Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Vegetables and Smoked Sausages
Discover a delicious recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls with fresh cabbage, filled with vegetables and smoked sausages.
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Vegetables and Smoked Sausages
Course: Main, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: RomanianDifficulty: Medium14
servings1
hour1
hour20
minutes220
kcal2
hours20
minutesIf stuffed cabbage rolls made with pickled cabbage are a staple on holiday tables, those made with fresh cabbage have a charm all their own — they are milder, lighter, and full of freshness. They are most commonly enjoyed in the fall, the season when fresh vegetables are abundant.
The leaves of fresh cabbage are tender and slightly crisp, making them more delicate, so the rolls need to be cooked gently over low heat to avoid falling apart. Their flavor is subtly sweet and delicate, perfect for those who prefer less acidic cabbage rolls. Additionally, they are often prepared during fasting periods, being hearty, while the filling of vegetables and rice is incredibly tasty.
Today’s recipe combines the natural sweetness of the vegetables with the smoky flavor and slight acidity of homemade tomato sauce. It all started out of curiosity, but also because I had just gathered a bounty of beautiful, fresh vegetables straight from my parents’ garden. So, alongside the other recipes I had prepared, these cabbage rolls joined in — a little unconventional, yet absolutely delicious and full of flavor!
So, let’s get started!
Ingredients
14 blanched fresh cabbage leaves (from a medium cabbage, ~1.2 kg raw)
300 g fresh mushrooms
100 g rice
1 small zucchini (approx. 150–180 g)
1 leek
1 medium carrot (approx. 100 g), grated
200 g smoked sausages, finely chopped (for the filling)
2 tablespoons oil (for sautéing the vegetables)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
2–3 chopped cabbage leaves (for lining the bottom of the pot)
Bay leaves, whole peppercorns
150–200 g whole smoked sausages (for placing among or on top of the rolls)
300 ml homemade tomato sauce (for cooking)
200 ml hot water (to top up the liquid)
Preparation method:
- If you’ve never prepared fresh cabbage for stuffed cabbage rolls, know that it’s very simple. You just need to choose large, tender leaves, remove the thicker outer leaves, and trim the central vein if it’s too tough. Then, blanch the leaves for a few minutes in boiling water with a pinch of salt. If you want a slightly sweet and tangy flavor, you can add a teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice to the water. After letting them cool slightly, the leaves become flexible and ready to be filled.
- I started preparing the filling for the cabbage rolls with the smoked sausages, finely chopped by hand so their texture would stand out in the mixture. I lightly browned them until the wonderful aroma filled the whole house. Then I added the chopped vegetables — carrot, zucchini, leek, and mushrooms — continuing to cook them until they softened and blended beautifully with the smoky flavor of the sausages.
- The filling already looks absolutely wonderful: vibrant colors, rich aromas, and the freshness of the vegetables. But to achieve the perfect consistency for stuffing the cabbage rolls, there’s one small step left. The vegetables need to be cooked until fully softened. How did I do it? Simple: I gradually added water until they were evenly cooked, and toward the end, I stirred in the rice and tomato sauce, seasoning to taste. I cooked everything until the rice “bloomed,” about 5–7 minutes, then let the filling cool.
- At the bottom of a heatproof dish, I spread some finely chopped cabbage and a portion of the tomato sauce mixed with a little water. I then formed the cabbage rolls one by one and placed them in the dish, tucking in bay leaves, a few peppercorns, and slices of sausage between them for extra flavor and aroma. On top, I poured the remaining tomato sauce and added enough water until the rolls were almost covered, ready to simmer slowly and absorb all the delicious flavors.
- I covered the cabbage rolls with both cabbage leaves and foil to protect them and retain all the moisture during the first stage of baking. I placed them in the oven and baked for an hour and a half at 180°C, allowing the flavors to meld slowly. Then I carefully removed only the foil and continued baking for another 20–30 minutes, until the rolls developed a light golden color.
- The cabbage rolls are ready! I took them out of the oven, and their aroma immediately fills the entire kitchen — a scent that instantly brings to mind family meals and autumn in the garden. They are served hot, with a generous spoonful of sour cream and, if you like, with polenta or homemade bread.
- If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to share your thoughts and impressions here in the comments, or even your own recipes! I’d be delighted to hear how your cabbage rolls turned out and which combinations you prefer.
