Prepare the cabbage
Remove the core of the cabbage.
Place cabbage in a large pot of boiling salted water.
Gently peel off softened leaves as they loosen.
Set leaves aside to cool. Trim thick veins if needed.
Make the filling
Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion until soft.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
In a bowl, combine:
Ground meat
Rice
Onion & garlic
Tomato paste
Salt, pepper, paprika, herbs
Mix well (don’t overmix).
Roll the cabbage
Place 2–3 tbsp filling on each cabbage leaf.
Fold in sides and roll tightly.
Repeat until filling is used.
Prepare the sauce
In a bowl, mix crushed tomatoes, water/broth, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Cook the cabbage rolls
Stovetop method
Line the bottom of a large pot with leftover cabbage leaves.
Arrange rolls seam-side down.
Pour sauce over rolls (they should be mostly covered).
Add bay leaf.
Cover and simmer on low heat for 1½–2 hours.
OR Oven method
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Place rolls in a baking dish.
Pour sauce over.
Cover with foil and bake 1½ hours.
Serving Suggestions
Serve hot with sour cream or yogurt
Enjoy with crusty bread or mashed potatoes
Variations
Vegetarian: Replace meat with mushrooms & lentils
Middle Eastern style: Add cinnamon & allspice
Polish/Romanian: Use pork + smoked meat
Low-carb: Skip rice, add cauliflower rice
