Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are tasty and healthy!
Today I am making slow cooker stuffed cabbage rolls! This Cabbage Roll recipe is absolutely delicious and makes cabbage, which can be an acquired taste, a lot more palatable for kids. Let's face it...stuff something with hamburger and pour a some tomato sauce on it and most likely your kids will eat it!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are good for you!
Who knew that cabbage was so healthy? OK, it's a veggie and ever since we were little kids our mom's were always telling us to eat our veggies because they were good for us. But recently I have become aware that cabbage is particularly good for us in a number of ways. I have read articles saying that it is beneficial for numerous maladies such as constipation, stomach ulcers, headaches, obesity, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, heart disease, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease. Now I'm not sure if all the hype is true and I don't want to accused of handing out false medical info but I do know that cabbage contains a lot of Vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, sulfur, iodine, potassium and is a great source of fiber. So if we get our families to eat more cabbage it's a good thing. And if you have a home garden, you can get more information on growing cabbage here at the Old Farmers Almanac
It's great in the Crock-Pot anytime of the year.
I love living here in northern Maine. Yes, it gets brutally cold in the winter but you can stay inside, huddled next to a warm wood stove and watch the snowflakes drift by. The aroma of the Stuffed Cabbage Rolls simmering in the slow cooker makes me feel warm inside. And in the summer when I can get my cabbage fresh from the garden, I use my slow cooker to make a nice dinner without heating up the kitchen.
Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Roll Recipe
This is my favorite recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls. These cabbage rolls come out of the slow cooker moist and juicy with lots of flavor. I like serving them with a side of noodles because the sauce is so yummy but they are really a meal in themselves. You have meat, a veggie, and even a starch with the rice so this recipe can be a one dish meal or served with a small garden salad. Stuffing the wilted cabbage leaves with the meat and rice filling is easy to do. The wilted leaves are very pliable and roll around the stuffing easily.
Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Roll Recipe - I'm Singin' The Hot Days Blues
This is a great one dish meal, and you can use different ground meats tailored to your families preference.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 large cabbage leaves
- 1 lb. lean ground meat - I'm using pork but ground beef, lamb, turkey can all work just adjust the seasonings
- ½ c. cooked rice
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ¼ tsp. leaf thyme
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
- ¼ c. water
Instructions
- Wash cabbage leaves.
- Boil 4 cups of water.
- Turn heat off and soak cabbage leaves for 5 minutes. This will wilt them and make them more workable.
- Remove, drain, and cool.
- Combine remaining ingredients except for tomato paste and water.
- Place 2 tbsp. of the meat/rice mixture on each leaf and roll up firmly, tucking ends in as you roll.
- Place in the crock pot with overlap side down, stacking them on each other if necessary.
- Combine tomato paste and water and pour over the cabbage rolls.
- Cover and cook on low for 6- 8 hours.
Notes
Cut out the core from a head of cabbage. Place the cabbage head in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Take the cabbage out of the freezer and let it thaw. Now the leaves will peel easily and have enough flexibility to roll without having to blanch them.
Do you love slow cooker dishes? We have lots of them here at The Wilderness Wife so check out these tasty ones -
Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Soup
Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup
Slow Cooker Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
Still want more....just type "Slow Cooker" in the search engine in our menu bar and you'll get even more. Here at the The Wilderness Wife we say "Low and slow is the way to go!"
Theresa @DearCreatives says
Pinned again & shared. Thanks for coming to the Inspiration Spotlight party.
Jill says
My family will LOVE this!
Karren Haller says
I need to learn from your recipe, I have been making cabbage rolls forever but they end up a little dry and I bet the slow-cooker method would work great!!
Thanks for sharing on Friday Features this week, Im sure you have so many recipes you could share as well. Keep in mind I also have a Wordless Wednesday each week.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Karren
Lisa @ Fun Money Mom says
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe at Share The Wealth Sunday! It looks yummy!
xoxo
Lisa
espirational says
Never thought of making cabbage rolls in the slow cooker. Will have to give this a try.
Judith says
This looks delicious and South Beach Diet friendly! Definitely pinning for later! Thank you for sharing!
Julie Beveridge says
Yummy!! I am loving my slow cooker this summer! These look great. I saw them at the Inspire Me Monday party and knew I had to get this recipe!
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
These look yummy, and I love that they are slow cooker. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty - we're looking forward to what you have to share next week. 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Theresa @DearCreatives says
I love slow cooker recipes! Pinned & shared. Thanks for coming to the party! Hope to see you again this week!
Diane says
I am all about slow cooking! This recipe is going into my pinterest food board!
Thanks so much for sharing this post with us at #PureBlogLove link Party! the party starts every Thursday Evening at 8 p.m. EST. I’m hosting over at http://www.homemadefoodjunkie.com. Can’t wait to see what you bring next week!
Kelly says
Wow! These look so delicious! I love slow cookers recipes. They are the perfect solution for busy days. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I'm definitely giving this a try.
All that's Jas says
This is a traditional winter dish in my home-country, but we make them with cured cabbage leaves. They are my favorite. I never put cinnamon but will definitely try! Thank you for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things!
Vashti Quiroz-Vega says
I haven't eaten this since my grandma passed away a few years ago. I can't wait to make them for my family. Thank you for the recipe! 😀
Minnie L Douglas says
I LOVE ANYTHINK TASTY AND HEALTHY, AND THOSE ROLL LOOKS SO GOOD.
Sheryl T says
They are yummy and you can make them very healthy by just doing things like using brown rice, lean ground meat, etc.
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
This recipe reminds me of the cabbage casserole my mother used to make, except that it is in neat little rolls. Yum! Please come share your blog posts over at the Home Matters Linky Party! We'd love to have you for a visit. The Door is OPEN. http://lifewithlorelai.com/2015/02/26/home-matters-linky-party-26/ 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Cydnee says
I love meals prepared in the slow cooker. Loving these stuffed cabbage rolls. Yummy! Thank you very much for joining in the celebration of #purebloglove, we enjoy having you each week. I hope to see you on Thursday at 8PM, EST through Sunday night. ~Cydnee
Karren Haller says
We love cabbage rolls, always looking to better my recipe. Thanks for linking on Friday Feature, I have pinned your post to our Friday Feature Board!!! Have a great weekend, Karren
Cynthia L says
I remember my Mom making these when I was younger. Of course, there were no slow cookers then! Thanks so much for linking to the This Is How We Roll Thursday link party! I can't wait to see what you share next week!
Heidy@ The McCallums Shamrock Patch says
Thank you so much for attending #PureBlogLove Link party and sharing your blog post last week, I wanted to personally stop by and thank you for coming and invite you to this weeks party tonight 8 PM EST on themccallumsshamrockpatch.com
Besos
Heidy
Kyla @HouseOfHipsters says
I make cabbage rolls too, but my tomato sauce is a bit different. And I don't make it as often because cooking the cabbage can be a pain. I'm totally trying to make it in the microwave and the freezer tip! Thank you for sharing on Found & Foraged!
jenny says
Thanks for linking up to Oh My Heartsie Girl WW!
Bonnie says
can i put in raw rice and increase liquid, or just follow these ingredients and slow cook longer - thank you.
Sheryl T says
I have never tried it with the raw rice so I can't really tell you it would work.
Wanda says
I would like to know How can you bottled cabbage rolls
Sheryl T says
I assume you mean canning. I have never done them in canning jars. If I have leftovers I freeze them. Canning is very much a science and the chance of botulism is high if things aren't done strictly by the book. I do know that you would have to use a pressure cooker to can this type of item as the water bath method would not get the temperature high enough to kill all the dangerous pathogens. I would suggest you contact your local County Extension service as they usually have lots of info on canning. This is not something to experiment with!
Carrie says
Your dog is so sweet! What a great picture. And these look delicious! Thanks for linking up at Wordy Wednesday!
Jill says
These sound yummy! I love cabbage rolls!
Thank you for stopping by the Thoughtful Spot Weekly Blog Hop this week. We hope to see you drop by our neck of the woods next week!
nomnomnom says
Can I cook this on high for less cook time? I was all gun ho for making this but realized I didn't have the ground beef thawed 🙁
Sheryl T says
Sorry I didn't see your question earlier but its a holiday weekend. I can't guarantee the results with less time as I have never tried it. Raising the temp setting will cook things quicker but when working with raw meat in a slow cooker setting, I would want to be sure that it was cooked although the way through. You could try it on a 4 hour cycle and then take out one roll and test it to see if it was cooked through. If not totally done you could transfer it to a casserole and microwave it to be sure it was cooked through.
Noreen says
Hi there I am so excited I found your weblog, I really found you by accident,
while I was searching on Yahoo for something else, Anyhow I am here now and would just like
to say thank you for a remarkable post and a all round enjoyable blog (I also love the
theme/design), I don't have time to read it all at the minute but
I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be
back to read more, Please do keep up the excellent work.
Feral Feline says
Do you cook/drain the beef before you roll it up....I didn't see any mention of that, and therefore would assume, no.....would that be a correct assumption?
Sheryl T says
No, there is no draining to be done because the meat is raw when you wrap it in the cabbage leaves. It cooks while rolled in the crockpot.
george cellini says
NO ONE HAS EVER MENTIONED THAT YOU CAN TAKE YOUR CABBAGE HEAD, PUT IT IN THE MICROWAVE, AND HAVE BEAUTIFUL LEAVES TO FILL.
Val says
I freeze my cabbage and take it out and thaw it. The leaves are pliable and great for making cabbage rolls. It just saves boiling water and soaking the leaves. One less thing to do while making them.
Sheryl T says
What a great idea! I'm all for saving time and making things easier! Thank you for sharing this.
Val says
If you like take the core out before freezing, but either way its easy to work with once thawed.
christine dewing says
I've never come across that tip before, and I come from a family where cabbage rolls are a staple. Cabbage is going in the freezer right now!
Sheryl T says
It is a great tip and it does work! I tried it and it is a great idea!
Sylvia N says
The recipe I got years ago included chopping the rest of the head of cabbage, and putting that at the bottom of the pan or crockpot. Then place rolls on top, and pour on tomatoes or V8 juice, or whatever you prefer. I always loved the cabbage!
Toni says
These would be great made with the vegan crumbles or meat substitutes too for those of us who do not eat meat. Even rice with extra veggies or beans would be good I bet. I'm definitely going to try these. Your instructions for softening the cabbage leaves sound easy.
charles says
When I make these, I do add a bunch of GARLIC to the meat and an egg and for the sauce I use tomatoe sauce, a can of campbells tomatoe soup and a can of diced or chopped tomatoes and don't forget the onion mixed in with the meat...
Sheryl T says
Like your ideasl be trying them next time I do these as I love changing things up. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing this with us!!!!!
Sonja says
this is a traditional Slavic dish, called SARMA... we eat it all the time!!! you can use sauerkraut in the recipe and whatever kind of meat if you boil it in a pan instead of using the crockpot, you don't have to cook the rice(but cook it when using the c.p) to cut down on the grease content add on dallop od sour cream while cooking... Happy Eating
Sheryl T says
Sounds very interesting! Thanks for sharing it with us. I must give it a try! Traditional Slavic dishes are always very satisfying....ethnic comfort food from another culture!
judy says
Does the meat have to be browned first???
Sheryl T says
No it doesn't. It cooks thoroughly during the slow cooker process. I sometimes will brown large pieces of meat (roasts, etc) before putting in the slow cooker but that's just for appearance and sometimes flavor.
Flossie Robinson says
The cabbage rolls look so good, I am going to try them tomorrow.
Thanks or this recipe.
Spero Branoff says
Instead of tomatoe paste , use a couple cans of V8 juice to cover rolls, same for stuffed peppers. Mix the hamburg with pork and raw minute rice, add some V8 to the meat and rice mixture. Tastes alot better than useing just tomatoe paste.
joe ponz says
mix the meat and rice with two packs of onion soup mix. also dump a couple of cans of bavarian style cabbage w/ carraway seeds- usually two or three cans will work
Mary Withrow says
I love cabbage rolls but I would never put cinnamon or nutmeg in them? I would have to taste them before I would ever try it! I love stuffed pepper too!
Jess @HungryHarps says
I really need to try my hand at Stuffed Cabbage Rolls - these look wonderful! Plus, I love any chance to use my slow cooker. 🙂 Thank you for sharing at #GetHimFed Fridays, hope to see you again this week!
Ai Lin says
I can relate to how you feel about not wanting to heat up the kitchen further on hot days! These cabbage rolls look lovely and wholesome, as you said - it will work really well with noodles too! 🙂
Lauren @ The Well Crafted Home says
I am always looking for good slow cooker recipes and this looks delicious! Thanks for linking up at Well Crafted Wednesdays!
Lynn H says
I have never made stuffed cabbage rolls in my crock pot before~ Your recipe looks wonderful:) It has hit a high of 89 degrees here in Northern WI, hot and humid! Have a great week:) Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines
Emily says
Looks so tasty. I love stuffed cabbage. Pinned!
Linda says
My mother in law showed me how to make stuffed cabbage years ago. Thanks for the reminder. I cook it on the top of the stove but I have a crock pot so in the Fall I'll give it a go. Thanks for the recipe. Linda at Crafts a la Mode
Lanaya | Raising Reagan says
This recipe looks good. I love the picture of the dog. That's too cute.
Thank you for linking to Raising Imperfection.
Please come back Friday to see if you were featured. 🙂
¤´¨)
¸.•*´
(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
Raising-Reagan.com
Sandra says
These look yum! My mom use to make them all the time.
Will be giving this a try!
Thanks for sharing!
Krystle says
Yum! These look delicious! Can't wait to try them!!
Pinned it! Thanks for sharing this with us at One Sharendipity Place this weekend!
Krys @thet2women.com and http://www.worshipingwhilewaiting.blogspot
sue says
This is something I've wanted to make for a long time now!! Thanks for sharing it with us at One Sharendipity Place this weekend. We've got it pinned already and can't wait to try it! 🙂
Sue @ thet2women.com
debra@ HOMESPUN says
Your NORMAL weather sounds as nice as the Pacific Northwest. I hate anything over 72 degrees but here in Western PA not only do we have heat waves, we have humidity and that is what wears you out...
i love cabbage rolls..you have me craving them now 🙂 In the summer I usually do a version in the skillet....cutting up the cabbage rather than rolls but using the crockpot is something I should try! 🙂 Oh well hang in there and your pup too. Mine are shedding like crazy again right now...
Sheryl T says
I'm definitely not a warm weather girl. When friends go to Florida in the winter, I just wave goodbye. I have no interest in going there. You need to come to Maine in the summer, even on the hottest days in the evening temps go back to mid 50's.