These sweet and sour cabbage rolls are just like mom made it and absolute comfort food! The cabbage rolls are filled with meat and rice and simmered in a sweet and sour sauce made with brown sugar and fresh lemon juice.
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There are a few dishes that bring me right back to my childhood. My mom stuffed grape leaves recipe, Passover bimuelos and these sweet and sour stuffed cabbage rolls.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
Sweet and sour cabbage rolls are a popular Ashkenazi Jewish recipe and I am sure, every Jewish family has their own version of stuffed cabbage rolls.
There are a lot of different variations, some with raisins or dried fruit, but this is the way my mom made hers, cabbage rolls that are filled with meat and rice and simmered in a slightly sweet tomato sauce.
My mom also swore by using "sour salt" or citric acid, which gives the sauce it's distinctive tart flavor. It is harder to find, so I like to use fresh lemon juice for that pucker flavor.
Cooked Rice or Uncooked Rice? Since this recipe has been posted, there have been a few comments mentioning that the rice isn't cooked by the end of the cooking time. I have always made this with uncooked Basmati rice, which stays tender and is cooked through. However, you can also add cooked and cooled rice to the mixture or cooked minute rice to be sure everything is tender in the center.
Ingredients
- Green Cabbage: Look for cabbage that have nice round leaves that are in tact.
- Ground Beef: We make outs with ground beef but ground chicken or turkey would ve good options as well.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: I like using panko breadcrumbs that are a bit lighter than traditional breadcrumbs.
- Basmati Rice: My preferred rice is basmati rice and favorite brand is called India Gate Basmati Rice, which is fragrant long and fluffy grains.
- Tomato Sauce: Use an unflavored tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes for a smooth consistency.
- Tomato Paste: A few tablespoons of tomato paste is added to the sauce giving it a bit more sweetness and depth.
- Brown Sugar: This is the ingredient that makes the sweet end of the sweet and sour sauce.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: One whole lemon is zested and juiced for the tart flavor in the sweet and sour sauce. Another option is sour salt or citric acid, which is what my mom used when lemons weren't available.
- Spices: Garlic Powder and Paprika: These spices are a bit of a modern twist that I've added. The paprika offers a sweet earthy flavor and garlic is savory and delicious.
- Fresh Parsley: A fresh pop of brightness for garnish.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- If fresh lemon juice isn't available, substitute with white vinegar or rice vinegar.
- For added sweetness, add ¼ cup of raisins to the ground beef mixture.
- Instead of baking in the oven, you can also cook the cabbage rolls on the stovetop for 45-55 minutes or in a slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
Step 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and carefully place the whole cabbage in until the outer leaves begin to soften, about 10 minutes.
Step 2. Place the cabbage in a colander to cool enough to handle. Cut out the core of the cabbage and gently peel away whole cabbage leaves.
Step 3. To a bowl, add the ground beef, rice, breadcrumbs, egg and spices.
Step 4. Give the beef mixture a good mix until everything just comes together.
Step 5. Take about 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture and place it towards the bottom of the cabbage leaf.
Step 6. Roll the cabbage leaf up, tucking in the sides so no meat is exposed, then continue rolling into a tight cabbage roll.
Step 7. Line an oven safe pot with any extra or torn cabbage leaves and nestle in all of the cabbage rolls.
Step 8. Stir the sweet and sour tomato sauce mixture together and pour over the cabbage rolls.
Step 9. Cover the pot with lid and place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50-60 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and rolls are tender.
Cooking Tips
- This version of stuffed cabbage rolls is baked in the oven but can easily be simmered on the stove top as well.
- Instead of boiling the cabbage and waiting for it to cool down, place the whole cabbage in the freezer the day before and then thaw. This will also make the cabbage leaves pliable enough to roll.
- Taste the sauce and adjust as you like, add more or less brown sugar and fresh lemon juice.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
More Jewish Recipes to Try
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Head of green cabbage
Meat Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup uncooked basmati rice
- 1 egg whisked
Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce
- 4 cups tomato sauce or pureed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 whole lemon juiced
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or more if you like it sweeter
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and carefully place the whole cabbage in until the outer leaves begin to soften, about 10 minutes. You can also place the cabbage in the freezer the day before and thaw which makes the leaves pliable.
- Place the cabbage in a colander to cool enough to handle. Cut out the core of the cabbage and gently peel away whole cabbage leaves. If some tear, that's OK. You can either double up with another leaf or line the bottom of the pot with broken leaves later on.
- In another bowl, mix the ground beef, spices, chopped parsley, breadcrumbs, rice and egg and mix well until well combined.
- For the sweet and sour tomato sauce, add all those ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. You can taste for seasoning and if you wish to make it more sweet or sourer, adjust as you like.
- Line an oven safe pot with any extra or torn cabbage leaves and scatter sliced onions.
- Use a small paring knife and cut the hard stem off each cabbage leaf. Take about 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture and roll cabbage up, tucking in the sides so no meat is exposed, then continue rolling into a tight cabbage roll.
- Line the cabbage rolls in the pot and pour the sweet and sour tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls.
- Cover the pot with lid and place in the oven to bake for about 50-60 minutes, until meat is cooked through and rolls are tender.
- Serve cabbage rolls with spoonful of tomato sauce and extra lemon if you prefer.
Notes
- This version of stuffed cabbage rolls is baked in the oven but can easily be simmered on the stove top as well.
- Instead of boiling the cabbage and waiting for it to cool down, place the whole cabbage in the freezer the day before and then thaw. This will also make the cabbage leaves pliable enough to roll.
- taste the sauce and adjust as you like, add more or less brown sugar and fresh lemon juice.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
Lise Wolfe says
Was hoping for the best- followed the directions perfectly- rice was crunchy and tasted raw! How can this be after 70 min of cooking🥵
Samantha Ferraro says
Hi Lise, We are so sorry to hear that after following the recipe exactly the dish did not yield a perfect meal. I Will retest the recipe again. Thank you for letting us know. Sincerely, Samantha
Kahyla says
Wow, wow, wow! I used uncooked rice. What a disaster. Don’t do that!!!! 70 min later, the rice is still not cooked. I just put it in the crockpot turning it into something soup like in hopes the rice will cook.
Samantha Ferraro says
Hi Kahyla. Interesting, I'm sorry it didn't work out correctly. I wish I knew why your version did not cook correctly. I use the same raw method with Grape leaves and never had undercooked rice. I have tried Par-cooking the rice and I thought it was a Bit overcooked but I had one comment who loved par-cooking the rice first. Thank you for the honest feedback and again, sorry the recipe didn't work for you. Samantha
Karen J eslinger says
I froze the cabbage once and my rolls were tough,fyi
Samantha Ferraro says
Hi Karen, Interesting, I will do some testing to see if they might freeze better before cooking or even when they are par-cooked. Thank you for the heads up. Samantha
Marcia Minsky says
Could you cook these in your crockpot, and if so, how long?
Samantha Ferraro says
WOW... YES, just know I have Never done these in a Crockpot but because you are so insightful I will now. What a Wonderful idea. I will definitely do this recipe in a Crockpot on Low and Slow after it's assembled. Probably 4-5 Hours on low. What a Great Question Marcia. Thank you and let us know how it turns out. Samantha.
SherryH says
How I Got Some of My Grandmother's Recipes...
1. I told her what recipes I wanted to pass on and why.
2. I made "Dates" with her to do it. I explain how we were going to have to do it. And I bought the supplies she told me to get.
3. I made sure I had all of my measuring cups and measuring Spoons with me. Pencil and pad to write it down.
4. We cooked. Where step of the way I measured every "pinch" or coffee cup of this or that.
5. We spent together. We enjoyed a meal or a snack together.
6. With very little extra effort and/or adjustment, I have the recipes and a piece of family history.
PS Glad to find you site with so many interesting dishes.
Samantha says
Hi Sherry! Thank you for sharing that and thank you for the lovely comment!
Lori says
Hi, maybe stupid question. Does dried basmati rice mean not cooked?
Thanks
Samantha says
Hi Lori! Yes it means uncooked.
AMY says
FYI Sour salt ...IS citric acid. It is how my grandmother made it too. It used to come as chunks like rock sugar used to come..and you would toss in a small or large chunk..I make my rolls from memory of how they tasted..so its a little of this and that...always used white sugar...and sour salt...you can still buy it in shakers..>World Market has it ...and you can buy online...it is so much better than anything else because it doesnt change the flavor..it wont impart a citrus flavor or vinegar. I still use rasins in the sauce not on the meat...might try adding it to the meat. Thanks for the post
Samantha says
Thank you for sharing Amy!! I'll look into sour salt/citric acid. Happy cooking!
Peter says
Really splendid recipe. Though I had sour salt, I opted for fresh lemon zest and juice. Much tastier, less salty. Added a handful of black currants to the sauce. After peeling the first few cabbage leaves, I boiled for another 10 min. That allowed me to peel the remaining leaves easily enough to get them intact. Oh, I also parboiled the rice so it would not suck all the moisture out of the meat.
Samantha says
Hi Peter! I go back and forth on par boiling the rice or not but I appreciate your tips! My mom never par boiled rice (even when making stuffed grape leaves) and I got in the same habit. Thank you for commenting and sharing your cooking tips as well.
Anna says
Back in Ukraine we csll them “holubtsi”)
Was reaaaally surprised to see them outside
Samantha says
Thank you Steve! Hope you do..delicious, easy and comforting!
Hilda Sterner says
Looks good, Assyrian cabbage "dolma" is my daughter's favorite, so I always make it for her. I love it with meat, but make it without for her. We serve it topped with garlic/yogurt and a spicy tomato sauce on top. Also, sour salt is just another name for citric acid. If you don't want to use it, you can substitute with lemon juice! Great post!
Samantha says
I love the addition of garlic yogurt...that sounds lovely!! Yes..I subbed lemon juice in this cause which I liked overall!