How to make pigs in the blanket with cabbage stuffed with ground beef or sausage baked in the oven, slow cooker stuffed cabbage rolls or make Instant Pot pressure cooker.

Pigs in the Blanket with Cabbage
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We canโ€™t get enough cabbage recipes in our house. Yes, even my kids will eat it after years of serving it in a number of different forms. Cabbage pigs in a blanket is what we have called this for years, just makes it fun. Delicious is what I call these rolls filled with meat! (affiliate links present)

Cabbage Pigs in Blanket

I will share a few different methods we have made this dish, but in the recipe card below it will explain the oven version. Baked low and slow so the wrap can soak in the tomato sauce just works great. Above using the Crockpot you get the same result, but it takes a lot longer. I like to cover all my basis so you can choose which is right for you on that day.

For quicker you can use our Instant Pot cabbage rolls but you have to use the PIP technique and canโ€™t make a lot at once. If you have a larger family other than about 3 people you wouldnโ€™t to go that direction. The ingredients you need are shown below. The outer leaves of the head of cabbage is all you need, 1 per roll.

Cabbage Pigs in Blanket

Baked Cabbage Rolls in the Oven

Now you will want to quickly boil cabbage so the leaves are soft enough to roll up like a burrito. If you skip this step they will break apart and wonโ€™t be able to bend really at all. Just takes a few minutes submerged to get them tender enough. As for the insides there are tons of possibilities but basics are listed here;

  • 1 lb ground beef or spicy sausage or half and half
  • Brown or white rice measured after being cooked
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Granulated garlic
  • Paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 6-8 cabbage leaves blanched
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes or diced tomatoes works too. If you donโ€™t want chunks at all just use tomato soup instead.
  • Small onion diced
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • Sugar

And then when it is served of course you may want some salt and pepper to taste but I donโ€™t think I really need to specify all of that do I?

how to blanch cabbage

Pigs in a Blanket Cabbage Polish

You may have other ingredients your Grandmother used back in the day to make her stuffed cabbage rolls recipe. By all means tweak away, this will just give you a good idea of how to prep the leaves, filling, bake time and temperature too. Some like heavier black pepper letโ€™s say and others want a bit of heat with red pepper flakes.

  • Fry half the chopped onion in olive oil for 3 minutes, then add half the chopped garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally over low heat.
  • Add tomatoes, sugar, mix and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
  • At the end, add wine vinegar, stir and turn off the heat.
  • Preheat the oven to 360 F. Put cabbage leaves into boiling water and boil for 3-4 minutes just until pliable. They should become soft, but at the same time remain whole.
  • Transfer soft leaves to a bowl of ice cold water.
  • In a large bowl, put the ground beef, cooked rice, salt, spices, remaining garlic, softened onion and egg. Mix everything thoroughly.
  • When the cabbage leaves have cooled, cut off the top of the central white strip (if stiff) to soften the leaf. Put 2 tablespoons of minced meat on the edge of the cabbage leaf.
  • Gently but tightly wrap the minced meat in cabbage.
  • Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. Put 4-5 tablespoons of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Lay stuffed rolls on top with seam side on the bottom so they donโ€™t unroll.

Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Cover the baking dish with foil and put in the oven for half an hour. After half an hour, remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes. If for whatever reason your oven doesnโ€™t have a 360 option, just use 350 degrees and it really wouldnโ€™t change much at all.

Baked Cabbage Rolls in the Oven

Easy Pigs in a Blanket Cabbage Recipe

A few questions you might have before you get started are as follows; If you have others feel free to comment below and we will get back to you the same day to help you out. ๐Ÿ˜‰

How do you fold cabbage rolls?
What is the origin of the cabbage roll?

Want to know How Long to Cook Pigs in a Blanket in other ways, like with hot dogs and crescent rolls? We have information on all of those ways too.

Easy Pigs in a Blanket Cabbage Recipe
Pigs in the Blanket with Cabbage, these stuffed cabbage rolls are smothered in rich tomato sauce, presented beautifully in a white dish. One roll is elegantly lifted on a spoon, tempting your taste buds with its savory aroma.
5 from 1 vote

Pigs in the Blanket with Cabbage

By Justine
How to make pigs in the blanket with cabbage stuffed with ground beef or sausage baked in the oven, slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Servings:

Equipment

  • 1 9ร—13 casserole dish
  • 1 pan
  • 1 Bowl
  • 1 spatula
  • 1 pot

Ingredients 

  • 1 lb ground beef, or spicy sausage or half and half
  • 1/2 c rice, measured after being cooked
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 6-8 cabbage leaves, blanched
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes, or diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp sugar
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Instructions 

  • Fry half the chopped onion in olive oil for 3 minutes, then add half the chopped garlic and fry for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally over low heat. Add tomatoes, sugar, mix and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. At the end, add wine vinegar, stir and turn off the heat.
  • Preheat the oven to 360 F. Put cabbage leaves into boiling water and boil for 3-4 minutes just until pliable. They should become soft, but at the same time remain whole. Transfer soft leaves to a bowl of ice cold water.
  • In a bowl, put the ground beef, cooked rice, salt, spices, remaining garlic, softened onion and egg. Mix everything thoroughly.
  • When the cabbage leaves have cooled, cut off the top of the central white strip (if stiff) to soften the leaf. Put 2 tablespoons of minced meat on the edge of the cabbage leaf.
  • Gently but tightly wrap the minced meat in cabbage. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. Put 4-5 tablespoons of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Lay stuffed rolls on top with seam side on the bottom so they don't unroll.
  • Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Cover the baking dish with foil and put in the oven for half an hour. After half an hour, remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1oz, Calories: 310kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 357mg, Potassium: 452mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 291IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American, polish
Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!
Pigs in a Blanket Cabbage Polish

About Justine

Justine is the creative mind behind The Typical Mom and The Typical Family on YouTube. She began blogging about easy recipes, budget friendly activities for kids, and fun family travel destinations in September 2012.

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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