Easy Cabbage Rolls (Grandma’s Recipe)

Name: Easy Cabbage Rolls (Grandma’s Recipe)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Ingredients: 1 large head savoy or green cabbage, cored; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound 80/20 ground beef; ½ pound mild pork sausage; ¼ cup finely minced white onion; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon sea salt; ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 2 cups cooked white rice; 12 ounces tomato paste; 1 cup ketchup; 6 slices bacon; 1 can tomato sauce

by becky
Created April 08, 2026
Imported from themodernproper.com

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Stuffed with seasoned ground meat, then wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked to tender, juicy perfection, Natalie’s grandma’s cabbage roll recipe is as classic, simple and perfect as can be.

Ingredients

1 large head savoy or green cabbage, cored
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
½ pound mild pork sausage
¼ cup finely minced white onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 cups cooked white rice
12 ounces tomato paste
1 cup ketchup
6 slices bacon
1 can tomato sauce

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the head of cabbage and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the cabbage to a plate cored side down and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the ground beef, sausage, and onions and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until meat is cooked through and onions are softened, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the rice and tomato paste until combined.
Carefully peel the leaves away from the cooled cabbage and lay flat on a clean work surface. Add ½ cup filling to the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom half over the filling, then fold the sides over the filling and carefully roll the cabbage over. Place the cabbage rolls seam sides down in a 9x13-inch baking dish. You should have about 12 rolls. Add tomato sauce to bottom of baking pan.
Brush the tops of the cabbage rolls with the ketchup, then lay the bacon over top in a single layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, discard the foil, and bake for another 15 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.
Serve family-style.