Töltött Káposzta — Print Recipe

Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory filling of ground beef and rice, slow-simmered in a tangy tomato-sauerkraut sauce until meltingly soft.

Ingredients

1 large head savoy cabbage
500g ground beef
150g white rice, rinsed
1 large onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
500g sauerkraut, drained
400g canned crushed tomatoes
250ml beef broth
200ml sour cream
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper
1 bay leaf

Instructions

1 Core cabbage and blanch whole in salted boiling water for 5 min. Carefully peel off softened leaves, trim thick ribs.
2 Mix ground beef, rice, grated onion, garlic, egg, 1 tbsp paprika, salt, and pepper until well combined.
3 Place 2-3 tbsp filling on each cabbage leaf, fold sides in, and roll tightly. Secure with toothpicks if needed.
4 Layer sauerkraut on the bottom of a large pot. Arrange cabbage rolls seam-side down on top, packing snugly.
5 Mix crushed tomatoes, broth, remaining paprika, and bay leaf. Pour over the rolls. The liquid should nearly cover them.
6 Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 90 min. Stir sour cream into the sauce in the last 10 min. Serve rolls blanketed in the tangy sauce.

Did You Know?

In Hungary, töltött káposzta is considered even better the next day, as the flavors deepen overnight — families often make enormous pots meant to last several days.