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Small Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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Cabbage Rolls

Large vegetables, like cauliflower or cabbage, can be a challenge when one is cooking for two.

We don’t want to eat it the same way for 3 or 4 days in a row, but we also don’t want to waste any of it.

Sometimes it goes into soup; sometimes it’s in the slow cooker with pork chops; sometimes a salad; sometimes, if we remember soon enough, we grab the big, outer leaves first and make cabbage rolls.

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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
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I made these with ‘white’ cabbage, rather then the curly, dark green Savoy cabbage. Either works. These can be assembled ahead and finished later, making them easy party food.

  • Author: Kate
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Category: First Courses

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cabbage leaves (see note)
  • 1 leek, cut into quarters lengthwise, then slices
  • 2oz (60gr) bacon, chopped
  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken broth
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tbs polenta
  • 2 tbs shredded cheese
  • 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
  • Braising liquid/Sauce:
  • 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) white wine
  • 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp cornstarch (corn flour, maizena)
  • 1 tbs water
  • you may need 1/3 cup more broth or water for braising

Instructions

  • Cabbage: 
  • Bring a large pot of water to boil and blanch the leaves for 1 minute.
  • Cover the pot if you can’t keep the leaves submerged. 
  • Remove, drain and set aside.
  • Stuffing: 
  • Heat oil in medium skillet. 
  • Add leek, bacon and sauté until leek is tender and bacon cooked.
  • Add broth, basil and heat through. 
  • Pour into a bowl, add polenta and stir well. 
  • Add cheese and stir.
  • Rolls: 
  • Lay the cabbage leaves as flat as reasonable. Cut out the tough stem in a deep, narrow ‘V’. 
  • Take a leaf and lay it with the round end toward you and the (former) stem end away. 
  • Place 1/4 of the stuffing on the round end and fold the cabbage leaf over snugly. Tuck the sides of the leaf in, folding over the rest of the leaf to the size of the roll. 
  • Roll it up and set aside, seam side down. 
  • Repeat. If there are tears in a leaf, just adjust as you roll.
  • Cooking: 
  • Place the cabbage rolls seam side down in the skillet.
  • Add broth, white wine, paprika and bring to a boil. 
  • Reduce heat to a slow simmer, cover and braise for 30 minutes. 
  • Check occasionally and add water or stock as needed.
  • Finishing:
  • Remove rolls when done. 
  • Increase heat under braising liquid.
  • Add more broth or water if needed, to make app. 2/3 cup.
  • Dissolve cornstarch in water and add to skillet, stirring until thick.
  • Remove, stir in yogurt. 
  • Divide the sauce into 2 flattish soup bowls or plates. 
  • Top with cabbage rolls and serve.

Notes

To remove cabbage leaves first take off any damaged leaves. Then locate the outermost ‘good’ leaf. Cut the stem end from the main stalk. Starting opposite the stem end, carefully roll the leaf backward (like you would roll down a sock) until you can loosen it from the stem end. Try not to tear it, but no problem if you do.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

You could also make a Warm Cabbage Salad

These are small and light for a first course but you could use cooked ground beef or leftover ham or turkey and makes lots or just bigger rolls for a main course. Once you’re organized, and the blanching done they go together quickly.

I like to do all of the assembly early, then refrigerate. About 45 minutes before dinner, put them in a baking dish, pour some tomato sauce over the top, add shredded cheese and bake.

This is my favorite recipe for a main course using Savoy cabbage: Stuffed Cabbage Rolls.

3 thoughts on “Small Stuffed Cabbage Rolls”

  1. I’ve been eating stuffed cabbage all my life, on my mother’s side, my father’s side, and my mother in law’s. I think these are so interesting because they’re not traditional! And they look delicious. I used to make traditional stuffed cabbage but got tired of the tedium of blanching the leaves, cutting, stuffing, rolling, etc…Now, I make Unstuffed Cabbage Soup. Tastes exactly like my mother in law’s who, really in my opinion, made the best I’ve ever had though she was a Czech so I would expect them to be much better than my own family’s, and it’s so much easier. One pot and I’m done.

    Yes, I’m back! And catching up. It’s been…a month. Too much to go into, but at least it’s calmed down now. My shopping is done, everything’s wrapped, my whole rib roast is ordered and I’m picking that up tomorrow…I finally have my ‘ducks in a row.’

    • I just bought a cabbage yesterday to make soup with some of the leftover Christmas ham. I love cabbage soup. My mother made a cabbage & rutabaga soup with short ribs. My version of that is next on my list. I actually love all soup lol
      Unstuffed Cabbage soup…. hmmmm….

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