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Classic cabbage rolls are an easy and comforting meal. They are also a super simple dish to freeze and have ready for meals later in the winter.
It is this make now and freeze for later idea that makes baked cabbage rolls a great way to preserve the garden harvest in a freezer ready meal.
There is a bit of hands-on time here. Cabbage rolls don’t pull together in 5 minutes. But that time now is well worth it when you find them in the freezer later on in the year.
Don’t let the time involved stop you from trying, the more you practice, the better and more efficient you’ll become.
How to Make Cabbage Rolls
There is a fairly exact recipe at the bottom of the article for folks that need it. However, cabbage rolls are more method than exact recipe, feel free to get creative with the basic process.
Boil the Cabbage
Start with a fresh head of cabbage, cored. Put that head of cabbage into a pot of boiling, salted water and let it blanch for a few minutes.
The outer leaves will start to come loose from the head. I use a pair of tongs to remove these outer leaves and stack them on my cutting board. I continue this process until all the leaves are loose and ready to be filled.
Make the Filling
The leaves are now ready for filling. My method is a cabbage roll recipe with rice, however one could easily skip the rice.
Use a filling of your choice but my cabbage rolls generally include:
- raw ground meats (a combination of Italian Sausage and chicken is nice, plain ground beef, regular sausage, veal, ground turkey, etc. all work)
- cooked rice (brown or white)
- sauteed veggies (usually I start with basics of onion, celery, garlic, and green pepper but often add carrots and sometimes peas)
- seasoning (salt, pepper, parsley, etc.)
- vegetarians feel free to use cooked lentils or buckwheat instead of meat
How to Fill the Leaves
Place the cabbage leaf onto a board so that it’s a bit of a bowl shape.
Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of your cabbage leaf. How much filling will depend on the size of the cabbage leaf. Use bigger scoops for bigger leaves. Don’t overfill.
Roll up the cabbage leaf like a burrito. It’s easiest to roll from the core edge, tucking the ends in as you roll. Place the roll into a baking dish, seam side down. Continue until you’ve used up all the leaves / filling.
Depending on the size of the cabbage, you may need multiple pans. It is okay to pack them tightly into the baking dish.
Finishing & Baking the Rolls
Cabbage roll sauce is nothing more than tomato juice in most cases. Though a thin tomato sauce could also be used.
Feel free to use store-bought or fresh juice (even tomato juice cocktails would work).
Pour some tomato juice over all of the rolls, making sure I have about 1/2″ of tomato juice at the bottom of each pan.
Cover the pans, aluminum foil works if your baking dishes don’t have lids.
Bake in a 350 degree fahrenheit oven for about an hour.
Uncover the rolls and serve immediately the ones you want to eat now.
How to Freeze Cabbage Rolls
To freeze rolls for later, allow them to cool to room temperature.
Place the cooked and cooled cabbage rolls into containers, freezer bags work just fine as do containers. Pour a little of the tomato juice into each container and freeze.
To Reheat Frozen Cabbage rolls
Place frozen rolls and their frozen tomato juice into a saucepan, cover, and simmer until heated through. Probably about 20-30 minutes.
It’ll go faster if the cabbage rolls are thawed before reheating, naturally.
Alternatively, place the thawed rolls into a casserole dish, pouring the tomato juice on top. Cover the pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, until heated through.
What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls are almost a complete meal in and of themselves. They have veggies, grains, and protein all rolled up together. Admittedly, that’s a rather plain and simple meal.
Elevate the rolls by serving them with whole grain breads or toasted garlic bread.
Pierogies make a nice and even more comforting meal.
Add more vegetables to the meal and serve them with salad. A tossed green salad is nice but so is bean salads or a cucumber salad. A bit of sauerkraut on the side is lovely, too.
A side dish cooked apple & sauerkraut is amazing.
Want to add some cooked vegetables to the meal? Try some mashed potatoes. Roasted veggies like carrots or Brussels sprouts are quite nice.
Old-Fashioned Cabbage Rolls
Bake these easy and delicious cabbage rolls to eat now or freeze them to quickly reheat and eat later.
Ingredients
- 1 Large Head Cabbage
- 1 Large Onion, Chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- 1 Large Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 1/2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 2 Cups Tomato Juice
Instructions
- Saute the onion, garlic, and bell pepper until onion is translucent. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the head of cabbage until the leaves separate.
- Drain the leaves and stack on your work surface.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sauteed veggies with the brown rice and raw ground beef. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- On your cutting board, place a cabbage leaf. Put a spoonful of filling in the middle.
- Roll the cabbage leaf up around the filling, tucking the ends in.
- Place the cabbage rolls into a baking dish, seam side down.
- Repeat until everything is used up. It is okay to pack the baking dish tightly with the rolls, but you may need two dishes to bake the rolls.
- Pour tomato juice over all. You want about 1/2" of juice at the bottom of each baking dish, a little more or less isn't going to hurt anything.
- Cover the baking dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 rollAmount Per Serving: Calories: 74Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 82mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g
We try our best but cannot guarantee that nutrition information is 100% accurate.
This is perfectly timed for me! I just made cabbage rolls for the first time last night. There was another meal’s worth of cabbage rolls left over. Now I know how to freeze and reheat them for another day. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad the post was helpful to you Julia! Enjoy those yummy rolls.
@Kathie, can you can cabbage rolls
It’s not generally recommended to can things like rice – so not that I know of…
@Julia, Freezing them is okay but I wouldn’t micro as they tend to separate and get watery. I let ours defrost and heat in the oven. They come out perfect.
Is there a printer friendly link??
I did add a ‘print friendly’ button to the bottom of the post. Click on that and it’ll allow you to remove images (or leave them) to print for your reference later. Thanks for stopping by!
these look wonderful! My mom use to make stuffed cabbage rolls. I loved them. I am going to try this recipe!
Thanks for sharing with the HomeAcre Hop!
Sandra
http://www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com
Yum! Thanks for sharing with us at The HomeAcre Hop!
Please join us again Thursday at:
http://summersacres.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-homeacre-hop-37-and-autumn-giveaway.html
~Ann
Just wanted to let you know your recipe is one of my featured post on the HomeAcre Hop (Thursday
Those look wonderful. Here are a couple of tips I’ve picked up along the way:
Freezing the cabbage and letting it defrost softens the leaves wonderfully. I discovered that trick one cold Chicagoland winter.
Add the odd, chopped walnut, almond, or any nut you like to the stuffing. And/or the odd raisin or dried cranberry. And/or the odd chopped olive. The idea is that there is NOT one a every bite, but one finds them only sometimes as a special crunch, or sweet, or tangy treat. That, the in the way of Cuban Picadillo–whose leftovers I once added to my stuffing mix.
i always freeze and thaw my cabbage now. makes the process alot easier. I make up my filling the day before, to let the flavors blend, then next day just roll and bake. seems alot less time consuming.
We do that to here, in Estern Europe! By the way, a vegan alternative is to use mushrooms instead of meat.
Oooh, that’s a very good tip on the mushrooms. I might add mushrooms to the meat ones in fact.
Actually, I do that to. I find meat being really expensive and using mushrooms too is a way to cut back a little. I love the smell of the house when I make these! I think they have greek origins and are originally called “Dolmathakia ” . Also we often use vine leaves or Tilia plathyphylos leaves (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia_platyphyllos) instead of cabbage.
I am Macedonian and we call them “Sarma”……love them!
do you know what the nutritional values are for these?
I don’t – I mix it up so much based on what ingredients are in hand that I never quite tallied it.
How long will they keep in the freezer?
I’d use them up within 8 months.
But mushrooms are twice the cost of meat per pound!
I suppose price is going to be regional and based on a variety of factors but regular old button mushrooms here are just under $3 a pound and ethically raised meat is much more.
I made these last night for the first time, and they were a hit with the whole family. I left out the rice b/c M. is not eating carbs right now, and they were still fantastic. Your instructions on how to roll them were really helpful. I’d been hesitant to make cabbage rolls for years because I thought they’d be hard to put together–so glad I was wrong. :)
Lentils and other cooked legumes will freeze just fine. I use some beef for the flavor and lentils to cut the cost.
How long should i reheat them for?
It’s going to depend on size and thickness, but simmer on low for at least 15 minutes, covered.
Love this… can you tell me though, how long I can safely freeze these? Is one month too long? I’m new to the freezing of cooked meals and so I worry that I’m going to poison my family with bad food!
I keep them frozen for 6 months and they’re just fine. If they stay frozen there’s no chance of poisoning. You may have loss of full flavor after 6 months but it’s not going to be terribly noticeable and it’s for sure not going to make anyone sick after just a month ;)
You can also freeze before baking. That’s what we have always done. The same goes with stuffed peppers. Assemble, freeze and bake later.
Hi. Can I freeze the cabbage rolls in the same dish I baked them in (pyrex casserole dish), and just reheat when I’m ready to eat?
Pyrex is pretty amazing stuff, so maybe. I would want to be very sure the glass wasn’t still ice cold before it went in the oven. Pyrex is amazing but it is still glass and I worry that the shock would break it – I can’t say with any authority.
Breane: I find that freezing food in a Pyrex container leaves too much air around the food, and degrades it. And, that you’ve tied up a Pyrex dish you could use otherwise. Try this, if you will, put the food to be frozen in a good freezer bag with squeeze shut zip lock, insert a drink straw in it at one corner, seal right up to the straw, squeeze as much air out the bag as possible, suck out the rest of the air, and slide the bag shut. Then, freeze it. I wish I’d figure this out sooner, two years on, I have a $149.00 vac pack machine still in the box.
Kathie, I came over from Twitter to check out a post and then this link caught my eye — because my friend and I, who regularly make cabbage rolls together, just this morning scheduled our next G-Day (Galumpki Day) for December 10! We make a huge batch, layering them in a big roasting pan. After having them for dinner together, we divide them so we each have several meals in our freezers. We try to do this once a month so that we never run out of galumpkis!
What a great idea – a cabbage roll party! I’m going to have to do that sometime.
I haven’t had cabbage rolls since I lived in Russia! These look perfect for this snowy week – I’m off to get cabbage tomorrow.
Cabbage rolls are my favorite. Today made my very first batch ever. Followed a recipe that had lentils, brown rice, onion, added garlic, frozen spinach and 2 cups mushrooms must be enough for three or four heads of cabbage. Any ideas on left overs out of cabbage. Maybe add broth and have soup or put in taco or burrito shells time will tell. Thank you for how to freeze. Next time need to figure out amounts ahead of time. Tasty but needs something more for flavor
I like to mix leftover cabbage with mashed potatoes and cheese for Rumbledethumps: http://www.food.com/recipe/rumbledethumps-56992
Hi Kathie, I’m also from Pittsburgh and have lived tons of happy years in Northern California, Sonoma County. We live in the country and have a big organic garden. Just made some yummy cabbage rolls from our cabbage.
Cheers! Gerry
How long do you bake them for after getting them out of the freezer? Thank you
If they are completely thaw, about 20 minutes should be sufficient depending on the size of the roll.
When I make them I do a batch for dinner then I make a batch and put in the freezer unbacked when I want them for dinner bring them out put in dish add tomato sauce and bake
Thanks so much for sharing your method!
Hello! Thank you for the recipe. Have you ever frozen then raw and then cooked them in the oven?
I haven’t but I imagine you could, especially because the cabbage would have been blanched to get the leaves apart.
I love all the great ideas you all have shared. My wife and I got a an idea from one of our relatives from the old country (and I mean old country). She suggested putting pickled sauerkraut, the kind that comes refrigerated and must stay cold, on the bottom of the pan with some tomato sauce. Then add the rolls and cover the top with tomato sauce and the other half of the jar of sauerkraut.
We use very lean meat which can lack flavor. Adding the sauerkraut spiked the flavor of the cabbage making it tangy and sweet as well as helping the meat’s flavor join the party and adding a new twist.
Now I’m ready to try some of the other suggestions – thanks!
I’ve never thought of adding sauerkraut but that is a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
I learned from my Slavic mother in law,
Ground beef
Ground pork or sausage
Uncooked rice
Seasoning
In large pot, layer cabbage leaves, place stuffed leaves on layer, add another layer of leaves more stuffed rolls continue until all used. Place strips of raw bacon on top, add sauerkraut, a large can of diced tomatoes, add water to fill.
Cook until rolls are tender, or all day ( that’s what I do). Serve with a good sourdough bread.
I like what I call the floaty stuff the best, my hubby likes the rolled cabbage.
One of our stores here sells meatloaf mix which is a mixture of veal, beef and pork. The cabbage rolls stay moist because of the mixture. To the meat I add 1/2 cup of uncooked rice, I use jasmine rice because I love the flavor, I add 1/4 cup of my homemade spaghetti sauce, 1 egg and 1 tsp. of onion powder. I thin out some more of my spaghetti sauce and put some on the bottom of a large high side frying pan. I add the rolls and pour my sauce over the top of the cabbage rolls, then I cover the pan and simmer the rolls for at least an hour. No complaints
Can I store them with out cooking? Just the roll? Or can I freeze just the cooked cabbage so it won’t go bad? Would it have a good texture after thawed.
I haven’t tried but I bet you could. Also, someone else told me about freezing the whole head of cabbage and then making rolls later. The freezing means the leaves will separate when thawed without having to boil the cabbage head first. I haven’t tried it yet but it’s an interesting idea.
Hi .. just wondering .. I usually make them up the day before and cook the next day when I need them.. but do I add the sauce the day before and put in fridge covered or do I add the sauce the next day ??
Thanks
I’d put the sauce on right away to keep it from getting dry at all.
Love this but not even the recipe I learned from mother in law. Mine is cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef , cooked rice, (optional diced onion, mushrooms) layed in skillet to sorta brown cabbage a little then add tad of water put lid on and simmer till done then pour either a beef brown gravy over it or brown mushroom gravy…. eat…
I grew up in a suburb outside of Pittsburgh, too! To this day stuffed cabbage are a favorite of mine. Back then we called them halupki. My husband, who is of Polish descent and a Detroit native, calls them golubki. Either way – yum!
We love cabbage rolls but cannot eat tomatoes so have not had them for way too long. I’m wondering if you could suggest an alternate sauce…no tomatoes!
Thanks.
You could just use beef broth (assuming you’re using beef or pork in the rolls themselves). It’ll be a different flavor but it works.
I make them with ground chicken tomato sauce with diced tomatoes ,, cabbage and rice of course. I didn’t know whether I could freeze thank you for the information.
Thanks so much, Kathie! Your recipe and instructions were so helpful!! Love your blog! Best wishes!
Alice
Thanks so much for saying so!
I was raised on these but we call them blind pidgins in my neck of the woods of the coal region Schuylkill County Pa. We cook them in tomato juice and spaghetti sauce. Or tomato soup. Depends what part of Schuylkill u live in. We do ours in the electric roaster. We freeze any leftovers. Which is very slim 😉
My grandma and mom taught me how to cook many Pa Dutch foods, miss them both very much. Now I’m teaching my grandkids.
I think cream of mushroom soup would be great.
can i freeze them unbaked with the sauce on in a foil pan and then the people i’m giving it to can just pill them out thaw them and bake it. I have 3 pans full.
I’ve never tested it or tried it that way. I suppose you could but I can’t say definitively.
Is there an alternative to tomato juice? Would tomato sauce thinned with chicken broth work?
I’ve never tried it but I can’t see why chicken broth (or any broth for that matter) wouldn’t work. You just need some moisture in there.
In the oven now! I will let you know!
Look forward to hearing your results!
The chicken broth and tomato sauce worked great! These were delicious! I feel learned a frugal new skill. Thank you!
I make ahead all the time and freeze them in zip lock bags (sucking the air out of the bag as mentioned above). That way I can pull out a bag to take to a family dinner or a friends or just for us to have at home when we feel like it. I have kept them frozen for several months and it has never been a problem.
Sorry, freeze them uncooked all the time.
@Shelley,
Do you freeze them uncooked without the sauce? I want to freeze the cabbage roll then when I’m ready thaw, add sauce & bake. Will they still be yummy for a family celebration?
Cook then freeze and reheat. They’re super yummy that way.
Angie, I had so much Swiss chard last year that I used it instead of cabbage. You don’t have to blanch the chard. Make your filling then take your chard leaves, smash (with a meat tenderizer) down the center stem. If the laves are small use two. Roll them up, I payed them on wax paper froze them then vacuum sealed how many I wanted per meal. Thawed and then covered with our homemade tomato soup. They were delicious.
Would this work with leftover cooked meat as well?
It might but I can’t say for certain. I’d do it more casserole style – that way, use shredded cabbage with the leftover meat, cooked rice, etc. and bake all together.
My grandmother came from Poland in the early 1900’s. Her sister told her to try tomato soup instead of tomatoes in the 60’s Our families have been making Golumpki – Stuffed Cabbage that way since. Three generations. Smacznego!
Great instructions! I like how you emphasize flexibility in the recipe and focus on method.
You do not mention removing the spine of the cabbage leaf before rolling. I’m wondering if it is an omission. It makes it much easier to roll, and to cook evenly.
It’s not something we ever did in my family so I didn’t mention it here.