Published by Best Fitness Routine. Editorial standards · Report a correction. Educational guidance; no individual clinical review is claimed unless a qualified reviewer is named.
About This Healthy Recipe
These stuffed cabbage rolls contain lean beef and cooked brown rice inside individual leaves, baked in a tomato sauce. They are a distinct rolled dish rather than the existing turkey cabbage soup. A serving is two rolls with an equal share of sauce.
Use eight large intact leaves and weigh the usable trimmed portion. Cooked rice is specified; starting with dry rice requires extra preparation. The beef goes into the filling raw, so the thermometer check at the centre of a large roll is important.
Blanching and shaving the ribs make the leaves flexible. Keep the rolls in a single layer and cover for baking so the cabbage becomes tender without drying out. Sauce, filling and leaf weights are all included in the batch calculation.
Why Readers May Like It
- 1Measured portions and clear gluten-free ingredient checks.
- 2Clear dry, cooked and drained ingredient weights.
- 3A complete four-serving meal with practical cooking cues.
Recipe Summary and Estimated Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated from the listed ingredient weights and the specific USDA records or manufacturer references linked below. Weights labeled dry, cooked or drained must be matched to that state.
4 servings
One serving is one quarter of the base batch. Values are estimates rather than laboratory analysis.
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Per one quarter of the base recipe
Brands, drained weights, substitutions and final serving sizes can change these values.
Ingredient-by-Ingredient Nutrition Breakdown
Gram weights are the calculation basis; household measures are approximate. Cooking water is listed for preparation, and drained water is not included.
| Ingredient | Amount used | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large cabbage leaves, usable trimmed weight | 8 large leaves | 600 g | 186 kcal | 8.6 g | 44.2 g | 1 g |
| Raw ground beef, 95% lean | about 1 lb 2 oz | 500 g | 685 kcal | 107 g | 0 g | 25 g |
| Cooked brown rice | about 2 cups | 400 g | 492 kcal | 11 g | 102.3 g | 3.9 g |
| Canned crushed tomatoes, no added salt | about 2 1/2 cups | 600 g | 192 kcal | 9.8 g | 43.7 g | 1.7 g |
| Onion, finely diced | 1 medium | 150 g | 60 kcal | 1.6 g | 14 g | 0.1 g |
| Garlic, minced | 2 cloves | 8 g | 12 kcal | 0.5 g | 2.6 g | 0 g |
| Olive oil | about 2 teaspoons | 10 g | 88 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 10 g |
| Paprika labelled gluten-free | about 1 1/2 teaspoons | 3 g | 8 kcal | 0.4 g | 1.6 g | 0.4 g |
| Table salt | about 1/3 teaspoon | 2 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Black pepper | about 1/2 teaspoon | 1 g | 3 kcal | 0.1 g | 0.6 g | 0 g |
| Water | 150 ml | 150 g | 0 kcal | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Full recipe estimate | 4 servings | — | 1726 kcal | 139 g | 209 g | 42.1 g |
How This Nutrition Estimate Was Prepared
- Match each listed ingredient to its linked food record or stated label reference.
- Multiply the per-100-g values by the listed gram weight and add the unrounded ingredient values.
- Divide the full calculation by four servings, then round for the cards.
- Recalculate if you change the ingredient brand, amount or serving yield.
Ingredient cells are rounded independently. The footer sums displayed cells; per-serving cards use the unrounded calculation, so small rounding differences are expected. Cooking-water losses affect finished weight, not the fixed four-serving calculation.
Ingredients
Measured ingredients
Step-by-Step Preparation
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Equipment links are paid affiliate links; use suitable tools you already own.
Equipment
- Large cooking pot (paid link)
- Chef’s knife (paid link)
- Cutting board (paid link)
- Lidded saucepan (paid link)
- Mixing bowls (paid link)
- Oven-safe baking dish (paid link)
- Instant-read food thermometer (paid link)
- Digital kitchen scale (paid link)
Before You Start
Use eight large intact leaves and weigh the usable trimmed portion. Cooked rice is specified; starting with dry rice requires extra preparation. The beef goes into the filling raw, so the thermometer check at the centre of a large roll is important.
Allow about 80 minutes. Components can overlap; use the doneness cues rather than the clock alone. Keep surfaces and utensils clean and verify gluten-free ingredient labels.
Prepare leaves and oven
5 minutesHeat the oven to 190°C / 375°F conventional, or 170°C fan. Separate eight large usable cabbage leaves carefully.
Soften the cabbage
6–8 minutesBring a large cooking pot (paid link) of water to a simmer. Blanch leaves in batches until flexible, then lift them out and cool enough to handle.
Trim the thick ribs
3 minutesUse a chef’s knife (paid link) to shave the thick central rib flat without cutting through the leaf. Set the leaves on a clean board.
Make the tomato sauce
5 minutesWarm oil in a saucepan. Soften half the onion, add garlic and paprika briefly, then crushed tomatoes, water and half the salt. Simmer gently.
Mix the filling
3 minutesIn a mixing bowl, combine raw beef, cooked rice, remaining onion, remaining salt and pepper. Mix evenly without compacting.
Fill and roll eight parcels
8 minutesDivide filling into eight equal portions. Place one near the base of each leaf, fold the sides inward and roll securely.
Arrange for baking
2 minutesSpread a little sauce in a oven-safe baking dish (paid link). Put rolls seam-side down in one layer, then spoon the remaining sauce over them. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
Bake and check the filling
40–50 minutesBake until the cabbage is tender and the thickest roll filling reaches 71°C / 160°F on a instant-read food thermometer (paid link). Extend cooking as needed for your roll size.
Rest and serve
5 minutesRest covered for 5 minutes. Serve two rolls with one quarter of the tomato sauce per person.
How to Know It Is Ready
Beef filling reaches 71°C / 160°F.
Cabbage is tender and parcels hold together.
Two rolls and one quarter of sauce make one serving.
What This Meal Provides and What to Consider
Meal Balance
- The measured batch supplies about 34.8 g protein per serving.
- Vegetables and the listed grain or legume portions make this a full meal, rather than a protein-only snack.
Things to Consider
- Check tomato and spice labels for gluten-free suitability.
- Use the stated lean beef percentage; more fatty meat changes the estimate.
Who May Enjoy This Recipe?
Gluten-free meal planning
People seeking familiar meals with verified gluten-free ingredients.
Home cooking
Blanching and shaving the ribs make the leaves flexible. Keep the rolls in a single layer and cover for baking so the cabbage becomes tender without drying out. Sauce, filling and leaf weights are all included in the batch calculation.
Measured portions
People who want to understand how ingredient weights relate to a four-serving batch.
How to Adjust the Meal
Smaller appetite
Serve a smaller portion and save the rest. Recalculate nutrition for the portion you actually eat rather than labeling an unchanged serving low-calorie.
Larger appetite
Add vegetables or another suitable accompaniment, and include those ingredients in the meal calculation.
Protein adjustments
If changing raw ground beef, 95% lean, check its product label and recalculate. A larger amount may also change texture and cooking requirements.
Substitutions, Dietary Notes, and Allergens
Practical Substitutions
- Use green or Savoy cabbage with sufficiently large leaves; adjust blanching to flexibility.
- Swap cooked brown rice for an equal cooked weight of quinoa and recalculate.
Allergen Information
Check tomato and spice labels for gluten-free suitability.
Check packaged ingredient labels for the allergens relevant to you. A substitution changes both the recipe and the calculation.
Storage and Meal Preparation
Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F (32°C). Use shallow containers and a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days; reheat hot leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Keep raw salad components and dressings separate when that improves texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
They may be too firm or have thick ribs. Blanch until pliable and shave the rib gently before filling.
Freeze fully cooked cooled rolls with sauce in suitable portions. Thaw safely and reheat hot leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.
The listed ingredients provide an estimated 34.8 g protein per one quarter of the batch. Brands and portions can change this value.
Use the 2× or 3× control for gram quantities and serving count. Keep the per-serving estimate as a base guide; use larger cookware or batches and check doneness rather than multiplying the cooking time.
Nutrition Sources and Recipe Notes
These values are planning estimates, not individualized nutrition advice. Use the labels for your exact products when precision is important. The recipe has not been kitchen-tested and the image is a generated illustration of the intended dish.
Nutrition Data Sources
See our Nutrition Calculation Methodology for weights, rounding and substitutions.
Food Safety Reference
Gluten-Free Preparation Reference
Use clean utensils and surfaces to avoid gluten cross-contact, and verify packaged ingredient labels.
Recipe development note: this page does not claim independent kitchen testing. The image is illustrative and does not document a tested result. Ingredient-based nutrition estimates can change with brands, weighing state, preparation and serving size; use exact labels when precision matters.
Useful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The links below are paid affiliate links.
These are the tools used in the preparation above. Use suitable equipment you already own, or compare options if you need an item.
Large cooking pot
Choose sufficient capacity for the soup, leaves or cooking batch.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabChef’s knife
Cut the recipe ingredients into the specified sizes.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabCutting board
Use a clean preparation surface and separate raw meat from ready-to-eat food.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabLidded saucepan
Cook the smaller component or side described in the method.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabMixing bowls
Keep wet mixtures, coatings or fillings organized during preparation.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabOven-safe baking dish
Bake the assembled dish in one layer where the method specifies it.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabInstant-read food thermometer
Check the stated safe centre temperature rather than judging colour alone.
Compare on Amazon →Paid link · opens in a new tabDigital kitchen scale
Weigh the gram quantities used in the ingredient calculation.
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