These oven baked cabbage rolls are stuffed with a beef and rice filling and they are quite addictive! The stuffing is very heavy on the garlic, which is what pairs exceptionally well with the flavour of cabbage. The cooking liquid is a tomato based lemony chicken broth, poured on top before baking in a dutch oven or casserole for an hour and a half. The wait is worth it when the result is melt-in-your-mouth cabbage rolls that you won’t stop eating.

Cabbage rolls on a blue patterned tray garnished with parsley on a blue background with a white lace tea towel, a water glass and white plates at the side.

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Stuffed cabbage is a popular middle eastern dish that I can’t quite resist. In fact, my Lebanese malfouf (which is just what we call cabbage in Arabic) recipe is one of those dishes I crave quite often. It has a lemony and minty flavour profile, and is cooked on the stove top.

But I had to create another stuffed cabbage recipe, because I love them so much. This specific recipe has a different flavour profile: still loads of garlic (cabbage’s best friend), but with a tomato based chicken broth as the cooking liquid.

It’s also baked in a dutch oven instead of cooked on the stove top, which I found makes the rolls even more tender. You can also use a 9×13 casserole, but make sure you cover it very tightly with foil. My mom was over at my house when I filmed this recipe and she wouldn’t stop raving about these rolls. So they had to become a blog post for you to try!

How to Make Cabbage Rolls, Step By Step

First, gather your ingredients. The best type of cabbage to use for this recipe is green cabbage, for smooth leaves that are easy to roll.

Ingredient shot with ground beef in a bowl, minced garlic in a white bowl, a glass bowl with short grain rice, a small white bowl with allspice, a small bowl with salt, a small bowl with black pepper, a small bowl with chopped onions, a small white bowl with tomato paste, a large bowl with cabbage leaves, a small glass bowl with lemon juice, a measuring cup with broth and a spoon, and a small white bowl with olive oil.

Next, use a pairing knife to carve out the root of the head of cabbage. This will need a bit of maneuvering the knife all around the root until it starts to dislodge. This step helps ensure the leaves come loose.

Then, place the whole head in a pot of boiling water, root side up. Once the water is boiling, you can use a pair of tongs to start grabbing the cabbage leaves and loosening them off. They should come off easily.

If you notice any large tough leaves, you can leave them in the boiling water for an extra few minutes to further soften them. Place all the leaves on a large tray.

Green cabbage with the root cored out
Cabbage leaves in a metal bowl on a brown background.

Prepare the filling by combining all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Mix well using your hands (I prefer wearing gloves, too).

Ground beef in a glass bowl with garlic, onions, rice and seasoning on a brown background.
Ground beef mixture in a glass bowl on a brown background.

To stuff the cabbage leaves, start by laying it flat on a cutting board. Trim off the thick, hard root at the bottom. Place about a spoonful of the filling and shape it into a log, towards the bottom edge.

Blanched cabbage leaf with the core cut out on a light wooden cutting board with a knife beside it.
Blanched cabbage leaf with ground beef mixture in a log shape in the centre on a light wooden background.

Start rolling the cabbage up over the filling to form a small roll. You don’t need to secure the sides, the filling will remain inside without coming out.

Blanched cabbage leaf with ground beef mixture in a log shape being rolled up with a gloved hand on a light wooden background.
Blanched cabbage leaf with ground beef mixture in a log shape being rolled up with a gloved hand on a light wooden background.

Stack all the rolls in a large dutch oven (it should be around 5L in capacity). Pack them in tightly to avoid them coming loose.

Blanched cabbage leaf with ground beef mixture in a log shape rolled up with a gloved hand on a light wooden background.
Blanched stuffed cabbage leaves that have been rolled up in an oval light blue pot on a brown background.

Mix together the broth ingredients and pour it over the cabbage rolls.

Broth with seasonings in a glass measuring cup with a spoon in it on a brown background.
Blanched stuffed cabbage leaves that have been rolled up in an oval light blue pot covered with seasoned broth on a brown background.

Cover tightly and bake at 450F for approximately 1 1/2 hours. After this time, check the rolls. The cabbage rolls should be extremely tender, easily split open with a fork. If not, continue to bake (and you may need to add a bit of water if you find it is drying up). Otherwise, open the lid and broil for just a few seconds to get some colour on the top rolls.

Baked cabbage rolls in a light blue pot on a brown background.

Plate the rolls and serve them immediately.

What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls

I love pairing these cabbage rolls with a simple Arabic chopped salad, or a cucumber yogurt salad. If I’m lazy, just a few dollops of whole milk yogurt on the side will do as well!

To store any leftovers, place in an airtight container and in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Otherwise, they’re quite freezer friendly as well. Place them in a freezer bag in one layer and freeze for a few months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and re-heat in the oven before enjoying.

Cabbage rolls with one cut in half on a white plate with salad and a fork on a blue background.

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If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!

Cabbage rolls on a blue patterned tray garnished with parsley on a blue background with a white lace tea towel, a water glass and white plates at the side.
5 from 7 ratings

Addictive Cabbage Rolls (Beef & Rice Stuffing)

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 45 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
These oven baked cabbage rolls are addictive! Soft cabbage stuffed with an aromatic and garlic-forward rice and beef filling, all cooked in a tomato based broth. You will not be able to stop eating these!
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Ingredients
 

For the Cabbage

  • 1 head large green cabbage
  • boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Stuffing

  • 1 pound lean ground beef, 454 g
  • 2 cups short grain rice, calroze or Italian rice
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 2 small heads of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons allspice , or substitute with seven spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the Broth

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups chicken broth , or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups hot water
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice, approximately the juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

To Prepare the Cabbage

  • Start by carving out the cabbage root, digging as deep as you can. This step will detach the cabbage leaves and loosen them easily in the next step. Note: visual photos in the blog post above.
  • Next, to a large pot of boiling water, add the salt and the head of the cabbage and allow it to boil for a few minutes, flipping it on both sides. You can now start to loosen the leaves using a pair of tongs, it should come apart easily. Keep separating the leaves and place them on a paper towel lined tray or colander to drain. Any thick or hard leaves, keep them in the boiling water for a few extra minutes to soften. Continue until you reach the centre of the cabbage head, and can no longer remove leaves.

To Prepare the Filling

  • In a medium bowl, combine the lean ground beef, short grain rice, onion, garlic, allspice, black pepper and salt. Use your hands to mix well and ensure that the meat and the rice are well combined with the spices.

To Prepare the Broth

  • In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the tomato paste, broth, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

To Make the Cabbage Rolls

  • Preheat the oven to 450F degrees.
  • Place one leaf on a cutting board and cut away the thick rib at the centre using a knife or kitchen scissors. If it is a small piece, simply trim the thick part of the rib. If it is a large piece continue cutting upwards from where the rib was to form two equal sized pieces. Place 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of the cabbage leaf and shape it into a log shape, leaving 1/2 an inch of space near each of the edges. Fold the edges inward and roll the cabbage leaf into a log shape. Repeat with the rest of the cabbage leaves. Note: visual photos in the blog post above.
  • In a large dutch oven with a lid or oven safe pot (minimum 5 L capacity), arrange the rolled cabbage leaves, stacking them in tightly next to each other. Pour over the prepared broth and cover tightly with the lid. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 2 hours until the filling is cooked through and the cabbage is fork tender. You can also leave it in the oven for longer (up to 3 hours) to get it even more tender.

Notes

  • For best results use green cabbage. It produces smooth looking cabbage rolls. Savoy cabbage is softer and will work too but the rolls will not be as smooth.
  • You may have some leftover filling, depending on the size of the cabbage you have. If you do, you can cook it as a rice pilaf with some water and serve it as a side, or you can stuff something else like a few small peppers and add them to the pot.
  • The key to this recipe is LOTS of garlic so follow that exact amount. It may seem like a lot but cabbage and garlic are a match made in heaven.
  • Visual step by step photos available in the blog post body above, for reference.
Serving: 1Serving, Calories: 527kcal, Carbohydrates: 76g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 2544mg, Potassium: 993mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 428IU, Vitamin C: 122mg, Calcium: 152mg, Iron: 7mg
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