Anke
Today, I’m sharing the authentic German stuffed cabbage rolls recipe that my mum used to make.
You’re in for a treat: these cabbage rolls are filled with a hearty and flavorful meat mixture, making them the ideal comfort food for chilly autumn and winter evenings. Also, these are the seasons when cabbage is at its best and available in abundance.
Our cabbage rolls take a little effort to make, especially when preparing the cabbage head. The good news is that you can make this dish at least a day in advance.
More German recipes you might like to try: delicious German Braised Red Cabbage, Classic German Beef Roulades, and our simple yet tasty German Potato Salad.
Table of Contents
Prepping The Cabbage Is Key
It is important to prepare the cabbage head to ensure the leaves are soft enough to wrap around the meat filling. The first step is trimming off the tough part of the cabbage base. You can watch my video here on how to do it.
The next step is to carefully remove the cabbage core with a sharp knife. I recommend using a paring knife to do so.
Next, place the cabbage into a large pot and fill with boiling water. Put the lid on and let the cabbage simmer for around 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the cabbage and let it cool down until cool enough to handle.
Now carefully separate the leaves from the cabbage head. I sort them onto two plates: one for the outer leaves, and another for the inner leaves. To make one cabbage roll we will use one of each.
Make German Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Step-By-Step
Enjoy my hearty and flavorful German stuffed cabbage rolls with plenty of gravy and boiled potatoes on the side.
Make The Meat Filling: Step 1
Tear a slice of bread into small pieces and let it soak in milk for a few minutes. Then add seasoning, mustard, an egg, mixed pork and beef mince, and chopped onions.
Meat Filling: Step 2
Use your hands to mix all the ingredients together until they are thoroughly combined.
Meat Filling: Step 3
Form the meat into longish-shaped meatballs. A helpful tip: dampen your hands slightly to keep the meat from sticking.
Make The Cabbage Rolls
For each cabbage roll, use one inner and one outer cabbage leaf. First, wrap the meatball in the smaller inner leaf, then use the larger outer leaf for an additional layer.
Roll it up tightly and secure the cabbage roll with kitchen string like a small parcel.
Cook The Cabbage Rolls
Pan-fry the cabbage rolls in vegetable oil until they are golden brown on each side. As they cook, finely chop any remaining cabbage. Once the rolls are done, set them aside to create room in the pan, and then sauté the chopped cabbage until it turns brown.
Place the cabbage roll back into the frying pan.
Pour 1/2 cup of the water used to simmer the cabbage into the pan, cover with the lid, and allow the cabbage rolls to simmer for 30 minutes.
The Gravy
Once the cooking time is up, remove the cabbage rolls from the pan and keep them warm. Combine tomato paste, cornflour, and water to form a paste, then pour it into the pan.
Heat until it boils, adding water gradually to achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer for a few more minutes.
Add the stuffed cabbage rolls to the gravy and heat it up. Serve hot with boiled potatoes.
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Let’s Get Started With Our German Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
I do hope you enjoy my German stuffed cabbage rolls recipe. Even though it is a simple dish with just a few ingredients, it is delicious and perfect for those chilly autumn and winter days.
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Are you feeling hungry? Then let’s put on your apron and get cooking.
Authentic German Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Equipment
- 1 large pot 6qt
Ingredients
- 1 head white cabbage large
- 8 cups boiling water
- 1 tbsp salt
The Meat Filling
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound pork mince
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 slice white bread teared into pieces
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 egg
For The Sauce/Gravy
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp cornflour
- a little water to mix into a paste
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
General
- vegetable oil for frying the cabbage rolls
- chopped pieces from leftover cabbage
Instructions
Prep The Cabbage
- Begin preparing the cabbage by trimming the tough part of the base.1 head white cabbage
- Carefully remove the core using a sharp knife – a paring knife works well.
- Put the cabbage into a large pot, fill it with hot water, add salt, and put the lid on. Simmer for around 5 to 10 minutes.8 cups boiling water, 1 tbsp salt
- Carefully remove the cabbage head and place it on a plate. Allow it to cool until it is safe to handle.
- Once it has cooled down, separate the cabbage leaves from the head and place them on a plate. I use two plates: one for the larger outer leaves and another for the smaller, inner leaves.
- Chop any leftover cabbage into small pieces to use for the gravy later on.
The Meat Filling
- Tear up the bread and place it into a bowl. Pour over the milk and let it soak for a few minutes.1 slice white bread, 1/4 cup milk
- Now, add the remaining ingredients and blend them together with your hands until thoroughly combined.1 pound ground beef, 1 pound pork mince, 1 onion, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp salt, freshly ground pepper, 1 egg
- Using your hands, shape the meat into longish meatballs.
Make The Cabbage Rolls
- Begin by wrapping a smaller leaf around a single meatball. Follow this by encasing it with one of the larger leaves for an additional layer.Take a piece of kitchen string and tie the cabbage roll, as if wrapping a small package.
- Heat up some oil in a large frying pan and place the cabbage rolls in there. Fry until golden brown on all sides. Take the cabbage rolls out and add the cabbage pieces from the leftover cabbage.vegetable oil for frying the cabbage rolls
- Sauté the cabbage pieces until they are golden brown. Now, you can place the cabbage rolls back into the frying pan.chopped pieces from leftover cabbage
- Pour 1/2 cup of the water used to simmer the cabbage into the pan, cover with the lid, and allow the cabbage rolls to simmer for 30 minutes.
- After the cooking time is up, remove the cabbage rolls from the pan and keep them warm.
Making The Gravy
- Mix the tomato paste, cornflour, and water to a paste and add it to the frying pan.1 tsp tomato paste, 2 tsp cornflour, a little water to mix into a paste
- Bring to a boil and add some water until you reach your prefered consistency.
- Adjust the seasoning if necessary.salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Serve the cabbage rolls with a generous amount of gravy and boiled potatoes. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. It is still one of my favorite traditional German dishes to cook.