How long to heat cooked cabbage rolls?

PREPARATION FOR CABBAGE ROLLS a/ Fresh: Reheat in covered casserole in preheated oven 45 min 350o F or until heated through is the best . The new take-out-container is microwave safe. b/ Frozen: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stove top, in the oven* 375 for 30 minutes or in the microwave.

Why are my stuffed cabbage rolls tough?

If your cooked cabbage is tough, it's likely because the cabbage is not cooked through yet. Continue to cook the rolls until they're tender. It's also important to make sure you let the rolls rest after they're finished baking.

Why do you freeze cabbage before making cabbage rolls?

Freezing breaks down the structure of the leaves, making them pliable and unlikely to crack or break when you pull them from the head or roll them for stuffing .

Is there an easy way to core a cabbage?

The core is easier to cut out once the cabbage is cut in half straight down through the core. But that cut takes some muscle, with a sharp knife and steady hand, to push down through the core from the top of the cabbage. To core cabbage this way, use a sharp chef's knife.

Why is my cabbage tough on my cabbage rolls?

If your cabbage rolls are too tough, it means that you have not cooked them long enough. My method to start with, letting the cabbage sit overnight, starts to get the cabbage nice and soft. But if they are still not soft enough after cooking, it means that you need to return them to the oven and cook for longer.

How do you know when cooked cabbage is done?

Simmer, covered, until the cabbage begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the cabbage carefully, and continue to simmer until the cabbage is tender, an additional 5 minutes. The cabbage is ready when a small paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the cabbage near the core slides through easily .

What is the difference between Polish and Ukrainian cabbage rolls?

Recipes vary depending on region; northern Poles prefer a savory sauce, while Galicia, Hungary and Ukraine favor sweet-and-sour , for example.

Is it better to freeze or boil cabbage for cabbage rolls?

Rather than boil the vegetable, do the exact opposite and try freezing an entire head of cabbage instead. Despite the fact that it might take a bit of extra time, this method proves to be safer and significantly less stinky — after all, no one wants their house to smell like gas.

Can you overcook cabbage?

Overcooked cabbage is rather unappetizing as it becomes too soft and attains "that" annoying smell that dissuades many from cooking cabbage.

What happens if you don't blanch cabbage before freezing?

Once it's washed and cut up, cabbage can be frozen, but for longer-term storage, it's best to blanch it first. Blanched cabbage can be frozen for up to nine months, while unblanched cabbage will only keep for one to two months .

Can you refrigerate uncooked cabbage rolls overnight?

Yes, you can make cabbage rolls ahead of time. You can roll cabbage rolls, assemble in a single layer in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours . Or just use the Dutch oven if you have enough space in your refrigerator. Then bake with tomato sauce mixture as per recipe.

What is cabbage roll sauce made of?

Mix tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl until combined. Pour over cabbage rolls.

How do you get the center out of cabbage?

First, remove any loose outer leaves. Then, place the cabbage on a cutting board, stem side down. Cut a cone-shaped incision around the stem at an angle. Once you've circled the stem, you can lift it out, and you've successfully cored your cabbage.

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe - Tammilee Tips (2024)

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe is so easy to make! These Stuffed cabbage rolls are a delicious family dinner! This slow cooker recipe combines cabbage, kielbasa, bacon, and more for a great meal! These are the perfect family dinner that is so easy to prepare.

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe

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This CrockPot Cabbage Rolls Recipe is so easy to make! These stuffed cabbage rolls are a delicious family dinner! This slow cooker recipe combines cabbage, kielbasa, bacon, and more for a great meal that comes together in no time!

Life is wildly busy right now, so anytime we can shave off time in the kitchen, we are all in. I love that you can prep these easy slow cooker cabbage rolls before you head out for a game or practice and come home to dinner, ready to go.

Do you need more time to take a deep breath and not stress? I know I do.

Ingredients to make Cabbage Rolls in the Crock-Pot

Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make epic CrockPot Cabbage Rolls! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.

Kielbasa
Bacon
Celery
Onion
Sour Cabbage (see notes below for using regular cabbage)
Rice
Dry Dill
Minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper
Chicken Stock

Equipment Needed

CrockPot
Frying Pan
Kitchen Spoon/Spatula
Paring Knife

You can use a large bowl to mix everything together if you prefer over the frying pan.

How to Make CrockPot Cabbage Rolls

I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.

In a frying pan, sauté garlic, kielbasa, bacon, celery, and onion until soft.
Add rice, dill, salt, and pepper.
Mix well. Set aside to cool.
Open the package of sour cabbage, and drain the excess liquid.
Peel off the leaves carefully and give them a rinse.
In the larger leaves' center is a large and tough “rib.” Using a knife, cut along the sides of the rib to remove it, and then continue to slice the leaf in half.
For the smaller leaves: if the rib is still tender, break it by pushing it to halve the leaf lying flat.
Grease the slow cooker bowl and lay strips of bacon on the bottom. Set aside.
When the filling is cooled, spoon approximately filling on the center of the leaf, with the leaf laying lengthwise. Fold from the bottom to cover the filling, and then fold in the sides, much like an envelope. Continue to roll upwards, keeping the leaf tight around the filling. Similar to rolling a burrito.
Lay these rolls seam-side down in the slow cooker bowl.
Continue rolling and placing the cabbage in the bowl on one level, and then start to stack them, still putting them seam side down until you run out of filling or leaves to make a complete roll.
Cover the cabbage rolls with the remaining bacon and slowly pour chicken stock.
Cover with the lid and cook on low.
After two hours, remove the lid and check liquid levels. Add more stock if it’s running low.
Garnish with bacon and onions, if desired.

Preparation and Storage

Make Ahead + Storage: Prepared cabbage rolls keep in the fridge for up to three days when stored in an airtight container. You can also assemble the cabbage rolls the day before and cook them in your CrockPot when ready to serve.

Freezing/How to Freeze: Transfer freezer-bound cabbage rolls to an airtight container or freezer bags and enjoy them within three months. Be sure that they’ve cooled enough to firm up before freezing them.

How to Reheat: Reheat your cabbage rolls using the microwave, stovetop, or CrockPot, depending on how many portions you plan to prepare. Thaw frozen leftovers overnight in the fridge to ensure they reheat evenly.

Recipe Variations

Substitutions:

Kielbasa is essential to the authenticity of this recipe, and we like the flavorful addition of bacon. However, you can use seasoned and sauteed lean ground beef or ground pork if you can’t find kielbasa.

You can use vegetable or beef stock if you don’t have chicken stock, though the taste will be slightly different.

We use chicken stock but you can use beef broth if that is what you have available.

Vegetarian + Vegan Option: This recipe is vegetarian and vegan-friendly if you replace the kielbasa, bacon, and chicken stock with plant-based alternatives.

Gluten-Free: The ingredients in this CrockPot Cabbage Roll recipe are naturally gluten-free, but check for a gluten-free label on the chicken stock since some brands contain gluten-unsafe ingredients.

Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: This recipe makes six servings. Scale it up or down to your desired yield, keeping in mind that you may need to work in batches.

Make it Spicy: This recipe isn’t traditionally made spicy. However, you can add Worcestershire sauce to the beef for more flavor.

Recipe Tips

If you use a regular head of cabbage instead of sauerkraut, freeze the whole head of cabbage for a few days and then let it thaw overnight in a bowl. This technique will soften the cabbage leaves and make them more pliable.
Alternatively, you can boil the whole head of cabbage in salted boiling water, removing the outer leaves as they become soft and pliable.
In both cases, you must remove the core to remove the leaves quickly. Use a paring knife to remove this part from the cabbage, releasing it from the leaves. Freezing is much easier; it just takes time to freeze and thaw.
Printable recipe card instructions are below.
Nutrition information, including calories, protein, calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin c, potassium, cholesterol, sodium, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and more, will vary depending on the products used.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

Here are some of our favorite ideas if you wonder what goes with sauerkraut and sausage.

Sauces/Garnish: Mustard, Sour Cream

Bread: Beer Bread, 7-Up Biscuits, Sweet Bread Rolls, Knot Rolls

Side Dishes: Pierogies, Cracker Barrel Carrots, Green Bean Casserole, Air Fryer Mixed Vegetables, Broccoli, Potato Wedges, Asparagus, Broccoli Salad, Mashed Potatoes, Funeral Potatoes, Mashed Cauliflower

Desserts: Apple Cobbler, Ambrosia Salad, Apple Pie Dumplings, Apple Dump Cake, Fried Apples

When to Serve Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

New Year's Day: This dish is associated with good luck in the New Year.
Family Dinner
Oktoberfest

Great CrockPot Recipes

Check out these other easy CrockPot dinner recipes that save you time, energy, and stress!

Chicken Ravioli Casserole

Loaded Mashed Cauliflower

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Tater Tot Chicken Casserole

Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce

Do you love recipes? Check out our copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes.

Follow Tammilee Tips on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for our recipe posts.

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Easy Crockpot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe is so easy to make! Stuffed cabbage rolls are a delicious family dinner! This slow cooker recipe combines cabbage, kielbasa, bacon and more for a great meal!

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

6 oz. Kielbasa diced
½ Cup Bacon diced + about 6 raw bacon
3 ribs Celery diced
½ Onion diced
1 head Sour cabbage see notes below for using regular cabbage
4 Cups Rice cooked, cooled
1 Teaspoon Dill Weed dry
2 Teaspoon Garlic minced
Black Pepper as desired. same with salt only if you use regular cabbage. If you use sour cabbage, do not salt.
1– 2 Cups Chicken Stock

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a frying pan, sauté garlic, Kielbasa, ½ C bacon, celery, and onion until soft.
Add rice and dill, salt and pepper.
Mix well. Set aside to cool.
Open the package of sour cabbage, drain excess liquid.
Peel off the leaves carefully and give them a rinse.
In the center of the larger leaves, there is a large “rib”. It’s tough and needs to be removed. Using a knife, cut along the sides of the rib to remove it, and then continue to slice the leaf in half.
For the smaller leaves, if the rib is still tender, break it by pushing on it to have the leaf lie flat.
Grease the slow cooker bowl and lay 3 – 4 strips of bacon on the bottom. Set aside.
When the filling is cooled, spoon approximately 2 – 3 tbsp. of the filling and lay it on the center of the leaf, with the leaf laying lengthwise. Fold from the bottom to cover the filling, and then fold in the sides, much like an envelope. Continue to roll upwards, keeping the leaf tight around the filling.
Lay these rolls seam side down in the slow cooker bowl.
Continue rolling and placing the cabbage in the bowl on one level, and then start to stack them, still placing them seam side down, until you run out of filling and or leaves.
Cover the cabbage rolls with the remaining bacon and slowly pour in 1 – 2 cups of chicken stock.
Cover with the lid and cool on low for approximately 4 -5 hours.
After two hours, remove the lid and check liquid levels. Add adding more stock if it’s running low.
Garnish with bacon and onions if desired.

Kitchen Tools

Slow cooker

Notes

If you using a regular head of cabbage, freeze the whole head of cabbage for a few days and then let thaw overnight in a bowl. This will soften the cabbage leaves and make them more pliable. Alternatively, you can boil the whole head of cabbage in salted boiling water, removing the outer leaves as they become soft and pliable.

IN BOTH CASES, you need to remove the core in order to remove the leaves easily. Take a paring knife and cut out the core of the cabbage, releasing it from the leaves. Freezing is much a much easier method, it just takes time for it to freeze and thaw.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 641Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 24mg8%

Sodium 485mg21%

Potassium 663mg19%

Carbohydrates 113g38%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 300IU6%

Vitamin C 58.2mg71%

Calcium 116mg12%

Iron 2.4mg13%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Recipe originally shared on August 6, 2016. Updated January 2021.

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe - Tammilee Tips (2024)

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Preparation and Storage

Recipe Variations

Recipe Tips

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

When to Serve Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls

Great CrockPot Recipes

Crockpot Cabbage Rolls Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Kitchen Tools

Notes

Nutrition

FAQs

How long to heat cooked cabbage rolls? ›

Can you refrigerate uncooked cabbage rolls overnight? ›

References