Craving a dish that’s both comforting and flavorful? Look no further than these German-style cabbage rolls, known as Krautrouladen. Stuffed with a savory filling and baked in a rich tomato sauce, they’re a guaranteed hit for lunch or dinner. With a simple list of ingredients and a little bit of care, you can bring this heartwarming classic to your own table.
Ingredients:
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 onion
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 17.5 ounces (500g) tomatoes (fresh or canned in their own juice)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (250ml) vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Cabbage Rolls:
- 1 medium head of white cabbage (you’ll need 8 large leaves)
- 1 cup (200g) cooked rice
- 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon butter or clarified butter for sautéing
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1.1 pounds (500g) ground meat (pork, beef, or a mixture)
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- A little butter for greasing the baking dish
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Tomato Sauce:
Finely chop the onion and sauté it in butter until translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the tomato paste. Sprinkle with flour, mix quickly, and then pour in the vegetable broth. Add sugar, lemon juice, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 25–30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove the bay leaf at the end. For a smoother sauce, you can blend it with an immersion blender if desired.
2. Prepare the Cabbage:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Submerge the whole cabbage head and blanch for about 10 minutes, until the outer leaves start to soften. Carefully remove 8 of the largest leaves and simmer them for another 2–3 minutes to make them more pliable. You can also cut out the thickest part of the central vein in each leaf to make rolling easier.
3. Make the Filling:
Finely chop the onion and sauté it gently in butter until golden brown. Add the chopped parsley. Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer it to a bowl with the ground meat. Add the egg, cooked rice, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined.
4. Assemble the Cabbage Rolls:
Place a portion of the filling onto each cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides of the leaf and then roll it up tightly, starting from the stem end. Place the rolled cabbage rolls seam-down in a buttered oven-safe dish.
5. Bake:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) in a conventional (top and bottom heat) setting. Bake the cabbage rolls for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 320°F (160°C), pour the tomato sauce over the rolls, and continue to simmer in the oven for another 35 minutes or so.
Serving Suggestion: Serve these delicious Krautrouladen with a dollop of sour cream, some fresh crusty bread, or tender boiled new potatoes. They also keep wonderfully in the refrigerator and taste even better the next day!
Enjoy your homemade German-Style Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce! Guten Appetit!