Gefullt Krautroladen (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Submitted by shanonnb
German stuffed cabbage rolls (Gefullt Krautroladen) filled with brown rice, dill seed, marjoram, and paprika. Baked in a tomato-vermouth sauce and best made a day ahead for deeper flavor.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
140 minCOOK
120 minREADY
800 minThese German stuffed cabbage rolls are a weekend project, and they reward every minute of effort. Brown rice soaks for 3 hours, simmers until tender, then gets mixed with sautéed onions, paprika, garlic, dill seed, and marjoram. That filling has real character: nutty, herbal, and slightly smoky from the paprika.
The cheesecloth technique is old-school and brilliant. Wrapping each roll in dampened cheesecloth keeps them tight and uniform during the long bake. No toothpicks, no unraveling.
The sauce pulls double duty. Chopped leftover cabbage gets sautéed with more onions, then simmered with tomatoes, dry vermouth, beef broth, and tomato paste. That vermouth adds a dry, slightly bitter edge that cuts through the richness. The rolls bake low and slow in this sauce, getting basted regularly to keep them glazed and moist.
Here’s the real secret: these are meant to be made a day ahead. An overnight rest in the fridge lets all those flavors meld. Reheat the next day and the difference is remarkable.
Chef Tips
- Blanch the whole cabbage cored-side down so the outer leaves soften first and peel away easily.
- Trim the thick rib from the base of each leaf so it rolls without cracking.
- Baste the rolls 4 to 5 times during baking. That sauce glaze caramelizes slightly and builds layers of flavor on the surface.
Variations
- Use white rice for a softer, more traditional filling if you prefer.
- Add ½ pound of ground pork to the rice mixture for a meat-filled version.
- Swap vermouth for dry white wine if that’s what you have open.
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium bowl cover brown rice with hot water and soak for 3 hours.
Drain.
In a 2-quart saucepan combine rice, 3 cups water, and 1½ teaspoon salt.
Simmer covered for 40 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
Add the dillseed, marjoram, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
In a large skillet sauté 1½ cups chopped onion in 3 tablespoons hot vegetable oil until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add paprika and garlic, continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice mixture, eggs, bread crumbs, and parsley.
Adjust seasonings to taste.
Core cabbage and, in a large pot, blanch the cabbage cored-side-down in boiling salted water for 5 minutes or until it is softened.
Drain. Remove 12 leaves and cut off one fourth of each leaf from the base.
Arrange 1 leaf curved-side down on a square of dampened cheesecloth and place 3 tablespoons of rice mixture in the center.
Wrap the leaf around the filling and twist the corners of the cheesecloth to form the leaf into a roll.
Continue making rolls with remaining filling.
Chop remaining cabbage to make 3 cups and, in a large frypan, sauté with 1 cup chopped onions and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until soft.
Add tomatoes, vermouth, broth, tomato paste, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Adjust seasonings.
Transfer cabbage-tomato sauce mixture to a large baking dish .
Arrange the cabbage rolls close together in one layer on the sauce.
Spoon some of the mixture over the rolls.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1½ hours. Baste rolls 4 to 5 times during cooking.
Let the dish cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove cheesecloth. Heat in preheated 350℉ (180℃) oven for 30 minutes before serving.
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