Cabbage Roll Meatballs
These Cabbage Roll Meatballs are everything you love about stuffed cabbage rolls but without all of the tedious work of filling and shaping!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (80/20)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 medium onion minced, divided
- 4 garlic cloves minced, divided
- 1 cup cooked leftover rice
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 medium cabbage cored and chopped
- 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the onions, 1/2 of the garlic, rice, half of the parsley and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Gently mix together until evenly combined. Form the mixture into small meatballs, you'll get about 12 to 14.
- Set a large dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid, over moderate heat. Once hot, drizzle in the oil and add the meatballs in a single layer. Do not over-crowd the pan. Fry in batches if need be. Cook until browned on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. You're not looking to cook them all the way at this stage, just add color. Drizzle in more oil and fry the remaining meatballs if needed.
- Transfer the meatballs onto a plate and then add the remaining onion and garlic to the skillet. Stir in the bay leaf and crushed red pepper flakes and cook until softened. Add the cabbage and cook until starting to wilt down, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring the mixture up to a simmer and then add in the meatballs in a single layer. Cover, lower the flame and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs have cooked all the way through, about 18 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve with cooked rice or crusty bread. Enjoy!