🍅 Homemade Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients
For the cabbage rolls:
1 large green cabbage
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
For the tomato sauce:
2 cups (16 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water or beef broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
👩‍🍳 Instructions
Prepare the cabbage:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully remove the core from the cabbage and place the whole cabbage in the boiling water. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, gently removing the softened leaves one at a time. Set the leaves aside to cool.
Make the filling:
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, diced onion, minced garlic, fresh dill, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
Make the sauce:
Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, water or beef broth, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
Stuff the cabbage leaves:
Place one cabbage leaf on a cutting board. Add about 2–3 tablespoons of filling near the bottom of the leaf. Fold in the sides and roll it tightly into a neat cabbage roll.
Arrange the rolls:
Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in the tomato sauce. Arrange them snugly in a single layer or stack a second layer if necessary.
Cook:
Cover the pot with a lid and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 75–90 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender and the meat and rice are fully cooked.
Finish and serve:
Spoon some of the rich tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls and garnish with fresh dill. Serve hot with extra sauce on the side.