Cabbage Rolls
Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory beef and rice filling, baked low and slow in a tangy tomato-vegetable sauce until completely tender. A comforting classic, best served with a dollop of sour cream.
- 1 medium cabbage
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoons chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 beaten egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) can V8 vegetable juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Core the cabbage by cutting a cone-shaped wedge around the stem end to remove the tough core. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then lower the whole head in, coring-side down, and boil for about 5 minutes.
- As the outer leaves soften, peel them away one at a time with tongs and set them aside, then return the head to the water for another minute or two to soften the next layer of leaves. Repeat until you've peeled off about 12 good-sized leaves. For any leaf with a thick, stiff center rib, cut a V-shaped notch to remove some of the coarse spine — this makes the leaf far easier to roll and fold.
- Combine the ground beef, chopped onions, salt, beaten egg, milk, and cooked rice in a large bowl and mix until evenly combined.
- Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling onto each cabbage leaf and fold envelope-style, tucking in the sides and rolling up from the base. If you find it easier, you can also simply roll the cabbage around the filling and tuck the ends in with your fingers — whichever method feels more natural works fine.
- Lay the rolls flap-side down in a heavy Dutch oven, packing them in fairly snugly so they hold their shape while baking.
- Combine the canned tomatoes, V8 vegetable juice, and Worcestershire sauce, then pour the mixture over the cabbage rolls. If you're not a fan of the V8's vegetable flavor, plain tomato juice works as a substitute, or stir in a cup of chicken broth to mellow the tomato flavor.
- Bake at 350°F for about an hour, until the cabbage is completely tender and the filling is cooked through. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Chef's Note: A tip passed down from a group of Polish grandmothers making cabbage rolls for a community banquet: reach for small, new cabbages if you can find them, since they're more tender, easier to roll, and cook up better than a large, dense head. It's also worth buying your cabbage a day or two ahead so the leaves have time to relax slightly, which makes peeling and rolling noticeably easier.
The V-shaped notch cut into any stiff, thick-ribbed leaves is a small step that makes a real difference — without it, those tougher center ribs resist folding and can crack the leaf right where you need it to bend. This dish also reheats beautifully, so it's a good one to make a day ahead and let the flavors settle before serving.
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