Crockpot cabbage rolls are an easy way to make classic stuffed cabbage roll recipe with tender cabbage, a juicy beef and pork filling, and a simple tomato sauce. This slow cooker version lets everything cook low and slow, making it a great comfort food dinner you can prep ahead.
Making cabbage rolls in the slow cooker is an easy and reliable way to keep the rolls together while the filling stays perfectly moist. In this recipe we use a few techniques that keep the rolls together, the cabbage tender, and the filling juicy, all with a perfect tomato sauce.
Why This Recipe Works
- Pre-softened cabbage leaves: A quick boil allows them to roll easily without tearing.
- Not watery: The oven version has been modified to account for the lack of evaporation that happens in slow-cooked recipes.
- Pork and beef: The combination of the two meats helps keep the filling juicy and flavorful.
- Stays rolled: Placing each cabbage roll seam-side down in the crockpot keeps everything together. If you want all these flavors without any of the rolling, try my cabbage roll casserole.
Key Ingredients for Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
- Green Cabbage: Look for a head of cabbage with large outer leaves that aren’t wilted, brown, or torn.
- Ground beef + ground pork: Because pork has a higher fat content, the combination of the two gives the filling great flavor and keeps it from becoming too dense. You can use all ground beef, but it will change the flavor and texture. There is no need to cook the meat before making the filling; it will cook in the crockpot.
- Cooked rice: Please note that this recipe has only been tested with cooked rice and that it is one cup of cooked rice. I love making my Instant Pot rice for this recipe.
- Tomatoes: The sauce is made with both crushed tomatoes and canned tomato sauce. Be sure you are using plain tomato sauce rather than pasta or spaghetti sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds savory depth.
- Sugar: The small bit of sugar balances the acidity of the tomato sauce without adding sweetness.
How to Make Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
- Cut the stem out of the head of cabbage to allow water to get into the center of the cabbage and soften it. Boil the cabbage for 15 minutes, then transfer it to an ice bath. These steps should make the leaves easy to remove and tender to roll.
- Combine the ingredients for the cabbage roll stuffing in a bowl. Use clean hands to mix. Then place some of the filling mixture in a cabbage leaf, fold in the sides, and roll it up like you would a burrito. Repeat until you’ve used all of the filling.
- Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and put some in the base of your slow cooker. Place the stuffed cabbage rolls in the crockpot and top them with the rest of the sauce. If you use a 6-quart slow cooker, they can be placed in a single layer. If not, you can layer them with sauce in between each layer. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
How to Keep Cabbage Rolls from Falling Apart
- Boil the cabbage just until the leaves are pliable (15 minutes), being sure not to over-cook.
- Don’t overfill the cabbage leaves. Just 1/4 cup of filling per cabbage leaf.
- If the center rib is very thick, use a paring knife to carefully shave it down without cutting through the leaf. You can also roll slowly, which can help it wrap around the filling without ripping the leaf.
- Place each roll seam-side down in the crockpot.
Make Ahead Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
This recipe can be prepared the night before and then put into the slow cooker in the morning. Cook the cabbage, make the filling, and make the sauce. Roll the cabbage rolls. Store the prepared rolls and the sauce separately in the refrigerator overnight. Then put it all together in the slow cooker in the morning.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover slow cooker cabbage rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or oven until heated through.
What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
If you make this easy cabbage rolls recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think! Let me know in the comments how you enjoyed it.
Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
Serves: 5 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Total: 6 hours 30 minutes
These Crockpot Cabbage Rolls are tender, juicy, and easy to make with a savory meat filling and simple tomato sauce. They stay rolled and cook perfectly in the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 green cabbage head stem cut out of the head, see note
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 pound ground beef (226.8 grams)
- 1/2 pound ground pork (226.8 grams)
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup cooked rice see note
- 1 large egg whisked
- 2 teaspoons dry parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dry dill
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces tomato sauce (227 grams)
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with salt. Add the cabbage and boil for 15 minutes. Then remove from the water and transfer to an ice bath for 5 minutes. After removing from the ice bath, it should be easy to peel off the leaves.1 green cabbage head, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, egg, onion, garlic, cooked rice, parsley, kosher salt, dry dill, and black pepper.1/2 pound ground beef, 1/2 pound ground pork, 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons dry parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dry dill, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Spray a large crockpot with cooking spray and put a small amount of the sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker.8 ounces tomato sauce, 14 ounces crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- Working with one cabbage leaf at a time, add about 1/4 cup of the mixture to the middle of the leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll it up like you would roll a burrito. Place it into the prepared crockpot, seam side down. (If you use a 6-quart slow cooker, they can be placed in a single layer. If not, you can layer them with sauce in between each layer.) Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves.
- Cover the leaves with the remaining tomato sauce mixture. Then cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the cabbage rolls reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with an instant read thermometer.
Notes
To cut out the cabbage stem: Using a knife, cut at an angle around the stem of the cabbage head. Then pull it out. Removing it will help get the boiling water inside of the cabbage head to soften it.
Cabbage leaves: We will need 10 to 15 cabbage leaves for this recipe. It works best to boil the entire head of cabbage.Â
Rice: This recipe has only been tested with cooked rice and you are measuring one cup of cooked rice. Uncooked rice will absorb too much of the sauce and change both the texture of the filling and the amount of liquid in the slow cooker.
Make Ahead: This recipe can be prepared the night before and then put into the slow cooker in the morning. Cook the cabbage, make the filling, and make the sauce. Roll the cabbage rolls. Store the prepared rolls and the sauce separately in the refrigerator overnight. Then put it all together in the slow cooker in the morning.
Serving: 2rolls Calories: 387kcal (19%) Carbohydrates: 33g (11%) Protein: 22g (44%) Fat: 20g (31%) Saturated Fat: 7g (44%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 81mg (27%) Sodium: 1421mg (62%) Potassium: 1077mg (31%) Fiber: 7g (29%) Sugar: 14g (16%) Vitamin A: 611IU (12%) Vitamin C: 81mg (98%) Calcium: 140mg (14%) Iron: 4mg (22%)
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Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
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