Not Rolled "Rolled" Cabbage

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Not Rolled "Rolled" Cabbage

Not Rolled Rolled Cabbage
SERVES
8
PREP
5 Min
COOK TIME
1 Hr

Not-Rolled "Rolled" Cabbage updates a traditional European recipe for stuffed cabbage. It takes all the work out of it, but none of the delicious taste. That's why this is one of our all time favorite cabbage recipes. The whole family is going to love this dish! So get ready for Not-Rolled "Rolled" Cabbage! 

What You'll Need

  • 1 1/4 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 head green cabbage, shredded (12 to 14 cups)
  • 1 (14-ounce) can jellied or whole-berry cranberry sauce
  • 5 gingersnap cookies, crumbled (about 1/4 cup crumbs)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 (26-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

What to Do

  1. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each).
     
  2. Place half the shredded cabbage in a soup pot then add meatballs. Spread cranberry sauce over meatballs, sprinkle with gingersnap crumbs and lemon juice then add remaining cabbage. Pour spaghetti sauce over mixture. Do not stir!
     
  3. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir gently, being careful not to break up meatballs. Simmer an additional 40 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Our Lemon Rice is a great way to sop up the delicous extra sauce. You won't want to give up a bit of it!

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sounds weird but ive made this at least 10 times and love it .. gotta make it this week again ) love it !

Cookies and cranberry sauce make it..yummmmmm

Made the way it said,was ok dont think ill make again. You are all WAYYY OFF COURSE !!! It says rate THIS recipe NOT YOURS !!!

I will try my own version of this like other posters said without the cookies, cranberry sauce and lemon juice. Plus I like to use tomato soup instead of spaghetti sauce. I will probably add sausage to the ground beef and make mashed potatoes on the side.

Remove cookies and cranberry sauce. Too sweet. Add onions and regular meatball ingredients. I like the small size for easier and faster cooking. The idea of making this easier is great. I do like cheese added and soup or cream sauce. Many changes.

I made this but left out the jams/cookies and cranberries. I preferred it less sweet. The meat mixture I prepared was 1 lb hamburger and 1 lb of sausage. I cooked the meats with a half of chopped onion. I cooked this throughly then cooked about a quarter cup of wild rice and 1 cup of white rice together with beef bouillon until tender. I mixed it all together and "rebrowned" the mixture a bit to add additional flavor. I then rolled the mixture onto the cabbage leaves and used the remainder in grape leaves. I then cooked together with a large jar of spaghetti sauce until tender. About 15 minutes. Turned out really great. Used salt/pepper to taste and crushed garlic.

When I make my stuffed cabbages, easy way to pile the leaves is to put them in a microwave for about 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the head of cabbage. Core the head, put in a large open bowl, and cover with a paper towel. No burning of your hands and no mess.

Could "renegade159" please tell me what she uses in her meat "mixture"? Thanks!

Instead of pouring a sauce over the cabbage I use stewed tomatoes, which I have chopped in the blender. Then I top it with PATS of butter, cover and bake till bubbly. Yum,!!!!

I will try this but seems that I would leave out the gingersnaps. Thanx for the tips.

This is not rolled cabbage, first never use spaghetti sauce...or cranberry sauce, what is that all about? I think I would use my traditional recipe and just follow the directions for the shredded cabbage and make the meatballs and bake it that way.

If you don't like the recipe DO NOT MAKE IT but please do not rate it either. We do not need to know what YOU like or don't like. Just be quite.

I have been making what I call "lazy pig's" for yrs!! The prepping became too much, and in the warm weather.....I use slo-cooker!! It's on this order, a little, but, I layer thinly sliced cabbage, meat mixture on top, another layer of the cabbage, and repeat once more. Use tomato soup, or sauce for the top.....add can of water lightly over the top, AND....you'll become addicted!! I fix this quite a bit....being diabetic, this is a freebie!!

This is how my mom made unstuffed cabbage. She would also add sauerkraut and either a ham hock or ham bone. Delicious!

I have made this but not this way, I prepare my meat mixture the way I would with cabbage rolls then I cut up my cabbage in nice size pieces. Then I layer the cabbage on the bottom then place a layer of meat mixer in meat ball sizes balls..just keep repeatting till everything in the pan. Then I pour tomato juice in the pan untill everything is covered. I bake this in the oven untill cabbage is tender. Depending on what size pan you use. When I make it I use a large roasting pan.

Your recipe sounds great. I love "Stuffed Cabbage" but hate all the prep work in par -boiling the cabbage and rolling up the meat with individual cabbage leaves. Going to try this one this week! Thanks,

Cranberry sauce?

Not my favorite. Way too sweet for my taste. I tried to doctor it up with the rice but... I did like the cabbage combination with the meatballs but could taste the cookies.

wondering if this could be cooked in oven?

This is a great recipie, however, as so many of us are watching our weight....the nutritional values would be appreciated,on all recipies

I cannot agree more. I am on a low carb-low fat diet, which means I can eat almost nothing. It is very important for me to have the nutritional values. I'm sure there are many others with the same need.

Here's a site for you. recipes.sparkpeople.com/cookbooks.asp?cookbook=58192

sounds delicious! Can't wait to try it!! anne in Newport Wa

Well, I made it because I wanted to see what the weird ingredients tasted like, but it was the first disappointing recipe I've tried from Mr. Food. It was OK in terms of flavor, but it sure didn't taste like rolled cabbage. I think too much depends on the spaghetti sauce one selects, and there's really no blending of cabbage and meat. Wouln't make again.

I thought it was missing rice and extra spices

I made the complete recipe even though it was just for the two of us so i would have left overs. I used 1# instead of 1 1/4# of lean ground beef and got 16 meatballs. I would use less than one big bottle of the spaghetti sauce. It was delicious and tastes great the second day. BUT, it certainly took more than 5 minutes to prepare! I would say that assembling and measuring the ingredients and making the meatballs and cutting the cabbage all took about 30 minutes. I'm wondering if it would freeze well but no matter what, I'll make it again. :-)

This is a wonderful recipe, very tasty and easy to make, well worth a try..

Using a bag of coleslaw mix with the added carrot really added a nice crunch to the mix and really speeded up assembly time.

I absolutely LOVE this recipe! However, instead of shredding a head of cabbage I used a bag of coleslaw mix, 2 eggs instead of just 1, and only half a jar of spaghetti sauce. I actually ended up making this twice in one week because everyone just loved it and wanted more. Definately a "keeper"

My recipe is shredded cabbage, frozen meatballs, marinara sauce, oregano, brown sugar, worchestershire sauce. Layer like recipe and cook...Serve with garlic bread and a fresh salad. It's a quickie for me, when I'm pressed for time. Enjoy!

i see a lot of people hated this i made it a few weeks ago and loved it .. i made rice on the side . i would have liked it incorporated in the dish

This is not the recipe that my mother-in-law taught me. This recipe is terrible. Put a layer of cut cabbage in a casserole, next cooked hamburger with uncooked minute rice. continue layering. Pour 2 cans of tomato soup with a 1 can of water mixed. Cook at 350' for an hour. Season with salt, pepper and anything you wish. It should come out tasty and exactly like stuffed cabbage that has been rolled. If you do not like it - let me know Put

Funny how mothers-in-law pass on their son's favorite dish recipes My dear mom-in-law made hers the old fashioned way with parboiled save the water and de-spined cabbage leaves Filled them with combo of ground chuck - lb and ground pork lb th cup raw white or brown rice one chopped med onion tsp salt - tsp pepper and one egg Use a lump of meat mix according to the leaf size Roll up like a butcher rolls up a pkg of meat with sides tucked in Pace rolls seam side down in a Dutch oven that has a layer of cabbage leaf scraps on the bottom Cover rolls with a mixture of a oz can of crushed tomatoes and a oz tomato paste can tsp garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste If needed use the saved cabbage water to cover the cabbage rolls You can either put the coveredRead More Dutch oven in the oven for - hours at - until rice is cooked or simmer them slowly on top of the stove for about the same time Watch out for scorching Brown rice will take longer Serve with a crusty bread and a vegetable This was traditionally the waiting for the kids to come home from college dish They reheat very well

This sounds like the recipe my mom would make when she didn't have the time to roll them all.

My wife and I thought these things were the nastiest things we have ever ate. Too sweet and didn't taste anything like cabbage rolls. Won't do them again.

Do a fifty/fifty mix of italian sausage and hamburger, or better yet fresh kielbasa if you can find it to change up this recipe.

This recipe didn't go over too good with my family. Tomato sauce was over whelming..

I made this just as the recipe stated last weekend.It is an unusual recipe but entire family really enjoyed it.There is nothing there to boil but it does actually start boiling if you listen to your pot.Very neat and unusual flavors!I will prepare again.

I put a little rice in instead of cookies (yuck) also it takes longer than 60 minutes, after hr & 1/2 cabbage still wasnt done, i had to transfer it into a casserole dish, finish in microwave.

This the grossest dish ive ever ate, too sweet with cranberry sauce.. Dont waste your time. i give it a -1

Haven't tried it yet...the cranberry sauce in there doesn't really appeal to me, but the idea of the meatballs, cabbage and spag. sauce does, do you have a comparable recipe leaving out the sweet stuff??

Trying tonight exactly as the recipe tells you to do. Little gun shy - "Bring to boil." What is there to boil, and how can you tell looking at a large soup pot? I think you should first try the recipe, then change to fit your tastes. Also, why do you post 2-3 copies of the same review?

i was wondering too about the "come to a boil" but it does .. i loved it and i had 2 containers leftover that i froze - ate one since and have 1 more and will definitely make it again - except im adding MORE cookies crumbs i didnt even taste them

This is not authenic cabbage rolls. If they are going to be stuffed cabbage, make it the Hungarian way and let everyone enjoy. I have made them for years, I'm 75 and come from Hungarian grandparents. There is only one way.!!!!!!!

I would love to have your recipe for the cabbage rolls.I am also 75 and when I was little some of our neighbors were Hungarian,& I would eat the cabbage rolls they would make.They were delicious Thanks for the memory.

please allow us to print all these good comments. Abarnes

I need to be able to print the comments along with the recipe, please.

This is wonderful, and only one of the ways that I do what I call "lazy cabbage rolls"! YES....they can be made IN THE SLOW-COOKER....I usually fix it that way! U can also, shred the babbage, lay the meat over the cabbage, and repeat, like a lazy lasagna, a couple of layers, AND don't forget the onion!!

Would it be possible to modify this recipe to cook it in a slow cooker (Crock Pot)?

ABSOLUTELY....my reply will be posted soon!

As with Past sauces, there are many different sauces for stuffed cabbage. Using gingersnaps create the wonderful flavor in the sauce recipe. SWEET-AND-SOUR GINGERSNAP SAUCE 1 13-oz. can tomato sauce 1 c. white raisins c. fresh lemon juice 6-8 ginger snaps 1 c. water or consomm

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/163455/Hungarian-Cabbage-Rolls

In younger days cabbage rolls were family secrets esp by the Hungarians Someone asked about crockpot cooking The cooking of these baseball size rolled cabbages were placed in the deep well of the electric range with tomato juice as the liquid and cooked for HOURS So filling and so large only serving placed on each plate I might add never ever seen a rolled cabbage come undone always uniformed round as a baseball or toothpicks holding cabbage in place All I know about the recipe is what I could see I was a youngster hamburger rice cabbage and tomato juice don't know the seasoning or details but I do know to this day I have not been able to duplicate that recipe nor roll a tight baseball size helping If I knew how to spell the Hungarian word for cabbage roll anyone want to give it a try A taste I'llRead More never forget

Well, it can't be to bad if it was rated in the favorites list of 2010. I'm going to try it just as written. Sounds good to me.

I don't think these ingredients would taste like real stuffed cabbage. I agree with comwolo55's recipe, the only thing different I do is I use Campbells tomato soup instead of the V8 juice. Also I layer mine in a large pot and cover with the soup & water & bring it to a boil & then simmer it (covered ) on top of the stove for 2-3 hrs. I used to bake it but I found it tends to dry out the tops of the cabbage. Now I cook it on top of the stove. Always good & very delicious. I make this all the time for my family & they love it. I'm not even interested in trying rolled cabbage using this recipe. Doesn't even sound appealing to me. Not like true stuffed cabbage, which is soooo good.

I have an Electric range and simmer doesn't exhist according to my standards. I bake them for about 1 hr covered 350%. perfect!! No Cranberrys or Cookies and I use tomato soup. My Daughter-in-Law is Polish, I'm Italian and she can't get enough of these. p.s. Don't cook the meat ahead of time!

I say stick to the original get a head of cabbage cut the core out place in water boil till the leaves are tender taking the tender ones off periodically Take - lba of raw hamburger cut up some onions usually I use - depending on size add onions to hamburger cook cups of rice you want to end up with cups of cooked let cool about mins mix cooked rice into hamburger take one cabbage leaf hold in your palm take about one Tablespoon of meat and place it in the center of the cabbage then roll up tucking in the sides as you go continue doing this with the large leaves of the cabbage take the very center leaves and line the bottom of a turkey pan this makes a lot of cabbage rolls place your stuffed cabbage in the pan forming layers take oz cans of V juiceRead More and pour over all Cover and place in degree oven for - hours Enjoy that is what stuffed cabbage or rolled cabbage is nothing more nothing less leave tradition alone You can not improve on perfection

I would freeze the whole head of cabbage(s) when on sale ... thaw for 24-36 hrs in laundry tub, separate leaves, removed core stem then stuff and roll. No boiling of cabbage!

The recipe for cabbage rolls has been changed tooooo much. This recipe comes from my native Hungary and it can never taste the same with these ingredients.

CARJAMS - PLEASE SHARE YOUR ORIGINAL RECIPE

Would like to have YOUR recipe!! Have been looking for it .Grew up with a Hungarian neighbor who had a FABULOUS way of preparing this. I was too young to realise it but sure do miss it.

In my family - we use campbell's tomatoe soup. I would suggest using that instead of the cranberries - if desired.

I like to use V-8 juice and my recipe calls to brown the hamburger,add rice ,then add this to chopped cabbage in a baking pan and top with the V-8 juice and bake until done ,very good

Has anyone else tried this in the crock pot? If so, did you change anything. Sounds good and would be nice to come home from work to this all fixed in the crock pot. :)

try it and let us know

I am a big fan of stuffed cabbage, but gingersnaps & cranberry sauce????????????? Nah! I'll pass! I don't like cranberry sauce anyway!

I love stuffed cabbage....but this is such a weird combination of ingredients! I'll have to try it just to see what it tastes like.

That's my first thought, too. Great for slow cooker! We are a Serbian and Croatian family and love stuffed cabbage, but this is a real time saver. Another hint: instead of all the shredding, put the head of cabbage in a bag and into the freezer for a day or so. Take out of the freezer and as it thaws, the leaves fall off the head, so no shredding or parboiling involved. The leaves are soft and easy to layer with the meatballs and then proceed. Mya need to thin the sauce a bit for the slow cooker to get it started.

i also wld. like to see if any one has made this in the slow cooker

What is the purpose of the ginger snaps - to help thicken?

This recipe sounds very good and I would like to try it, however I am wondering if it could be done in the slow cooker. Has anyone tried doing it this way?

Making this tonight!!

just saw him make this. It looks really good.I will make it tomorrow night...hope yours turns out great. I love ginger snaps!

This is definitely not authentic stuffed cabbage, even by American standards.

Don't care for and did not have gingersnaps so I tried this using 1 min- not instant- OATMEAL. Was good. Will do it again, easy.

what can I use instead of the ginger snaps? we don't like them. thanks,

what can I use instead of the ginger snaps? we don't like them. thanks,

We love the dish and have used it for many years. Fast, easy and a crowd pleaser.

For all those people who posted their own recipes why don't you get your own web site? I have not made this yet so I cannot rate it. But I was looking for helpful comments. Not makeovers.

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