Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage
Some of my fondest memories of grandma and grandpa's house is gathering in the kitchen to see how grandma makes her stuffed cabbage, matzo balls and latkes. A traditional Jewish feast that has been passed down from generation to generation. Now, here I am to take it on!
The secret to this two part recipe is in the tomato sauce. It's not your standard tomato sauce with lots of herbs and seasoning.. ooohhh no. The addition of golden raisins is what sets this a part from just your regular tomato sauce. This hint of sweetness makes this dish! It's perfect on a cold night, healthy and stores well for left overs. It's also a blast to make with your partner or kids. Grandma would always have us helping her out in the kitchen and it was a blast! Such a great way to bring the family together.
You can make the tomato sauce ahead of time, as I did. Have left over sauce? Use it in tomorrow's breakfast with some eggs and crusty bread. I. LOVE. LEFTOVERS.
Alright, let's get to it and have fun!
Grandma's Stuffed Cabbage
Tomato Sauce
2ish tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, diced
2 cans canned crushed tomato
1/4 cup red wine
(can substitute with balsamic or red wine vinegar)
1/2 cup honey or brown sugar
1/2 cup golden raisins
pinch of salt + pepper
1. Sauté onions and garlic in oil for a few minutes, until translucent and fragrant. Add in tomatoes, balsamic, honey, salt, pepper and raisins. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat and cook at a simmer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. DONE!
Cabbage + Filling
1 head cabbage
1-2 lbs ground beef
2 eggs
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup uncooked white rice
couple pinches of salt + pepper
1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Remove the core of the cabbage. Submerge cabbage in boiling water for 10 minutes, or until you're able to peel back full leafs. You need about 10-15 full leafs of cabbage.
2. To make filling, combine the rest of the ingredients and mix. Add about 1 cup of the tomato sauce to the filling.
3. Cut the hard part of the stem in a triangle out of each leaf of cabbage to make it easier to roll (reference picture below). Place a scoop of the filling in the middle of the cabbage and roll like a burrito. Tip: roll, tuck the sides, finish rolling. Place seam side down into pot with the sauce. Once you have all of the cabbage rolls in the pot, add the rest of the sauce on top. Cover and cook for an hour. Serve and enjoy!
