Authentic Russian Cabbage Rolls Recipe with Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 medium head cabbage
• 2.5 cups water, divided
• 0.75 cup uncooked white rice
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 onions, chopped, divided
• 1 pound ground beef
• 0.75 pound ground pork
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 carrots, grated
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs, or as needed

Instructions

1. To prepare the cabbage, make slits in the base or remove the core completely. In a large pot, bring 1/3 of the way full of water to a boil. Cook the whole cabbage in the boiling water, turning occasionally, until the leaves soften, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the cabbage and let it cool. Carefully remove the leaves one by one, keeping them as intact as possible. Use a sharp knife to trim away any thick, tough center ribs from the larger leaves.
2. In a saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water and the rice to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the saucepan, and simmer until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté half of the onions in the hot oil until they become soft and translucent, around 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked onions to a large bowl. Add the cooked rice, ground beef, ground pork, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the onions. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients until the filling is well mixed.
4. Lay one cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of the prepared filling at the base of the leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in the side edges and roll it up tightly. Repeat this process with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the cabbage rolls in the hot oil until they are nicely browned on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned cabbage rolls to a large pot and sprinkle with the remaining onion and grated carrots.
6. In a medium bowl, stir together the tomato paste and sour cream until well combined. Whisk in 1 cup of water, then season the mixture with salt and your favorite herbs to taste. Pour this sauce evenly over the cabbage rolls in the pot.
7. Cover the pot tightly and cook the cabbage rolls over medium-low heat until they are fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, approximately 45 minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 377 kcal
• Fat Content: 21 g
• Fiber Content: 5 g
• Sugar Content: 7 g
• Sodium Content: 164 mg
• Protein Content: 21 g
• Cholesterol Content: 64 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 27 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g