Recipes
Lazy Cabbage Rolls
2025-08-20
Lazy cabbage rolls are for anyone who loves the flavor of classic cabbage rolls but doesn’t want to steam and carefully wrap cabbage leaves. Here the cabbage is simply shredded and mixed right into the meat, producing loose, juicy patties simmered in tomato sauce that taste remarkably close to the original.
This method is also more forgiving: there’s no leaf to tear and no filling to spill out during cooking. The patties hold together thanks to the rice and egg in the mix, while the cabbage keeps them light and moist.
The simmering sauce matters here — it should be thin enough to fully cover the patties so they don’t scorch. If it thickens too fast, just add a splash of water or vegetable broth to loosen it back up.
Lazy cabbage rolls reheat beautifully the next day and pair well with mashed potatoes or a slice of bread for mopping up the sauce. Many families double the batch, since the dish freezes well and still tastes great after reheating.
Ingredients
- 500 g ground pork or beef
- 400 g white cabbage, finely shredded
- 100 g rice, parboiled until half-cooked
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 egg
- 400 g canned tomatoes or tomato paste thinned with water
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt, black pepper, and dried dill to taste
Instructions
- Massage the shredded cabbage with a pinch of salt and let it sit for 10 minutes to soften slightly.
- Saute half the onion and carrot in oil until soft, then let cool.
- Combine the ground meat, cabbage, parboiled rice, sauteed vegetables, egg, salt, and pepper into an even mixture.
- Shape the mixture into medium round patties.
- Fry the patties in the remaining oil for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden.
- Saute the remaining onion, add the tomatoes and garlic, and bring to a simmer to make the sauce.
- Transfer the patties to a saucepan, pour the sauce over them, cover, and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through.
- Serve hot with the sauce spooned over, sprinkled with herbs and a dollop of sour cream if you like.
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