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    Home » Dinner

    Cabbage and Meatballs {Unstuffed Polish Cabbage Rolls}

    March 16, 2021 by Agnieszka 22 Comments

    300 shares
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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Cabbage and Meatballs is an easy, Polish-inspired family friendly weeknight dinner that takes delicious but time-consuming stuffed cabbage rolls and turns them into juicy pork and rice meatballs in flavorful tomato and cabbage sauce baked in the oven. 

    cabbage and meatballs in white bowls.

    Cabbage rolls (gołąbki) are a Polish classic that everyone knows and loves but it requires pre-boiling the cabbage, making sure the cabbage leaves stay whole and then stuffing and wrapping the rolls with delicious meat and rice filling. In other words: it takes time and some skill to make these right.

    Growing up Polish, gołąbki was a staple at our house but because they’re so time-consuming to make, my busy mom didn’t make them too often. When she did though, she’d make enough for an army and I never minded eating them for dinner for a couple days straight because they are SO good.

    Though I love the traditional stuffed cabbage rolls, I’m always looking for ways to simplify complicated dishes without losing the flavor. Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls in this recipe are essentially meatballs made with brown rice and ground pork (or beef or turkey if you prefer) that are dropped raw into delicious tomato sauce made with onions and chopped up cabbage and baked to bubbly perfection.

    If you like Polish food, check out my Healing Chicken Noodle Soup (Authentic Polish Rosół Recipe) or this creamy and comforting Polish Mushroom Soup (Zupa Grzybowa).

    Jump to:
    • What you will need
    • How to make cabbage and meatballs
    • Storage, freezing and reheating tips
    • Substitutions & variations
    • Slow cooker instructions
    • Recipe
    • You may also like
    • Meet the Author

    What you will need

    unstuffed polish cabbage rolls ingredients with captions.
    • Ground meat: for an authentic Polish flavor I recommend ground pork but you can also use ground beef or turkey, if you prefer.
    • Brown rice: you will need already cooked rice to make the meatballs. Though regular white rice will work and is more traditional, brown rice is a healthier, whole grain option. Make sure not to overcook the rice as it will still be baked in the meatballs.
    • Egg: used to bind the meatballs. 
    • Green cabbage: pick a fresh head of cabbage with green leaves. Green color usually means that the cabbage is fresh and crisp.
    • Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce: use good quality canned tomato products. You can use diced or petite diced tomatoes. If all you have is whole canned tomatoes, chop them up.
    • Onion: yellow or white onion will work best.
    • Broth: used to thin out the sauce a bit and to make sure the meatballs stay juicy and moist. You can use beef, chicken or vegetable broth.
    • Parsley leaves: to add a bright fresh flavor to the meatballs.
    • Marjoram: this sweet and slightly woodsy tasting herb is typical for many Polish dishes. If you don’t have marjoram, you can substitute it for oregano.

    How to make cabbage and meatballs

    Step 1: Heat the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and get a 9x13 casserole dish ready.

    Step 2: Sauté onion and cabbage in a little bit of oil until softened in a deep skillet with a heavy bottom or a dutch oven.

    Step 3: Make the sauce. Add chopped canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth, and cook together for a couple minutes.Step 4: Make the meatballs. In a large bowl mix together raw ground meat, cooked brown rice, an egg, paprika, marjoram, crushed fresh garlic, salt and pepper and mix with your fingers until combined. Don’t overmix! Using a cookie scoop, drop the meat and rice mixture balls onto a tray or a plate and roll into meatballs the size of a golf ball. Wetting your fingers with water makes rolling easier.

    making cabbage and meatballs sauce in a Dutch oven in four steps.

    Step 4: Make the meatballs. In a large bowl mix together raw ground meat, cooked brown rice, an egg, paprika, marjoram, crushed fresh garlic, salt and pepper and mix with your fingers until combined. Don’t overmix! Using a cookie scoop, drop the meat and rice mixture balls onto a tray or a plate and roll into meatballs the size of a golf ball. Wetting your fingers with water makes rolling easier.

    ground pork, ehh, spices and herbs in a glass bowl.
    making pork meatballs in two steps.

    Step 5: Assemble the dish. Pour half of the cabbage tomato sauce in a 9x13 casserole dish. Place the raw meatballs in the sauce in one layer, top with remaining sauce and cover with tin foil.

    cabbage and meatballs in tomato sauve in a pyrex dish, without and with sauce on top.

    Step 5: Bake covered in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Uncover, bake 10-15 more minutes and serve hot!

    Storage, freezing and reheating tips

    Unstuffed Cabbage Meatballs are a great option for meal prep. Just bake it, cool slightly, divide between airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend about 4 meatballs per container. To reheat, take the lid off and pop in the microwave for a minute or 2 to warm it up.

    cabbage and meatballs in a casserole dish, close up.

    To freeze, assemble the sauce and raw meatballs in the casserole dish and you have 2 options – cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and freeze unbaked, or bake first, let cool completely, cover and freeze. When ready to serve, take the dish out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight. If raw, bake in the oven according to the recipe, and if you froze it already cooked, reduce the baking time to 20-25 minutes until warmed through and bubbly.

    Substitutions & variations

    • This recipe uses brown rice because it’s whole grain and high in fiber but you can swap it for white rice, if you want.
    • Ground pork is what is traditionally used in Polish gołąbki, but use whatever ground meat you like: beef, turkey, chicken or bison will all work.
    • For a paleo/ whole30/ keto/ low-carb version, you can skip the rice all together and use more meat in the meatballs. They will also be delicious!
    • Baked cabbage and meatballs are naturally gluten-free.
    • If you don’t have or like marjoram, use oregano instead. It will change the taste profile a little bit (more Greek than Polish) but will still come out delicious.
    • Instead of fresh parsley leaves, you can use dried parsley though for best results I recommend using fresh herbs.

    Slow cooker instructions

    If you prefer to make these unstuffed cabbage rolls in a slow cooker, it is absolutely possible. This is a great option on a hot day when you don't want to turn the oven on. For best results, use a wide slow cooker such as this 8 quart programmable Crock Pot. Sauté onions and cabbage in a deep skillet or Dutch oven until wilted and soft, add tomatoes and broth  and cook for another couple of minutes. Transfer the sauce to the slow cooker, nestle the raw meatballs in the sauce in one layer, close the lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

    cabbage and meatballs in white bowls.

    More easy healthy dinner ideas

    • Lecho (Peppers and Tomato Stew)
    • Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats
    • Instant Pot Split Pea Soup with Ham and Pancetta
    • Loaded Potato Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot & Stove Top)
    • Spaghetti Squash with Bacon, Spinach & Goat Cheese Skillet
    • Creamy Zucchini Mushroom Pasta (Vegan)

    If you try these Oven Baked Cabbage and Meatballs recipe, be sure to leave me a comment and give this recipe a rating. I would love to hear from you and see how it turned out for you! You can also share and tag me on Instagram!

    This post contains affiliate links.

    Recipe

    a white bowl with meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce

    Oven Baked Cabbage and Meatballs {Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls}

    Oven Baked Cabbage and Meatballs is an easy, family friendly weeknight dinner that takes a delicious but time-consuming dish and turns it into delicious meatballs baked in flavorful tomato and cabbage sauce, no stuffing required!
    5 from 50 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: dinner
    Cuisine: Polish
    Keyword: cabbage and meatballs, golabki, unstuffed cabbage rolls
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 653kcal
    Author: Agnieszka

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ lb ground lean pork or beef or turkey
    • 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
    • 1 yellow or white onion large, sliced into half or quarter circles
    • 1 large garlic clove crushed or minced
    • 28 oz can of diced tomatoes or 2 x 14oz cans
    • 1 head small to medium green cabbage chopped
    • 8 oz can tomato sauce
    • ½ cup broth beef, chicken or vegetable
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon dry marjoram
    • 1 teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    • Heat the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and get a 9x13 casserole dish ready.
    • Sauté onion in oil in a deep skillet with a heavy bottom or a dutch oven for about 2 minutes, then add chopped cabbage and keep cooking until softened, about 5-7 more minutes.
    • Add diced canned tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth, and cook together on medium heat for 5 minutes.
    • Make the meatballs. In a large bowl mix together raw ground meat, cooked brown rice, the egg, marjoram, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and mix with your fingers until combined. Don’t overmix!
    • Using a medium cookie scoop, drop the meat and rice mixture balls onto a tray or a plate and roll into meatballs the size of a golf ball with wet fingers.
    • Assemble the casserole. Pour half of the cabbage tomato sauce in a 9x13 casserole dish. Place the raw meatballs in the sauce in one layer, top with remaining sauce and cover with tin foil.
    • Bake covered in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover, bake 10-15 more minutes and serve hot!

    Notes

    To make 1.5 cups of cooked brown rice you will need half a cup of dry brown rice.
    You can swap brown rice for white rice if you'd like.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1392mg | Potassium: 1556mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1155IU | Vitamin C: 115mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 6mg

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    Meet the Author

    Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.

    Learn more about me →

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle

      March 29, 2021 at 3:25 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great way to enjoy cabbage rolls without all the additional work of rolling them! So smart!

      Reply
      • Deborist

        April 10, 2021 at 1:26 pm

        When I was a very young wife in the 70’s I made stuffed cabbage lasagna! Same principle as this dish! It’s about the mixture of the food items, not necessarily the rolling of the cabbage! But I like this idea better because presentation is more delightful!

        Reply
    2. Anjali

      March 29, 2021 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      Wow!! I love how much easier these are to make than traditional cabbage rolls but they taste just as delicious!! Even my kids loved this recipe!

      Reply
    3. Sara Welch

      March 29, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      5 stars
      Served this for dinner last night and it does not disappoint! So bold and hearty; easily, a new family favorite dish!

      Reply
    4. Irina

      March 29, 2021 at 4:27 pm

      5 stars
      I made these cabbage rolls. OMG! The meal turned out perfect, and my family asks for more... I will be making it again for sure. 🙂

      Reply
    5. Mirlene

      March 29, 2021 at 4:47 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe reminded me of a very good friend of mine - she used to make these all the time!

      Reply
    6. ashok

      June 22, 2021 at 11:47 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.

      Reply
      • Agnieszka

        June 23, 2021 at 9:20 am

        Thanks Ashok. So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    7. Elle @ Spice and Life

      August 19, 2021 at 5:35 am

      5 stars
      What a great recipe!! As a North Eastern Italian I love cabbage and this recipe is absolutely fantastic - easy to follow and very tasty! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    8. Anaiah

      August 19, 2021 at 5:57 am

      5 stars
      Loving this dish! All of the amazing flavors and so much easier to make than rolling the cabbage up. Gotta make this for dinner more often!

      Reply
    9. Jenny

      August 19, 2021 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      Such a fun and different recipe! It was delicious!

      Reply
      • Agnieszka

        August 20, 2021 at 12:22 pm

        So glad you liked it!

        Reply
    10. Kayla DiMaggio

      August 19, 2021 at 10:57 am

      5 stars
      What a great idea! I loved the flavor from these meatballs!

      Reply
    11. Melinda

      August 21, 2021 at 5:00 pm

      5 stars
      I’m always on the lookout for a fresh spin on meatballs and this recipe will be such a treat for my family, love how these are “unstuffed” from the cabbage. Clever!!

      Reply
    12. Alexandra

      October 28, 2021 at 12:27 am

      5 stars
      These are so delicious and flavoursome!

      Reply
    13. Kayla DiMaggio

      October 28, 2021 at 7:50 am

      These cabbage rolls were so delicious! A family favorite!

      Reply
    14. Natalie

      October 28, 2021 at 11:34 am

      5 stars
      What an amazing dinner idea. I love this! It's so simple and easy, and so delicious. I'm definitely making this. I think I'll just swap pork for turkey. Yum!

      Reply
    15. Amanda Scarlati

      October 28, 2021 at 2:34 pm

      5 stars
      I had some cabbage that I needed to use up and my family loved the recipe! Thanks!

      Reply
    16. Megan Ellam

      October 28, 2021 at 8:58 pm

      5 stars
      Yummo! My kind of food. Simple and delicious!

      Reply
    17. Oscar

      October 28, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      Made these for a family gathering and everyone devoured them. Need to make it again soon. Great recipe.

      Reply
    18. Makhaya

      October 28, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      5 stars
      The flavors in this dish were delicious! Love the nutritious ingredients used as well. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
    19. Jeri

      October 29, 2021 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      I love that it has all the great flavors of cabbage rolls without all the work! It was a real hit with my family!

      Reply

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    Hello and welcome to Wholly Tasteful, a healthy food and lifestyle blog! My name is Agnieszka and I am a busy mom of 3 living in and renovating a 1852 farmhouse in Maine. My recipes use ingredients that are healthy, whole and family friendly. More about me

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