Beef Cabbage Rolls Slow Cooker

Beef Cabbage Rolls Slow Cooker. Toss ground beef, cut-up cabbage, and rice into your slow cooker for a yummy meal. Your family will love it and ask for seconds!

These cozy rolls mix tasty beef with soft rice and onions inside tender cabbage leaves. A sweet-tangy tomato sauce cooks it all slow and easy in your cooker. No stove fuss! Perfect for busy days. Serve with potatoes or salad for a full, happy dinner everyone craves.

Slow Cooker Beef & Cabbage Rolls Filling

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean)

• 1 cup cooked white rice, cooled (or 1/2 cup uncooked rice, boiled 5 minutes)

• 1 small green cabbage (2 to 2 1/2 pounds), leaves pulled off and thick stems trimmed

• 1 medium onion, chopped small

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine

• 1 large egg, beaten a bit

• 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (or 2 tablespoons dried)

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, for extra flavor)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (add more if needed)

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional, to sweeten the tangy sauce)

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/2 cup beef broth or water

Beef Cabbage Rolls Slow Cooker: Directions

1. Get cabbage ready: Boil a big pot of salty water. Pull off whole leaves from cabbage, cut thick stems. Soften leaves in boiling water 2-3 minutes (do in batches). Drain, cool, and dry with a towel.

2. Mix the meat filling: In a big bowl, stir beef, rice, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, paprikas, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire. Mix with hands or spoon until just blended—don’t overmix or it gets tough.

3. Test taste (optional): Cook a tiny bit of filling in a pan or microwave. Taste and fix salt or pepper if needed.

4. Make tomato sauce: Mix diced tomatoes (with juice), tomato sauce, brown sugar, tomato paste, and broth in a bowl.

5. Add sauce to cooker: Pour 1/3 of sauce into a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Spread even to stop sticking.

6. Fill and roll: Put a leaf flat, stem toward you. Add 2-3 spoons filling near stem, shape like a log. Fold sides over, roll tight into a bundle.

7. Pack in cooker: Place rolls seam-down in a tight layer. Add more sauce on top, add second layer if needed.

8. Finish with sauce: Pour rest of sauce over rolls to mostly cover. Add extra broth if short.

9. Cook: Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours. Cabbage soft, meat done, sauce bubbly.

10. Rest and eat: Let sit 10 minutes. Serve with sauce on top, extra parsley if you want.

These rolls stand alone great, but try mashed potatoes, egg noodles, cucumber salad, green salad, or bread to soak up sauce. Add sour cream and herbs for old-world taste!

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