Cabbage Rolls
It took my mother some time to trust me with cutting the cabbage leaves just right…
For us, cabbage rolls is more than just a dish—my mother, the patient teacher, and I, the eager student. Looking back, I see how we learned to communicate in the kitchen, teaching and learning from each other (with me usually on the learning side!).
To this day, making cabbage rolls feels like carrying on a warm family tradition that brings people together. Turkish cabbage rolls are smaller and more tender than the large versions most North Americans are familiar with. We layer the top and bottom of the pot with the thick, rough cabbage leaves to ensure that the rolls cook evenly and never burn. This allows us to wrap the rolls with less leaf and more stuffing.
It’s hard to wait while the rolls slowly cook and rest, but once they’re ready, the wait is always worth it. The delicate cabbage leaves, soft like thin pastry, wrap around a filling that melts in your mouth, rich with savoury spices. Served warm with cool garlic yogurt and sizzling pepper sauce, each bite is a perfect balance of flavours and textures. It’s the ultimate comfort food, especially during the fall and winter months, when hearty dishes are most welcome at the table.
CABBAGE ROLLS WITH GROUND BEEF: TURKISH STYLE; WITH YOGURT AND PEPPER SAUCES
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Ingredients
For the Cabbage Rolls:
1 cabbage (1.5-2 kg)
750 g ground beef
2 onions, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup calrose rice
2 cups water
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp pepper paste
1.5 tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp allspice
For the Yogurt Sauce:
4-5 tbsp plain yogurt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp dried mint
½ tsp salt
For the Pepper Sauce:
3-4 tbsp pepper paste
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp sweet chilli pepper sauce or 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Notes from the Kitchen
For best results, choose a cabbage with an elliptical shape, and freeze any unused portions for later.
*This is to make sure the hard parts of the leaves cook first and the softer tips are not overcooked. Overcooked leaves may tear while stuffing.
**Watch out for the hot water and steam as you flip the cabbage and remove the leaves one by one. My mother is a pro at this, but she has not fear of heat and plenty of experience! Alternatively, you could cook the cabbage, stem-side down, for 15-20 minutes, take it out of the water, and remove the leaves once they are cool enough to handle —Like I do! :)
***Amount of each spice may be altered to your desire.
^The rolls should be neither too tight, nor too loose. They should have enough room to accommodate for the expansion of the rice when it cooks. If too loose, the stuffing will escape the roll. If too tight, the cabbage leaf will tear during cooking.
^^Handling the rolls right away may damage them. It is best practice to allow stuffed vegetables to rest and adjust to their new shape.
Directions
PREPARING THE CABBAGE LEAVES
Wash the cabbage whole, then carve out the core to allow easy separation of the leaves.
Fill a large pot halfway with water and place the cabbage stem-side down in the pot *.
Cook for 8-10 minutes. Flip the cabbage and keep boiling at medium heat.
As the cabbage softens, peel away the outer leaves one by one**.
Remove the thicker veins from each leaf and cut them into smaller, triangular pieces for rolling. Save the thickest leaf pieces to cover the top and bottom of the pot to dissipate the heat during cooking. This way, all the rolls will cook evenly.
MAKING THE STUFFING
In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced onions, crushed garlic, and 1 tbsp salt. Soften the onion pieces by gently but repeatedly squeezing them in a fist.
Add 1 tsp each of dried coriander, allspice, ground black pepper, and 1 tbsp pepper paste to the mix***.
Wash and drain 1 cup of rice, then add it to the mixture, along with 1 cup of water, 750 g of ground beef, and 3 tbsp olive oil.
Knead the ingredients together until they form a slightly paste-like filling. Set aside.
ROLLING THE CABBAGE LEAVES
Line the bottom of a deep, medium-sized pot with the thick cabbage leaf pieces you cut out earlier.
On a flat plate, start rolling the semi-cooked cabbage leaves by placing 1-2 tbsp of filling at the base of each triangular piece. Fold the sides inward and roll toward the tip^.
Arrange the rolls snugly in the pot to prevent unrolling during cooking.
COOKING THE ROLLS
Cover the rolls with the remaining thick leaf pieces. Drizzle ½ tbsp salt, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 1 cup water over the rolls.
Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to low heat and cook slowly for about 1 hour.
Once thoroughly cooked, take off the heat and let rest for 30 minutes^^.
YOGURT SAUCE
In a small bowl, mix the crushed garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3-4 tbsp yogurt.
Refrigerate until ready to serve for a refreshing complement to the cabbage rolls.
PEPPER SAUCE
In a small saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter.
Add 3-4 tbsp pepper paste, 1 tbsp sweet-chilli sauce, and 1/2 tsp salt, stirring until smooth.
Let the sauce simmer for 3 minutes, then keep warm until serving.
SERVING
Serve the cabbage rolls warm, arranged neatly on a large serving platter. The tender cabbage leaves, softened like thin pastry, wrap around a scrumptious filling. The rolls are best paired with a cool, refreshing yogurt sauce on the side, offering a creamy contrast to the warm, savoury flavours. Drizzle or serve the sizzling pepper sauce to add a bold, rich layer to the delicate texture of the rolls. For those who crave an extra kick of heat, substitute hot pepper paste or hot pepper flakes in the sauce! This comforting dish is a true celebration of home-cooked goodness, perfect for a family meal shared on a cold winter evening.
Afiyet olsun!
