Back to recipe Email recipe
 servings
Eight cabbage rolls baked in oregano tomato sauce with one roll opened to show beef, pork, rice, and cheddar filling

Cabbage Rolls with Beef and Pork

These cabbage rolls with beef and pork wrap rice, oregano, cheddar, and savory filling in tender leaves with tomato sauce.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Eastern European
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Calories 379

Equipment

  • 1 Stovetop for blanching, sauce, and filling
  • 1 Oven for baking the rolls
  • 1 set Measuring Cups and Spoons for the filling and sauce
  • 1 Liquid Measuring Cup for tomato sauce and water
  • 1 Chef's Knife for trimming cabbage and chopping onion
  • 1 Cutting Board for cabbage and onion preparation
  • 1 Large Heavy-Bottomed Pot for blanching the leaves
  • 1 Kitchen Tongs for lifting the hot cabbage leaves
  • 1 rimmed sheet Baking Sheet for cooling the leaves
  • 1 medium Saucepan for the tomato sauce
  • 1 with fitted lid Large Sauté Pan for the filling
  • 1 Can Opener for canned tomatoes and sauce
  • 1 Box Grater for the cheddar
  • 1 Wooden Spoon for browning and stirring
  • 1 Large Baking Dish for eight rolls and sauce
  • 1 sheet Aluminum Foil for covering the baking dish
  • 1 pair Oven Mitts for handling the hot dish

Ingredients

Cabbage Rolls

  • 8 large white cabbage leaves center veins trimmed while keeping the leaves whole
  • salt for blanching water and seasoning; to taste
  • ¼ pound ground pork
  • ½ pound ground beef
  • ⅓ cup onion chopped
  • 1 cup canned tomatoes with juice
  • ⅓ cup long-grain rice uncooked
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh oregano chopped and divided equally between the filling and sauce
  • ½ cup water
  • black pepper to taste
  • ½ cup white cheddar cheese grated

Tomato Sauce

  • 2 cups tomato sauce smooth
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Prepare Leaves and Sauce

  • On the stovetop, bring a large heavy-bottomed pot of salted water to a boil. Trim the cabbage leaves with a chef’s knife on a cutting board, blanch them for 30 seconds, lift them with kitchen tongs, and lay them on a rimmed baking sheet to cool.
    8 large white cabbage leaves, salt
  • Use a can opener and liquid measuring cup for the tomato sauce. In a saucepan, combine it with the sugar and half the fresh oregano, bring to a boil, and set aside.
    2 cups tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoons fresh oregano
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Make the Filling

  • In a covered large sauté pan, cook the ground pork, ground beef, and chopped onion with a wooden spoon until the meat is browned and the onion is tender.
    1/4 pound ground pork, 1/2 pound ground beef, 1/3 cup onion
  • Add the canned tomatoes with juice, long-grain rice, Worcestershire sauce, the remaining fresh oregano, water, and black pepper. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes.
    1 cup canned tomatoes, 1/3 cup long-grain rice, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoons fresh oregano, 1/2 cup water, black pepper
  • Use a box grater for the white cheddar cheese if needed, then stir it into the warm filling.
    1/2 cup white cheddar cheese

Roll and Bake

  • Use measuring cups and spoons to place about 1/3 cup filling on each leaf. Fold in the sides from the unfolded edge and roll the leaf closed.
  • Spread half the prepared sauce in a large baking dish. Arrange all eight rolls on the sauce and cover them with the remaining sauce.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Use oven mitts to move the hot dish to a protected surface.

Notes

Serve two cabbage rolls per person. Keep the leaves whole while trimming the thick center veins so they remain easy to roll.

Nutrition

Serving: 12 cabbage rolls | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 864mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g