Description
These Lean Beef Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a low-carb, high-protein win! Packed with lean beef, quinoa, and tasty seasonings, they’re rolled in cabbage leaves and baked till a toasty brown.
Ingredients
- 1 large green cabbage
- 1 lb lean ground beef (90% or higher)
- 1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
- Sour cream, for serving (optional)
- Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully remove 10-12 leaves from the outside of the head of cabbage. Boil the leaves for 2-3 minutes until softened and flexible. Transfer to a colander to cool. Trim a small triangle from the base of each cabbage leaf to remove the thickest part of the stem. This makes the leaves easier to roll.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice/quinoa, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Fold the ingredients together until just combined.
- Lay a cabbage leaf flat on a clean work surface. Spoon about â…“ cup of filling into the leaf, shaping it into a short log. Fold the top and bottom of the leaf up and over the filling, then fold in the sides to enclose it. Repeat until you have used up all of the filling.
- In a bowl, stir together crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic powder, and basil.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish (you should use about ½ of the sauce here). Arrange cabbage rolls seam-side down in the dish. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the rolls.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, until cabbage is tender and beef is cooked through. Check the rolls at the 25-minute mark. If they are browning quickly, loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to prevent the cabbage from drying out.
- Serve warm with dollops of sour cream and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
​Have leftover cabbage rolls? Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to eat them again, heat them in a pan with a splash of water and cover until warm, or toss them in the microwave for something quick.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop & Oven
- Cuisine: Eastern European