Also called Cabbage Pigs in a Blanket, Golumpki are cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef, Italian sausage, long grain rice, and plenty of flavorful seasonings. Everything is stuffed inside tender cabbage leaves then doused in tomato sauce to make this beef and sausage cabbage roll recipe.

These are a great budget ground beef meal that everyone will love.

overhead photo of Cabbage Rolls and spatula

Why this recipe works

Cabbage rolls are a true comfort dish stuffed with a variety of different flavors and textures from the rice to the meat and the soft cabbage leaves that hug them together, and they couldn’t be any easier to make. They’re great for meal prepping ahead and throwing in the freezer for those nights you just don’t feel like cooking.

I especially love cabbage rolls with a side of potato pancakes or roasted potatoes for a real stick-to-your-belly meal.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

MEAT – We used 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of ground sausage, but it’s really up to you what you use. You can use a combination of meat or just stick to one. Ground turkey, hot Italian sausage, venison, chicken, lamb, and pork all work great so long as it is grounded/minced. While some recipes call for precooking the meat, there is no need to do so here. It will cook up just fine in the oven.

RICE – Long grain white rice or brown rice can be used. The rice should be precooked before adding to the rolls to ensure doneness.

SAUCE – The tomato soup addition to the tomato sauce adds a little sweetness to the sauce and helps to cut the acidity down a bit. You can add additional herbs and spices to the tomato sauce if desired. However, do not add more salt – the tomato soup has enough already.

How to Make Cabbage Rolls

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
You will need to soften the cabbage leaves in order to make them more pliable for rolling. You can boil or steam the cabbage leaves. I find it easiest to gently remove the leaves from the head of cabbage and place them in a large bowl with about an inch of water at the bottom. Microwave for 2-3 minutes at a time until cabbage leaves are wilted. Drain water from bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, sausage, cooked rice, onion, salt, pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, egg, and 1⁄2 cup of the tomato sauce. Use gloved hands to thoroughly combine all of the ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk together the remaining tomato sauce, tomato soup, and an additional pinch of Italian seasoning and pepper, if desired.
Place about 1⁄2 cup of this sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
Lay one cabbage leaf in front of you and place a large scoop (about 1⁄3 cup) of the meat/rice mixture in the center. Fold the stem side and top side of the cabbage leaf toward each other and then roll up the cabbage leaf sides like a burrito to form a little packet.
Place each cabbage packet in the prepared casserole dish.
Continue filling and rolling cabbage leaves until the meat mixture is used up and the casserole dish is full. (I made 9 large cabbage rolls.)
Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the top of the cabbage rolls.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the cabbage rolls reach 145°F on an instant read thermometer.
Remove aluminum foil and baste the cabbage rolls with the sauce. Bake an additional 10 minutes, uncovered, to thicken the sauce a bit.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I freeze cabbage rolls?

It’s best to freeze uncooked cabbage rolls as opposed to cooked (though it’s still possible to do so). I would suggest flash freezing uncooked rolls on a baking sheet or in a baking dish until they are firm enough to hold together on their own. Once frozen, transfer them to a large ziptop bag and freeze for up to 5 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, removing them from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Follow recipe instructions for bake time, adding a few minutes to the cook time if needed.

How do I store leftover cabbage rolls?

Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can I make them ahead of time?

Absolutely! Assemble the rolls up to 24 hours in advance and store them in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, remove them from the fridge when you begin preheating the oven then bake according to recipe directions.

Serving Suggestions

Cabbage rolls can be served on their own or with a side of potatoes, dinner rolls, grain salad or opt for something a bit lighter like roasted veggies. Enjoy them warm from the oven with plenty of tomato sauce on top.

More Casserole Recipes

Looking for more ground beef ideas? See our collection of 90 best ground beef recipes here.

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