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Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Stove Top Cabbage Rolls, a simple and delicious meal!

One easy way to get reconnected with the family, is to eat dinner together. So make a batch of Stove Top Cabbage Rolls because it is a delicious way to enjoy both, in the making and in the eating!


Cooking for those I care about is a great way to end my day.

When I made these Stove Top Cabbage Rolls I had one thing in mind. A delicious dinner with my family and some hands on work that would actually take away the stress of the day. You see, I am one of those people that relaxes after a day at work by cooking dinner for the family or a group of friends. And from there a shared meal takes me quietly to the end of a great day! But honestly I also believe that we actually crave the tactile work of cooking after a busy day earning a living. Our brains need a break and tactile work is soothing as well. 

While this recipe is not hard, there are a few steps to getting it put together.

During my working years I was almost completely removed from working one on one, with people. Oh, I managed people, such as hiring and firing. Along with the different departments such as budgets and financial management of the income that kept the business going. When the work day was done, I craved time with people and the one sure way to reconnect with the people you care about is to share a meal together! Which for me starts with cooking. And with the steps involved in this recipe it is the perfect dinner to have a few extra hands helping...

I think one of the most interesting products to come on the market in the last ten years are dinner kits. As I was watching a commercial for a well known dinner kit the other night, the gentleman in the commercial was explaining that he really didn't have time to cook. But as he was speaking those very words, he was busy cooking the ingredients from the kit, into a meal to enjoy...So gather up a few good (and easy) recipes, use a shopping service if that helps, but get back to cooking and sharing a meal with the family. It's good for us all!


Some additional thoughts on this recipe:

This recipe does not call for rice, cooked or raw. I know that rice is traditional, but these Stove Top Cabbage Rolls are like little meatloaves wrapped in cabbage!

The thick spines of the cabbage leaves are cut away. Simply overlap the edges as instructed and get rolling! It does all work out...

Please don't leave out the dried tomatoes, they add a richness to the sauce.

And we have shared a recipe to use up the leftover center of the head of cabbage, you are going to love it!


Ingredients needed for this recipe:
  • cabbage
  • ground beef
  • egg
  • dry whole wheat bread crumbs
  • olive oil
  • salt and fresh ground pepper
  • nutmeg
  • whole wheat flour
  • garlic
  • bay leaves
  • dried tomatoes
  • canned diced tomatoes
  • brown sugar
  • beef stock or bone broth
  • sour cream for serving
You will also need the following:
  • large pot
  • tongs
  • frying pan
  • kitchen knife
  • medium sized mixing bowl
  • large flat pan with lid
Now we can get started!


Stove Top Cabbage Rolls.

Stove Top Cabbage Rolls
by the seat of my pants

1 medium to large head of cabbage
a large pot of boiling water

1 small onion, minced
olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/2 c dry whole wheat bread crumbs
1 t salt
fresh ground pepper, as desired
1./2 t ground nutmeg

flour for folding

olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
1 14-16 oz. canned diced tomatoes
2 T brown sugar
2 T minced sun-dried tomatoes
2 c rich beef stock or bone broth

Sour Cream, for serving


Remove the individual leaves for, Stove Top Cabbage Rolls

Remove the core from the cabbage, and discard. 

Place cabbage into a large pot of boiling water, after a minute or so the outer leaf will begin to separate from the head of cabbage, remove the outer leaf and place on a tray to cool down. 

Quickly the remaining leaves will do the same, as each can be loosened and removed from the pot, and placed on a tray. Continue until you have 12 large leaves. Let the cabbage leaves cool to the touch.




Remove the rest of the head of cabbage from the water and set aside for another use.


Mince the onion, add some olive oil to the frying pan and sauté the onion until lightly golden, remove from the pan to a medium sized mixing bowl, and let cool. When cool, add the ground beef, egg, whole wheat bread crumbs, salt and pepper and the nutmeg. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until needed. 

Cut the thick middle spine from each cabbage leaf in a thin V shape. Discard the spines. Remove meat mixture from the refrigerator, and divide into 12 portions.



Take a cabbage leaf, dust with flour, position the leaf so that the cut out spine area is overlapping, add a portion of the meat, fold over the top of the leaf, then the sides and one additional fold over to enclose the meat.

Place seam down, and continue until each leaf and meat portion are made into a cabbage roll.


In a large flat pan (large enough to hold the cabbage rolls), add a bit of olive oil and sauté the garlic, add the canned tomatoes, minced sun-dried tomatoes, and brown sugar.



Carefully arrange the cabbage rolls on the top of the tomato mixture, add the stock, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove cooked cabbage rolls to a serving platter, let rest 10 minutes. 

Turn the heat up and simmer the sauce to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Spoon over cabbage rolls and serve with sour cream if desired.

Storage options for Stove Top Cabbage Rolls. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Leftovers freeze beautifully, allowing for longer storage time. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Stove Top Cabbage Rolls has been included below. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Stove Top Cabbage Rolls
by the seat of my pants

1 medium to large head of cabbage
a large pot of boiling water

1 small onion, minced
olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/2 c dry whole wheat bread crumbs
1 t salt
fresh ground pepper, as desired
1./2 t ground nutmeg

flour for folding

olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
1 14-16 oz. canned diced tomatoes
2 T brown sugar
2 T minced sun-dried tomatoes
2 c rich beef stock or bone broth

Sour Cream, for serving

Remove the core from the cabbage, and discard. 

Place cabbage into a large pot of boiling water, after a minute or so the outer leaf will begin to separate from the head of cabbage, remove the outer leaf and place on a tray to cool down. 

Quickly the remaining leaves will do the same, as each can be loosened and removed from the pot, and placed on a tray. Continue until you have 12 large leaves. Let the cabbage leaves cool to the touch.

Remove the rest of the head of cabbage from the water and set aside for another use.

Mince the onion, add some olive oil to the frying pan and sauté the onion until lightly golden, remove from the pan to a medium sized mixing bowl, and let cool. When cool, add the ground beef, egg, whole wheat bread crumbs, salt and pepper and the nutmeg. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until needed. 

Cut the thick middle spine from each cabbage leaf in a thin V shape. Discard the spines. Remove meat mixture from the refrigerator, and divide into 12 portions.

In a large flat pan (large enough to hold the cabbage rolls), add a bit of olive oil and sauté the garlic, add the canned tomatoes, minced sun-dried tomatoes, and brown sugar.

Carefully arrange the cabbage rolls on the top of the tomato mixture, add the stock, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove cooked cabbage rolls to a serving platter, let rest 10 minutes. 

Turn the heat up and simmer the sauce to reduce and concentrate the flavor. Spoon over cabbage rolls and serve with sour cream if desired.

Storage options for Stove Top Cabbage Rolls. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Leftovers freeze beautifully, allowing for longer storage time. 

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Would you like to comment?

  1. Judee from Gluten Free A-Z Blog: They look really delicious but also time intensive to make. My mom used to make them and it was always a lot of work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Judee, while this recipe looks time intensive, they are really quite easy and the perfect way to spend time together in the kitchen and share a lovely meal together. Something I always enjoyed, more so through the years. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it!

      Delete
  2. Looks so good! Thanks so much for linking up at the Unlimited Link Party 100. Shared.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Dee! As always thanks for sharing such a nice link-up blog hop!

      Delete
  3. Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party - hope your week has been going great!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Melynda, CONGRATS! Your post is FEATURED at the #UnlimitedLinkParty 101!

    ReplyDelete

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