Reinvented stuffed cabbage: Meatball-stuffed head delight

Stuffed cabbage is a dish that combines the simplicity of ingredients with an extraordinary visual and taste effect. Aromatic meatballs enveloped in delicate cabbage leaves and covered in tomato sauce create a recipe for a dinner that will delight the whole family. This idea for preparing cabbage is an unusual way to combine traditional ingredients in a new, creative form.

If you're looking for inspiration for a dish that looks beautiful and tastes great, cabbage stuffed with meatballs is the perfect choice. Check out how easy it is to prepare this original dish that will surely impress both residents and guests.

When we think of combining minced meat with cabbage, stuffed cabbage rolls usually come to mind. This time, however, we propose something completely different—the entire head of cabbage becomes an edible dish, hiding juicy meatballs and aromatic tomato sauce. This dish is not only tasty but also impressive—perfect for a family dinner or a special occasion.

Cabbage stuffed with meatballs is a way to combine tradition with modernity. Its delicate leaves surround the meat in perfect harmony, and the addition of tomato sauce with marjoram gives the dish a distinct flavor. Since all the ingredients cook together, the dish gains an exceptional depth of taste that is hard to resist.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz ground pork shoulder,
• 1 onion, finely chopped,
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley,
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika,
• 1 teaspoon salt,
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper,
• 3.5 oz cooked rice.

Sauce:

• 1 3/4 cups broth,
• 2.5 oz tomato purée,
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed,
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram,
• 1 teaspoon salt.

Other Ingredients:

• 1 large head of white cabbage,
• 2 cups ready-made tomato sauce (e.g., based on passata),
• parsley for decoration.

Method for Preparing Stuffed Cabbage:

1. Preparing the cabbage: Cut off the top part of the cabbage head and gently hollow out the inside. The easiest way to do this is by cutting the leaves with a knife and removing the interior with a spoon. You can use the remaining parts of the cabbage for salad or another dish.
2. Meatballs: Add cooked rice, chopped onion, parsley, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper to the ground meat. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and then form small, compact balls.
3. Sauce: In a saucepan, mix the broth with tomato purée, pressed garlic, marjoram, and salt. Heat on low until the sauce combines and develops a deep flavor.
4. Stuffing the cabbage: Place the prepared meatballs into the hollowed-out cabbage head, packing them tightly to fill the entire space. Pour the prepared tomato sauce into the cabbage.
5. Baking: Place the stuffed cabbage in an ovenproof dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F for about 1.5 hours, until the cabbage softens and the meatballs are ready.
6. Serving: After removing from the oven, pour additional tomato sauce on the cabbage, which you can prepare based on passata and your favorite herbs, such as oregano or basil. Sprinkle with chopped parsley for freshness and color.