Healthy Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

inside of easy stuffed cabbage rolls with meat filling on a white plate covered in a red tomato sauce

5 from 39 votes

Healthy Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Healthy turkey stuffed cabbage rolls with a lean ground turkey and rice filling, wrapped in tender savoy cabbage and baked in a tangy tomato sauce. Easy to make ahead and freeze.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, European

Servings:

Calories: 298.15kcal

Author: Jamie

Ingredients

8 to 12 whole savoy cabbage leaves

Cabbage Roll Filling:

1 ½ lbs ground turkey (uncooked) you can substitute chicken, beef, or pork
¾ cup cooked rice
1 large egg
½ cup chopped onions
⅓ cup frozen peas optional
3 cloves garlic minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried herbs any combination of rosemary, oregano, or thyme

Tomato Sauce Mixture

3 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 small pinch sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Carefully peel off whole cabbage leaves and trim the thicker part of the stem. Steam the cabbage leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 2 - 4 minutes until they're softened but still hold their shape. You want them flexible enough to roll up without breaking. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In a bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, white wine vinegar, and pinch of sugar. Spread a thin layer into the bottom of your casserole dish and reserve the rest to spoon over the rolls.
Mix together all the ingredients for the filling in a large bowl. Divide the filling into 8 to 12 sections, depending on how many cabbage leaves you have. Spoon the filling into the stem part of the cabbage leaf and fold over the left and right sides of the leaf over your filling. Roll it up tightly to the top of the leaf and place it into your casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat for the rest of the filling. Spoon the extra sauce from the dish over the top of the rolls.
Tightly seal your casserole dish with foil and bake your cabbage rolls in the oven for about 1 hour until the cabbage leaves are tender. Serve immediately.

Notes

Make ahead: Assemble the rolls in the sauced dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add a few minutes to the bake time since you're starting cold.

Freezing: Freeze before or after baking for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake or reheat covered at 350°F until heated through.

Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Meat: Use 93/7 ground turkey rather than extra-lean so the filling stays moist.

Nutrition