can be warmed in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on high power.
If you want extra sauce for serving the leftovers, simply add another (small) can of tomato soup to the pot!
Recipe Variations
- Instead of steaming the cabbage in the microwave, you can boil the cabbage in a large pot of water until tender. Bring 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a boil, and then add the cabbage (stem-side-down). Boil for 10 minutes; turn the cabbage over, and continue cooking for 4 more minutes (or until soft). Allow the cabbage to cool enough so that you can handle it, and then carefully remove the leaves, one at a time.
- Other cooks suggest freezing the head of cabbage and then thawing before stuffing and rolling. This cuts out the step of boiling the cabbage because the freezing and thawing process will adequately soften the leaves so that you can roll them.
- Slow Cooker Method: Assemble the cabbage rolls as described, but place in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or spread with bacon grease). Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- If using brown rice instead of white rice, you’ll need to boil the rice for 15 minutes before adding it to the meat mixture.
- Add extra flavor to the stuffed cabbage filling by including garlic powder or fresh minced garlic. You might also like to add a splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice to the sauce before serving. Garnish with fresh dill for additional flavor, too!
Tips for the Best Stuffed Cabbage Recipe
- While you can prepare this recipe using ground beef or ground turkey instead of the meatloaf mixture, I highly recommend using the combination of ground beef, pork, and veal. The meatloaf mixture gives the dish a unique flavor and richness that you don’t get with just ground beef.
- Make sure that you purchase the “family size” (23.2 ounces) can of condensed tomato soup. This is larger than the standard 10.75-ounce can. If you can’t find the extra large can, you can substitute with two smaller cans.
- You do not need to dilute the tomato soup before adding it to the pot. The tomato sauce will thin as it cooks and combines with the steam in the pot.
More Stuffed Cabbage Recipes to Try
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups uncooked long grain white rice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 slices bacon chopped
- 1 very large head of green cabbage (or 2 small heads)
- 2 lbs. meatloaf mix (a combination of ground beef, ground veal and ground pork)
- 2 slices stale bread, crumbled (or about 2/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 23.2 oz can can condensed tomato soup, NOT diluted
Instructions
PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS:
- Parboil the rice by cooking rice in salted boiling water for 4 minutes; drain. Set aside.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion in the melted butter just until tender (about 7-10 minutes). Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set it aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Leave the bacon grease in the pot.
- Steam cabbage in the microwave by placing the cabbage in a pan with about 2 inches of water. Cook for a total of about 10-12 minutes or until tender. I like to do this in increments, every few minutes removing the outer cabbage leaves as they become soft.
ASSEMBLE THE ROLLS:
- In a large bowl, stir together ground meat, parboiled rice, sautéed onion, breadcrumbs, beef broth, and parsley. Add salt and pepper and up to 1 tablespoon of sugar, if desired. The mixture should be very moist.
- Place a steamed cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Trim a little bit of the core off of the leaf to make it easier to roll. Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture at the core end of the cabbage leaf. Start to roll, fold in each side, and then continue rolling to seal. You can use toothpicks to secure the rolls if you like, but it’s not necessary. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
- Place the stuffed cabbage rolls seam-side down in the Dutch oven that has bacon grease in the bottom. Stack the rolls, as necessary, and then season with salt and pepper over top.
COOK THE ROLLS:
- Spread condensed soup over the top, cover, and cook over very low heat for 1 ½ – 2 hours.
- Garnish the stuffed cabbage leaves with the reserved cooked, crumbled bacon and fresh parsley, if desired, just before serving.
Notes
- Instead of steaming the cabbage in the microwave, you can boil the cabbage in a large pot of water until tender. Bring 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a boil, and then add the cabbage (stem-side-down). Boil for 10 minutes; turn the cabbage over, and continue cooking for 4 more minutes (or until soft). Allow the cabbage to cool enough so that you can handle it, and then carefully remove the leaves, one at a time.
- Other cooks suggest freezing the head of cabbage and then thawing before stuffing and rolling. This cuts out the step of boiling the cabbage because the freezing and thawing process will adequately soften the leaves so that you can roll them.
- Slow Cooker Method: Assemble the cabbage rolls as described, but place in a slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray (or spread with bacon grease). Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- If using brown rice instead of white rice, you’ll need to boil the rice for 15 minutes before adding it to the meat mixture.
- Add extra flavor to the stuffed cabbage filling by including garlic powder or fresh minced garlic. You might also like to add a splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice to the sauce before serving. Garnish with fresh dill for additional flavor, too!
- While you can prepare this recipe using ground beef or ground turkey instead of the meatloaf mixture, I highly recommend using the combination of ground beef, pork, and veal. The meatloaf mixture gives the dish a unique flavor and richness that you don’t get with just ground beef.
- Make sure that you purchase the “family size” (23.2 ounces) can of condensed tomato soup. This is larger than the standard 10.75-ounce can. If you can’t find the extra large can, you can substitute it with two smaller cans.
- You do not need to dilute the tomato soup before adding it to the pot. The tomato sauce will thin as it cooks and combines with the steam in the pot.
Great shout out to Wanda or Baa Chicago. She was such a nice lady. I too have fond memories of her. Her cabbage rolls we delicious. I could taste them now. You made me very happy today for those memories. love Fredda
Thank you, Fredda! I love to keep our family memories alive through the recipes. ❤️ Thank you for remembering her, too!
Just had to say that I have always used frozen, then thawed, heads of cabbage for my cabbage rolls! It is a great way to have a head of cabbage on hand. I freeze mine during the Summer when there are lots of available heads of cabbage. The first time I ever made cabbage rolls, I was in a nice grocery store that had pickled (not sweet!) cabbage heads with a recipe for cabbage rolls. That was superb – been making them ever since. I have even frozen some of my cabbages in a pickling solution. I will have to try the meatloaf mix. I have just used ground beef all these years and the mix of different meats sounds good. I, also, use large cans of tomato soup over the top and, sometimes, canned diced tomatoes. Love your recipes! I can find all kinds of ideas and good foods to try!!
Thanks
Awesome, Sherrie! I’m excited to try the frozen-then-thawed method, since it will cut out an extra step. Your pickled version sounds delish! Thanks for your kind note. 🙂
My mother-in-law made the best tasting & pretty candied sweet potatoes. All she used was butter, sugar & sweet potatoes, I watched her, wrote down every little drop, smidgeon, or just a little that she did. Mine never looked or tasted like hers. The liquid in her potatoes was thick but not stringy it actually was shiny. Please do you have a good easy recipe for candied sweet potatoes? If you have one that you would share I would be forever grateful By the way my mother-in-law died in the early 1990’s so she can no longer try to help me. Thanks, Lizzy
Hi, Lizzy! I’m sorry, but I don’t. Maybe I should create one, though. Thank you for the idea…I’m adding it to my list! 🙂
Cabbage roll look good I will deffitlee try this recipe
I don’t cook much but I will try the cabbage roll
I made this stuffed cabbage recipie using ground beef it came out really good .I would do this recipie again however my rolling isn’t as pretty as yours but it sure did taste good and makes a lot and the rolls are large!
We’re so happy to hear this, Daria! We’re sure you’re rolling skills are great, but it’s the flavor that matters most!