German Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Kohlrouladen)

I met Kohlrouladen on a trip to Munich — a cozy restaurant on a side street, a menu I could barely pronounce, and a plate of cabbage rolls that instantly justified the whole vacation: tender leaves wrapped around seasoned ground meat, browned in butter-scented oil and braised slowly until everything melts together.

German cabbage rolls differ from their Eastern European cousins in the details — caraway in both the cooking water and the filling, a soaked bread roll instead of rice for a lighter texture, and a pan sauce built from the browned drippings and cabbage cooking water.

They take a little time, but most of it is the oven’s problem, not yours. Serve them the German way: with boiled potatoes or spätzle, and the sauce over everything.

Kohlrouladen Recipe

Prep time: 40 minutes · Cook time: about 2½ hours (mostly in the oven) · Total: about 3 hours · Servings: 6 · Calories: ~364 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 white cabbage (about 2½ pounds)
• 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
• 1 stale bread roll (about 1.4 oz)
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 pound mixed ground meat (beef and pork)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway
• 8 tablespoons neutral oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• Salt and pepper
• Kitchen twine

Instructions

1. Remove the cabbage’s outer leaves and cut out the core in a wedge. Simmer the whole cabbage with the caraway seeds in plenty of salted water, covered, for about 20 minutes.
2. Lift the cabbage out and cool 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the cooking water.
3. Soak the bread roll in water, then squeeze it out well.
4. Knead the ground meat with the bread, onion, egg and ground caraway; season with salt and pepper.
5. Carefully separate 12 large leaves, pat dry, and shave down the thick center ribs. Overlap two leaves per roll.
6. Divide the filling into 6 portions, place one on the lower third of each leaf pair, fold up from the bottom, fold in the sides, and roll. Tie with kitchen twine.
7. Brown the rolls in hot oil, 4 to 5 minutes per side, then transfer to a roasting pan.
8. Deglaze the frying pan with some of the reserved cabbage water and the tomato paste, simmer 2 minutes, and pour over the rolls.
9. Braise at 350°F for about 2 hours, until completely tender.
10. Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, whisk the cornstarch with a little cold water, and stir it in over heat until the sauce thickens. Serve over the rolls.

Recipe Notes

• Minced garlic, diced peppers or bacon enrich the filling.
• Any single ground meat works, though the beef-pork mix is classic.
• Boiled potatoes, mashed potatoes or spätzle are the traditional companions.
• The rolls freeze beautifully after braising — make a double batch.