The Kitchn: Stuffed cabbage recipe is weeknight-friendly
Stuffed cabbage is a comforting winter dish that also makes a complete meal. The traditional preparation of a savory meat-and-rice filling rolled up in tender cabbage that's slow-baked in a sweet-sour tomato sauce is a labor of love.
To make this dish more weeknight-friendly, we make these on the stovetop in just one skillet, from start to finish. You can have all the same satisfaction in a fraction of the time.
The one-skillet cabbage roll
Traditional stuffed cabbage is made by making a sweet-and-sour tomato sauce on the stovetop, and the sauce is transferred into a baking dish with the stuffed cabbage. The whole thing is baked in the oven and usually takes close to an hour. To speed things up here, we make the sauce in a skillet, add the stuffed cabbage rolls right into the pan, and simmer it covered so it takes only about 35 minutes instead.
Savoy cabbage, with its sweet and tender leaves, wilts down with a quick blanch in boiling water and is ideal for stuffed cabbage. Get a large head to make sure the leaves are big enough for stuffing. You can use the remaining cabbage in a stir-fry or slaw later.
To make this even more weeknight-friendly, you can simmer the tomato sauce, mix the filling a day ahead, and store separately in the refrigerator. When you're ready to cook, just bring the tomato sauce back to a simmer and proceed with the recipe.
Weeknight Cabbage Rolls
Serves 4
For the cabbage and sauce:
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