My Sister suggested I add my stuffed cabbage rolls to my site. I turned up my nose at the idea at first. Then the idea slowly percolated, until these Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce manifested on my table.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce was so common when I was growing up in Northwestern Iowa, that they were just that kind of down-home meal that was too often taken for granted. Once I tasted these again, I realized that my move away from that small town inadvertently distanced me not just from loved ones but from so much of the heritage of home. I am so happy to share them with my kids and now with you!!

About Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce:

These Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are filled with the classic mixture of ground beef and rice, a little onion, and salt and pepper; just good plain cooking.

But they have a little surprise. A few golden raisins that all but dissolve into that filling give the cabbage rolls a rich, indescribable flavor and a slight touch of sweetness. Don’t be tempted to leave out the raisins – just trust me on this one!

The Sauce:

What really takes your Stuffed Cabbage Rolls over the top is the sauce, which is a little tangy and has the classic German sweet & sour flavors. There’s a touch of brown sugar and a hint of acidity from lemon and vinegar. It’s a beautiful thing and downright addictive. And then there’s a good pinch of allspice for that haunting “What’s in it?” finish. It’s just cozy comfort!

This sauce can be made in two different ways, and both ways are included in my recipe below.

• Condensed Campbell’s Tomato Soup: This is my favorite version of the sauce, since it makes the sauce incredibly smooth and adds a little magic something. This tomato soup was introduced in 1897; who knows how long it has been used in cabbage roll recipes!
• Canned Tomatoes: In keeping with a more traditional variation, directions are included if you’d rather use simple canned or crushed tomatoes in the sauce. For best consistency, use canned whole or crushed tomatoes and blend them rather than canned tomato sauce. You’ll need more salt, too.

Scoops portion and make even shapes for rolling & stuffing.

Making Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce:

This recipe takes a long time, but it’s ” hurry up and wait time! Don’t despair, lol! Two hours of that time is simply the long, slow braise in the oven.

To separate the individual leaves and make them soft enough to roll, the cabbage has to be wilted. Options are in the recipe but my preferred method is to boil the head. It is a bit of a pain, but the cabbage has the best texture.

The heavy core of cabbage extends partway up each leaf, making it difficult to roll. Either cut that heavy vein out or, as each leaf is laid out, trim horizontally with a paring knife until it’s about the same thickness as the surrounding portion of the leaf.

This recipe makes 16 cabbage rolls packed in a 9 x 13″ pan. Changing pan sizes is iffy – sometimes the sauce is too thick, other times, spread too thin.

flatten the mixture into a log, fold both sides over, then fold the outside portion of the leaf up and over the roll.

Some Variations on Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce:

• A mix of ground beef, pork, and/or veal can be used instead of all ground beef.
• Many recipes line the bottom and top of the rolls with the excess cabbage. Make sure your casserole is tall enough to avoid overflow.
• In the Midwest, it’s not uncommon to see a tablespoon of Worcestershire in the ground beef mixture.
• Some use sauerkraut on the bottom and top of the cabbage rolls. Omit the lemon and vinegar, and blend some of the juice from sauerkraut into the sauce.
• A fancier version calls for about 1/4 cup of vermouth added to the sauce. After the cabbage rolls are removed, blend the sauce with about 1/4 cup of sour cream.

Roll up the cabbage roll into a bundle. Don’t worry about the little “v” just put the best side “up” in the pan. When rolling, keep the “stem” ends (the tails) tucked in towards the center.

Serving the Cabbage Rolls:

The sauce is my favorite part of the recipe, so I prefer to bake the cabbage rolls without adding the leftover cabbage to the bottom/top of the casserole. The sauce isn’t mixed into the extra cabbage, so that gives enough to add to the top of a few creamy mashed potatoes.

If you’re looking for another vegetable, my favorite Carrots with Parsley Butter complement the cabbage rolls nicely.

Saving Money on Groceries:

Ground Beef:

• Ground Beef is on sale often and freezes well – there’s no need to ever pay full price. When prices are low, stock up and freeze in amounts that make sense for your family.
• As a general rule, grocery store pricing is lowest during the summer months, and some of the lowest prices are before the Summer Holidays.
• Regardless of the time of year, each percentage of ground beef drops to a low about once a quarter; being versatile gives more options for savings. Generally, the higher the % of fat, the lower the cost, but there is more waste in fat.
• Ground beef is usually cheaper in larger family packs and even cheaper in the “chubs.”
• Discount stores like Aldi or Lidl have great sales, and your buyers club is worth checking.

Cabbage: 

• Pick the largest cabbage you can find if sold by the head, and be careful if buying by the pound.
• Cabbage is always less expensive in the fall/winter, and usually there are great sales around both New Year’s and St. Paddy’s Day.
• It makes sense to pick up an extra if you have room in your fridge when you see a rock-bottom price and use it more.
• Make sure to have another dish in mind to use any excess cabbage not used in this recipe. My go-to is for Apple Braised Green Cabbage, which is fantastic with smoked sausage or brats.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Sweet Sour Sauce

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• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 16 rolls 1x
• Category: Main Dish Beef
• Cuisine: German

Ingredients

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Cabbage Rolls:

• 1 large head cabbage
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, raw
• 1 cup golden raisins (golden are almost unnoticeable in the dish, but the plain old brown variety is fine, too.)
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped or grated
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1–1/2 pounds ground beef

Sauce:

• 2 cans tomato soup (see note)
• 2 soup cans of water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (plain or flavored)
• scant 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (this is strong – add some, then taste as the strength can vary depending on age.)
• salt to taste

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Instructions

Prepare Cabbage:

There are several ways to deal with the cabbage leaves:

• Freeze the cabbage overnight (I have not tried this, myself, but there is a sound endorsement on the notes at the bottom of this post and next time I will!)
• Core and place in a large pot of boiling water with a heavy plate to hold it down. Blanch about 3 – 5 minutes, remove promptly, and drain upside down. Separate the leaves carefully, keeping them intact. The cabbage may need to be returned to the water when the inner leaves are reached.
• Place in boiling water and as each leaf softens, remove it with a pair of tongs, very carefully…

Note: You should get about 15 to 18 intact leaves but try for 16. If you can’t get 16 large enough whole ones, you’ll need a couple more to piece together. For easier rolling, remove any hard core, either by a) cutting it out in a small triangle shape or b) shaving any excess core off horizontally with a small knife.

Sauce:

Mix tomato soup with brown sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, allspice, salt, and 1 can of water. Feel free to taste and adjust tanginess by adding more sugar or vinegar/lemon, or add a pinch of salt. Note that it will taste better after the dish has been cooked. Set aside while making the filling so the brown sugar will dissolve. After the rolls are in the casserole, pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls. Nudge the rolls around a bit so the sauce can slip between the rolls.

Make Filling:

• In a small saucepan, bring around 3 cups water to a boil. Pour in rice and raisins. Simmer briskly for 5 minutes. Drain, discarding water. Set rice mixture aside in a large bowl to cool slightly. Once cooled to touch, add onion, eggs, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
• Using clean hands, break up ground beef with fingertips, over bowl with rice mixture. Again using fingertips, being careful not to overwork, mix into a cohesive mixture.

Stuff Rolls:

Roll beef mixture in cabbage leaves – one by one.

• If you’ve removed the heavier core by trimming it out, set prepared cabbage leaf with the core side away from you. Place about 1/3 cup of the filling near the rounded edge.
• If you’ve shaved the heavier core off, place the leaf with the cored side closest to you. Add the filling near the edge of that side.

Slightly shape the filling into an oblong. Take care to make each roll about the same size, so two will fit side by side in casserole. Tuck each side of the leaf in, then roll from bottom up. Place in rows in 9×13″ casserole, nice side up. If needed, put two smaller leaves together and roll them together as one.

Bake:

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. F. Cover casserole tightly with foil and bake for two hours.  Place a sheet of foil larger than the pan on a rack just below the pan to catch any drips.

Replacing Canned Soup in Recipe:

Approximately 32 ounces ( 4 cups) of sauce is needed. For best consistency, do not use tomato sauce in a can. It has a heavier consistency. Instead, use either whole or crushed tomatoes.

Place a 29 ounce can of whole or crushed tomatoes in a blender along with 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of water. Blend to a smooth consistency. Proceed with sauce portion of the recipe, eliminating the tomato soup and can full of water originally called for.

Nutrition per Roll: Cal 193, Cal fat: 83, 44%; Tot fat 9g; Chol 49mg; Sod 192 mg; Pot 211mg; Carb 18g; Fib .82g; Sug 12g; Prot 9g.