These Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a Middle Eastern specialty bursting with flavor. This recipe is made with beef, rice, lemon and garlic and is an ideal entree or main dish!
In this Post: Everything you need for Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
All around the world people prepare stuffed cabbage rolls using many different ingredients and cooking methods. Today, I’m sharing the flavor-packed Lebanese version, which is loaded with lemon, garlic, and mint. Lebanese stuffed cabbage rolls are an ideal lunch recipe you’ll want to make over and over again! While they are traditionally made with ground lamb, and that’s how my mother made them growing up, I’ve made them with ground beef for today, and typically will do a mixture of both!
Ingredients
- Green cabbage: Very mellow flavor, but they hold up well even when cooked.
- Ground beef: I usually use ground sirloin for the lower fat content, but you could use ground chuck, or even ground chicken, turkey, or lamb!
- Rice: Short or long grain white rice work well for these cabbage rolls.
- Lemon juice: Fresh, bright, acidic flavor in the filling and in the water to cook the rolls.
- Cinnamon: Adds a warm, somewhat sweet flavor that is common in Lebanese cuisine.
- Garlic: Strong, aromatic, somewhat nutty and spicy flavor for the filling.
- Dried mint: I always use dried mint, as the flavor isn’t quite as sweet as fresh.
How to Make Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Start your Lebanese stuffed cabbage rolls by trimming the core out of your head of cabbage, and adding it to a large pot of boiling water.
As the head of cabbage boils, the leaves will start to open up and separate. Carefully take them and place them on a plate. Next, combine the ground sirloin, rice, salt, pepper, lemon juice, cinnamon and half of the garlic in a medium bowl.
Then, roll each cabbage leaf with meat mixture. Place 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture in the middle of each leaf and roll them until the cabbage covers the meat.
After you create the stuffed cabbage rolls, place them in the same pot you used to cook the leaves and line them up close together. Alternate the direction with each layer and continue until you’ve used all of the leaves.
If you have any extra meat mixture, roll them into tiny meatballs and add them on top of the stuffed rolls.
Then, add dried mint and the remaining two crushed garlic cloves. If you have a celery stick or two laying around, you can add it to the pot for increased flavor as an optional step.
After you add seasoning, cover the stuffed cabbage rolls with water, about ½ inch above the top layer.
To amp up the flavor, squeeze any leftover lemon juice and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish by taking a small plate and turn it upside down and place it on top of the rolls. Push down to ensure all the rolls are submersed in liquid. Top the pot with the lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer for 20-30 minutes or until you have fully cooked the meat.
Garnish with some fresh parsley, and enjoy your Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cabbage rolls freeze well?
Yes, the cabbage rolls will stay good in the freezer for up to three months. You’ll want to cook them before freezing.
Why is my cooked cabbage tough?
If your cabbage rolls are too tough, it means you have not cooked them long enough. Go ahead and cook them longer.
What ethnicity are cabbage rolls?
Many parts of the world have recipes for cabbage rolls. From Ukraine, to China, to the Middle East!
More recipes to try
- Lebanese Quinoa Salad
- Middle Eastern Syrian Salad
- Vietnamese Fresh Rolls with BBQ Pork Meatballs
- Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice
- Mexican Street Tacos
Did you try this recipe and like it? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.
For an easy meal-prepping recipe that is full of flavor and nutrients, my Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are sure to please.
Your fork is waiting.
Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 green cabbage
- 1 pound ground sirloin
- ½ cup long grain white rice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 lemon Juice of lemon
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 cloves garlic (grated)
- 2 tablespoons dried mint (crushed)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water (or chicken broth) to a boil.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully remove tough inner core of the cabbage. When water or broth has come to a boil, add the whole head of cabbage (cored) to the pot. In about 2-3 minutes, the cabbage leaves will slowly start to separate from the head. Carefully place them on a plate as they fall off the core.
- In a medium bowl, combine sirloin, rice, salt, pepper, lemon juice, cinnamon and half of the garlic.
- Working one leaf at a time, place 1-2 tablespoons of meat mixture in the middle and roll until meat is covered with cabbage.
- Place stuffed cabbage rolls in the same pot you used to cook the leaves and line them up close together, alternating direction with each layer. Continue until leaves are gone.
- If you have any extra meat mixture, roll them into tiny meatballs and add them on top of the stuffed rolls. Cover stuffed cabbage with water – about ½ in above top layer. Throw in dried mint and remaining 2 crushed garlic cloves. Squeeze any leftover lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Take a small plate and turn it upside down and place on top of rolls.Push down to ensure all rolls are submersed in liquid. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until meat is fully cooked through. Serve with plain yogurt.
Will try this next weekend. Looks like comfort food! Anything with cabbage is tops in my book. Thanks for continuing to provide quality recipes and nice posts along with them.
I freeze uncooked rolls and they are fine when they are cooked from frozen
Good to know!!
Have you tried in an instant pot? If so, how long?
I have not – I’m not sure this would be smart in an instant pot since it’s a 15 minute recipe. :)
Instead of boiling the leaves to separate them, put the whole head in the freezer, when you are ready to use, let the head thaw, takes a day, then the leaves will peel off. Saves you a lot of work.
great idea Jamie!!!
Hello love this just like my Nanna use to make I have been looking for it for so long thank you , one question you said you could freeze cabbage do you then have to boil it to soften leaves ,or use it straight out of freezer , I think my Nanna use to use mutton for most of her recipes Can I use it in this gives extra flavor , Thank You Paula.
You don’t freeze the cabbage, you freeze the cooked + rolled cabbage stuffed with meat. :) These are great to freeze!
hello how many rolls is one serving size? What is the amound for the 211 calories
Two rolls!
PS
I also meant to ask if you’ve tried freezing these?
Thanks!
Dee
Yes they freeze really well!
Hi there,
Any advice on using brown rice? Would I need to partially cook it before stuffing the cabbage rolls?
Many thanks,
Dee
Brown rice would be great – no need to partially cook ahead!
Hi, has anyone tried this in a pressure cooker – just wondering if they will pop their skins with raw rice would it be better if it was cooked rice?
thanks,
Mandy.
Hi! I made these on the stovetop like you suggested- I usually bake my stuffed cabbages. I was nervous about putting a plate on top of th cabbages to hold them down. I thought the plate might crack when the food was boiling…. My plate wasn’t heavy enough because my cabbages were still semi floating. Any suggestions? Thanks!
My aunt actually uses a big rock to hold it down… hehe :)
Is the rice pre-cooked or does it go in raw? This looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it out!
It goes in raw!! Enjoy!
Liz would this work with Napa cabbage? That’s what I got.
I don’t see why not!! Will you let me know how they turn out??
These were great, and all of my kids ate them as well for an added bonus. Wonders never cease. Have you ever made this into a casserole (I.e. no rolls) or do you have suggestions as to how this could be done?
That’s a brilliant idea – I’ve never done it but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work? I would probably layer it like a lasagna starting with cabbage rolls, then some of the filling, more cabbage rolls, etc. Topping it with the tomato mixture. Good luck and let me know!!
Hi Liz.
How many cabbage rolls does the recipe yield?
I would say 12 or so depending on your size cabbage head and how big you roll them.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.