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German cabbage rolls aka Kohlrouladen or Krautwickel are a classic German comfort food that perhaps makes you remember Sunday dinners of your childhood. I have always been a huge fan of German cabbage rolls, even I must admit, the process of making them is a bit time consuming. But the end result is always worth it, in my opinion.
The combination of the flavors of the cabbage, ground beef, and spices is so unique and delicious. I love not only the taste but also the way they look like cute little packages from Oma. I think this presentation of the dish is part of its charm – don´t we all just love to unwrap gifts?
These savory and satisfying rolls are packed with a flavorful mixture of ground beef, onions and spices, all wrapped up in tender cabbage leaves.
I you are a fan of easy but tasty comfort food you should check out my recipes for this Pfannkuchen recipe. German Pfannkuchen are so versatile and can be filled with sweet and savory fillings. A German comfort food staple that you should not miss in your monthly dinner rotation. Your family will love it and your budget too!
Jump to:
- What are cabbage rolls called in German?
- Variations
- How to Remove Cabbage Leaves for Cabbage Rolls?
- Instructions
- Equipment
- Leftovers
- Tip
- How to Serve
- Recipe
Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a crowd, these German cabbage rolls are sure to be very popular! Trust me, once you try these German cabbage rolls, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them. So, why not give these Kohlrouladen a try and add some comfort and flavor to your kitchen? Let's get rolling!
Cabbage Roll History
Even in antiquity, the Byzantines discovered that they could use leaves to fill with small delicacies. They would use the leaves of different plants.
In the Medieval Ages, the stuffed cabbage came to mid- and east-Europe. Because cabbage could be cultivated in colder areas and was also an important vitamin source during the colder months, the vegetable grew quickly there.
Today, stuffed cabbage is one of the national dishes of many European countries and is a beloved winter comfort food in many families.
This traditional recipe with brown gravy from Oma’s cookbook is a staple in classic German cuisine, but you can also find a version with tomato sauce that is very popular in European home-cooking.
There are also a multitude of other recipes for this simple dish, many of which put modern twists on its traditional flavors.
What are cabbage rolls called in German?
How to pronounce "Krautwickel" in German?
Listen to this audio file to hear how to say "Krautwickel". Der Krautwickel (m/singular) and die Krautwickel (f/plural).
How to pronounce "Kohlroulade" in German?
Listen to this audio file to hear how to say "Kohlrouladen". Die Kohlroulade (f/singular) and die Kohlrouladen (f/plural).
Ingredients & Substitutions
It is a bit time-consuming but easy to make German cabbage rolls from scratch; you only need a few ingredients.
White Cabbage - use a fresh, crisp cabbage for the best results and flavor.
Ground Beef - 80/20 percent ground beef is a great choice, but you can choose a leaner version too, or use half ground beef and half ground pork if you like it a bit heartier.
Onion & Garlic - I prefer to use fresh onions and garlic in my recipes, but feel free to substitute powder. For convenience, I love to use homemade garlic paste. It is so easy to make, handy, and saves a lot of money over time.
Bacon - Does not everything taste better with bacon? But if you want to save calories, just leave it out.
Bread & Bread Crumbs - milk-soaked bread (you can also use water to soak the bread) and bread crumbs will guarantee that your beef patties will be soft and tasty. with bacon? But if you want to save calories, just leave it out.
Eggs - help the meat patties to stay together and not fall apart in the cabbage roll.
Seasonings - the flavor mix of marjoram, salt, pepper, garlic paste, paprika powder, and mustard gives the meat filling an amazing flavor. The sauce is simply seasoned with salt, pepper, and caraway seeds. Use whole caraway seeds or ground ones; they don´t only add flavor but also help you to digest the cabbage easier.
Clarified Butter - clarified butter adds a beautiful flavor to the dish. If you don´t have clarified butter on hand, use butter plus a neutral vegetable oil to brown the cabbage rolls.
Corn Starch - the sauce thickens with a corn starch slurry (corn starch dissolved in cold water). This results in a finer, lighter sauce. If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can use flour instead.
Beef Broth - I am using rich, flavorful beef broth for this recipe, but you can also substitute vegetable or chicken broth.
Heavy Whipping Cream - gives this dish a creamy, rich texture, but you can leave it out.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
Cabbage rolls are incredibly versatile! Plus, they can also be made very budget-friendly. Just add some leftover cooked white rice or pre-cooked carrots to the meat mix, and voila, you will have way more food for less money.
In some parts of Germany, cabbage rolls are served with a light tomato sauce instead of the brown gravy in this recipe. Send me an email, and I am happy to send you the recipe for it.
Try this recipe with savoy cabbage instead of white cabbage for another delicious variation.
How to Remove Cabbage Leaves for Cabbage Rolls?
Method 1 - Blanching Method
- Fill a large pot with water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, and bring to a simmer.
- In the meantime, cut the core out of the cabbage, pull off any wilted leaves, and carefully put the cabbage head into the simmering water.
- Cook for about 2-5 minutes. Remove the cabbage head carefully from the hot water and pull the desired amount of leaves off. Repeat the simmering process if the leaves get too difficult to remove in one piece.
- Spread the leaves on a clean kitchen towel to cool.
- If the veins of the cabbage leaves are very thick, cut the thick part out; this will make rolling easier.
Method 2 - Microwave Method
- Cut the core out of the cabbage, pull off any wilted leaves.
- Wrap a clean, wet kitchen towel around the cabbage head.
- Microwave the wrapped cabbage for 3-5 minutes on high power.
- Pull the desired amount of leaves off and repeat the microwaving if it gets too difficult to pull off the leaves.
- If the veins of the cabbage leaves are very thick, cut the thick part out; this will make rolling easier.
Instructions
Making cabbage rolls from scratch sounds for many people daunting. But I promise, it is way easier than you think. Especially if you follow my microwave tip to pull off the leaves. That make the process a bliss.
STEP 1 - PREPARING THE CABBAGE: First, let's prep our cabbage. Cut out the core and remove the outer layer of leaves. We won't be needing those.
Now, carefully peel off 16 to 18 large leaves. To make this easier, you can use the blanching or microwave method - check out the blog post for all the details!
STEP 2 - SOAKING THE BREAD: Grab a small bowl and break up your bread slices into it. Pour warm milk over the bread, making sure it's completely covered. We'll let it soak while we move on to the next step.
STEP 3 - PREPPING THE ONION AND BACON: Now, peel and cube the onion, and slice the bacon into fine pieces. Set both aside for later.
STEP 4 - MAKING THE MEAT MIXTURE: In a large bowl, add the ground meat, eggs, pepper, salt, ground marjoram, paprika powder, mustard, garlic paste, and the onion cubes. Squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add it to the mix. You can discard the milk or save it for another dish.
Give everything a quick mix, then add the bread crumbs and knead with your hands until well combined. Shape the mixture into small oblong patties.
STEP 5 - WRAPPING THE PATTIES: It's time to wrap our meat patties in the cabbage leaves! Grab a soft leaf and wrap it around a patty, securing the ends with a toothpick. Repeat this process for all the patties.
STEP 6 - BROWNING THE BACON AND CABBAGE ROLLS: Heat up some clarified butter or a mix of butter and oil on medium-high heat. Add the bacon and let it brown for a couple of minutes. Then, add the cabbage rolls to the pan, browning them on all sides.
STEP 7 - SIMMERING THE ROLLS: Pour in the broth and sprinkle in the caraway seeds. Let the cabbage rolls simmer, covered, for about 10 to 20 minutes. When they're done, remove the rolls from the pot and set them aside.
STEP 8: MAKING THE SAUCE: In a small bowl, mix cold water with corn starch. Add this mixture to the pot, along with the heavy cream. Bring it to a light simmer, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
STEP 9 - FINISHING TOUCHES: Place the cabbage rolls back into the pot and let them simmer, covered, in the sauce for another 10 minutes.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl with kneading hook
- Measuring cups and spoons or kitchen scale
- Large pot
- Steamer basket or heat proof colander
- Slotted spoon or two tablespoons to place and remove the dumplings
Leftovers
They easily keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and are still very tasty when warmed up (even in the microwave).
You can easily freeze these German cabbage rolls. You can do this whether they're raw and already wrapped up or if they've been cooked. Just make sure to add some sauce to your cooked cabbage rolls and let them cool down before you pop them into the freezer.
Tip
German cabbage rolls also perfect for meal prepping, so you can enjoy them throughout the week.
How to Serve
German cabbage rolls are great for any occasion. For a cozy family dinner, serve them with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies. They're comforting and delicious. If you're hosting a party, make mini cabbage rolls as appetizers. They're perfect finger food, and your guests will love them with a dipping sauce. Enjoy these versatile and tasty rolls however you like!
Recipe
Traditional German Cabbage Rolls in Brown Gravy
Angela Schofield
Tasty & versatile, German cabbage rolls are perfect for cozy dinners or party appetizers. Try this recipe for a delicious, easy-to-prep meal!
4.81 from 21 votes
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Prep Time 40 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course Entrees
Cuisine German
Servings 16
Calories 344 kcal
Equipment
1 large pot with lid
16 toothpicks or small skewers
kitchen tongues or two forks
cooking spoon or spatula
Ingredients
Shell
- 1 large head of white cabbage
- 1 tbsp. salt
Filling
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion
- 4 oz. bacon
- 2 slices bread
- ½ cup warm milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp. coarse Kosher salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 tbsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. garlic paste
- 1 tsp. paprika powder
- 1 tsp. marjoram
- ½ cup bread crumbs
Sauce
- 2 tbsp. clarified butter or 1 tbsp. butter plus 1 tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp. caraway seeds
- 2 tbsp. corn starch
- 4 tbsp. water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cut the core out of the cabbage, remove the outer layer of leaves, and discard. Peel off 16–18 large leaves. (Use the blanching or microwave method; see blog post for an in-depth description.)
Break the bread slices into a small bowl and cover them with warm milk.
Then peel and cube the onion, and slice the bacon finely. Set both aside.
Add the ground meat to a large bowl, and then add the eggs, pepper, salt, ground marjoram, paprika powder, mustard, garlic paste, and the onion cubes.
Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the bread to the other ingredients. Discard the milk or use it for other dishes.
Mix everything briefly, then add the bread crumbs and knead with your hands until everything is well combined. Then shape small oblong patties.
Wrap each meat patty into a soft cabbage leaf and secure the ends with a toothpick.
Heat the clarified butter or the butter plus oil on medium-high heat. Add the bacon and brown for a couple of minutes.
Add the cabbage rolls and brown on all sides.
Add broth and caraway seeds, and simmer covered for about 10-20 minutes. Remove the cabbage rolls from the pot and set them aside.
Mix cold water with corn starch and add it to the pot along with the heavy cream. Bring to a light simmer, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place the cabbage rolls back into the pot and allow them to simmer, covered, in the sauce for 10 additional minutes.
Video
Notes
This is not a super-fast and simple recipe, but the work involved is worth it as this is a great tasting dish and makes some great freezer meals. I always make a greater amount of cabbage rolls and freeze them in 2 or 3 portions.
Nutrition
Yield: 1 cabbage rollCalories: 344kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 14gFat: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gNet Carbohydrates: 9g
Keyword authentic
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