Ethel Sellis' Stuffed Cabbage Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Freeze

by: Ella Quittner

October28,2018

3.7

10 Ratings

  • Prep time 45 minutes
  • Cook time 3 hours
  • Serves 6 or more

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

When I was an infant, someone gave my parents an odd gift: a food mill, so you could turn whatever you were eating into baby food. They used to feed me this stuffed cabbage—my great grandmother's recipe—as if it were puréed pumpkin. As I aged, it’s no wonder that it became a siren song to me. The sumptuous, rich scent it’d give off as it bubbled away on the stove was enough to pry me from whatever I was doing and lure me into the kitchen, shoeless and ravenous as one of Pavlov’s dogs. “Have you ever had anything so good in your entire life?” my dad would ask, cutting a stuffed cabbage roll in two and handing us each an enormous spoonful, complete with hot tomato sauce and shredded chuck, braised until quite literally falling apart. A drop of sauce would fall onto his shirt. “Never,” I’d say, handing him a towel. —Ella Quittner

Test Kitchen Notes

Featured in: How My Nana's Stuffed Cabbage Taught Me to Treat Myself Better. —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1 large head of green cabbage, with the tough, inedible bottom part removed by cutting a triangular wedge about an inch deep
  • 3/4 poundground beef
  • 2 tablespoonsuncooked rice
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced, plus 1 large yellow onion sliced into rings about 1/4-inch thick
  • 1/2 tablespoonketchup
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 teaspoonskosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoonfreshly cracked black pepper, divided, plus more as needed
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 (10.75-ounce) can Campbell’s tomato soup
  • 1/3 cupbrown sugar
  • 1 teaspoonlemon juice, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoonolive oil
  • 1 chuck steak (about 12 ounces)
  • 3 gingersnap cookies, crumbled, plus more as needed
  • 1 poundegg noodles, cooked and tossed with butter and salt, for serving
  • 1/2 cupsour cream, for serving
Directions
  1. Boil the head of cabbage for 30 minutes. It should be soft enough so you can jab a fork an inch or so into the heart.
  2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Using your hands, gently mix together the beef, uncooked rice, small diced onion, ketchup, egg, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
  3. Make the sauce in a separate bowl: Mix the can of tomatoes, tomato soup, brown sugar, lemon juice, and the remaining salt and pepper. Use a chef’s knife to break the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  4. Drain the cabbage and let it sit about 30 minutes, until it’s cool enough to handle. Separate the cabbage leaves into a pile so you can see how many you’re working with—the better to allocate the filling. With each leaf, put the “right amount” of filling (closer to a couple tablespoons for larger leaves, and closer to a heaping teaspoon for for smaller leaves) into the the concave, cup-like side, and roll it up, tucking in the sides as you go so that you’ve created a cylindrical pouch.
  5. Season the steak all over with salt. In the bottom of a large pot, heat oil at medium high until almost smoking. Brown the steak on both sides. Then, cover the steak with a few tablespoons of the sauce and flip it over so there’s sauce underneath, too. Layer on a row of cabbage rolls (with the open side face down so they stay sealed), then add about 1/4 cup of the sliced onions on top of the rolls, then more sauce. Continue like this until all of the cabbage rolls and sliced onions and sauce have been layered in.
  6. Cook covered over a low flame for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Uncover, then add the crumbled gingersnaps. Stir to mix so they dissolve into the sauce. If you'd like the sauce to be thicker, add additional crumbled gingersnaps. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve over buttered egg noodles. As you distribute the sauce and cabbage rolls into bowls, shred the steak and include some in each. Garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream.

Tags:

  • Stew
  • American
  • Onion
  • Beef
  • Rice
  • Cabbage
  • Egg
  • Tomato
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Freeze
  • Simmer
  • Family Reunion

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

Margie March 25, 2020

This recipe took me back to my childhood. I can’t wait to make the cabbage rolls and reminisce a little. I may have miss it but what would be your instructions if you wanted to freeze this dish ahead of time?

Julie February 22, 2020

Oh I gotta try this! Thanks for sharing an heirloom recipe <3

susielou May 8, 2019

This recipe is a classic! I love sweet and spicy anything by adding ginger snaps; I've added them to brisket or pot roast. When I made stuffed cabbage, I served it on rice; your noodles take it to another level.

A vegetarian version for stuffing is made with a combination of mushrooms, barley, onions and dill, and served with a sour cream sauce.

Hi Susie,

I'm so thrilled you enjoyed this! Makes me happy to hear.

Ella

FrugalCat November 3, 2018

Anyone whose old recipes included raisins in the sauce?

Ella Q. November 20, 2018

Sounds delicious. Golden or other?

KarenO January 27, 2019

Yes, indeed. That's the way my grandmother made it. Can't recall if they were golden or regular raisins, though. Making my mouth water.

Donald February 22, 2020

Yes, dark raisins. But I use golden raisins now because I like the flavor better and I think they're less distracting in the finished sauce.

penmoon November 2, 2018

Any recommendations for making this vegetarian?

Ella Q. November 25, 2018

Hi Penmoon,

You could try just rice and onion inside the cabbage. Or use your favorite recipe for veggie meatballs and include that instead of the beef mixture.

Ella

Deedledum February 6, 2019

Grains like quinoa or bulgur work here too.

Kim K. February 18, 2019

Buckwheat, mushrooms, rice or barley. I have seen it with hard cooked eggs too, but that's not exactly vegetarian.

Austin B. October 31, 2018

Is there a workaround for the canned tomato soup?

Ella Q. October 31, 2018

Hi Austin! My dad swears by the soup, but I suspect a similar volume of pureed tomato would do the trick in a pinch. Just balance to taste accordingly with the other ingredients.

Ella

Ethel Sellis' Stuffed Cabbage Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Ethel Sellis' Stuffed Cabbage Recipe on Food52? ›

Directions. Boil the head of cabbage for 30 minutes. It should be soft enough so you can jab a fork an inch or so into the heart. Meanwhile, make the filling: Using your hands, gently mix together the beef, uncooked rice, small diced onion, ketchup, egg, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Why is my stuffed cabbage tough? ›

If your cooked cabbage is tough, it's likely because the cabbage is not cooked through yet. Continue to cook the rolls until they're tender. It's also important to make sure you let the rolls rest after they're finished baking.

What is in Meal Mart stuffed cabbage? ›

Cabbage, Ground Beef, Water, Tomato Paste (Tomatoes, Salt, Citric Acid), Sugar, Rice, Vinegar, Granulated Onions, Modified Food Starch, Dextrose, Salt, Black Pepper, Spices & Flavorings, Caramel Color.

What is Polish stuffed cabbage made of? ›

"Polish cabbage rolls (filled with a mixture of rice, pork, and beef) stewed in tomatoes. This is a dish I remember my Gram making. I've taken the recipe and tweaked it as I've cooked. The dish is hearty and delicious--and known by other names throughout Eastern Europe.

Why do you freeze cabbage before making cabbage rolls? ›

If you want to make stuffed cabbage leaves, you don't have to cook the leaves to make them pliable. It's a lot easier just to freeze the cabbage—an added benefit is it doesn't stink up your house.

Why do you soak cabbage before cooking? ›

Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water. This also helps cut the pungent edge. Drain well before combining with other ingredients.

How many days is stuffed cabbage good for? ›

Do you want to eat the stuffed cabbage in the next week? If so, place them in the refrigerator. The stuffed cabbage will stay fresh for up to 1 week. If not, place them in the freezer.

What country does stuffed cabbage come from? ›

Gołąbki have been a known part of Polish cuisine for centuries, made with a variety of fillings wrapped in fresh or pickled cabbage leaves. The history of this dish in Poland likely extends back to around the nineteenth century and it is an influence of the eastern borderlands.

Does Stouffer's have stuffed cabbage? ›

I'm interested! I want to learn more. Stouffer's® Stuffed Cabbage with Beef in Sauce features a blend of seasoned beef, long grain rice and spices hand-folded into tender cabbage leaves, topped with rich, chunky tomato sauce.

What nationality eats the most cabbage? ›

China produces nearly half of the world's cabbage while Russia consumes the most per person. The average Russian eats about 44 pounds of cabbage a year. That compares to the 8.6 pounds eaten by Americans. Raw cabbage is rich in vitamin C.

What is kissel cabbage? ›

Kissel Cabbage Corporation was founded in the 1960′s. They first marketed their sour cabbage and sauerkraut to retailers in the Regina and surrounding areas. Kissel Cabbage is a well-established, well-known name in the sour cabbage and sauerkraut business across Western Canada.

Why do you put baking soda in cabbage? ›

Baking soda does help green vegetables retain color, but it causes undesirable color changes in red cabbage—it turned blue. The science can be distilled to this: Adding baking soda to cooking water makes it slightly alkaline, which stabilizes the green color of chlorophyll.

What is the best type of cabbage for cabbage rolls? ›

Any variety of green cabbage will do for this recipe, but we went with savoy cabbage because the leaves are a bit looser and easier to work with. The leaves are also just the right shape and size for this application.

Why can't you freeze cabbage? ›

Once it's washed and cut up, cabbage can be frozen, but for longer-term storage, it's best to blanch it first. Blanched cabbage can be frozen for up to nine months, while unblanched cabbage will only keep for one to two months.

Why is my cabbage still tough after cooking? ›

You're not cooking the right kind of cabbage

If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect. The Savoy cabbage can be used as a substitute for green cabbage, just keep in mind that its leaves are a bit more tender than that of other cabbages.

What happens if you overcook cabbage? ›

The key to cooking cabbage: Don't overcook it.

Cabbage is sweet and aromatic when cooked correctly. But the same sulfuric compounds that provide many of its health benefits can turn saboteur when overcooked, creating a pungent, unpleasant smell.

Why are my cabbage rolls chewy? ›

If your cabbage rolls are too tough, it means that you have not cooked them long enough.

Does baking powder soften cabbage? ›

The baking soda, however, turned red cabbage a scary shade of blue because the cabbage's pigments (red anthocyanins) turn blue in alkaline environments. Baking soda also accelerates softening in all vegetables, no matter what their color.

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