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		Chabad.org » Jewish Holidays » Sukkot & Simchat Torah » Simchat Torah » Recipes » Traditional Simchat Torah Foods » Basic Stuffed Cabbage

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Sukkot

Simchat Torah

10 Comments

Basic Stuffed Cabbage

A Jewish classic! And oh-so-good!

1 large cabbage

Filling:
1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ cup uncooked rice
3 tsps. oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten

Sauce:
3 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. flour
1 46-oz can tomato juice
3 to 4 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ cup sugar or ¼ cup honey
2 bay leaves or juice of 1 lemon
salt to taste
1 large apple, peeled and diced
¼ cup raisins

Prepare cabbage by either boiling or freezing method.

Remove and check leaves.

FILLING: Combine all ingredients for meat mixture in a bowl and mix well. Roll cabbage leaves according to illustrations.

SAUCE: Heat oil in 8-quart pot, stir in flour, and cook until brown. Add rest of ingredients in order listed. Bring to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Add cabbage rolls carefully, placing them in sauce one by one. The rolls may be piled in layers if necessary.

Cook on low flame for 2 hours, adding more water if necessary.

USE: 8-quart pot
YIELDS: 18 Cabbage Rolls

10 Comments

Excerpted from Spice and Spirit, The Complete Kosher Jewish Cookbook, published by Lubavitch Women's Cookbook Publications

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Reader Comments
Latest Comments:

Posted: Oct 30, 2011

stuffed cabbage

Our Bubbies in Europe didn't make such a multiple step fuss over the foods they cooked and their food tasted just fine. What's this business of cooking the sauce first before putting stuffed cabbage rolls into the sauce to cook? Really unncessary even if it does sound more "professional" and/or gourmet. You'll get similar results without adding the extra cooking/watching time to your stuffed cabbage experience.

Posted By Chaya, brooklyn, ny

Posted: Oct 20, 2011

I didn't know about this "connection", I mean: cabbage roll and Torah! Great, thanks to this website!

Posted By Lera, Maple, Ontario

Posted: Sep 26, 2010

Without Sugar

For those who don't want to use either sugar or brown sugar in their cooking, I would suggest using jellied cranberry sauce (it is available with good kosher certification in Jewish groceries). I add one small can to the meat and rice mixture and one small can to the tomato juice cooking liquid. I eliminate the bay leaf and/or lemon juice because the cranberry sauce is both tart and sweet at the same time. B'tayavon!

Posted By Judy Resnick, Far Rockaway, NY

Posted: Apr 17, 2009

RE: Traditional food

Some have the custom of eating stuffed cabbage on Simchat Torah, because the rolled shape resembles the Torah scrolls.

Posted By Rochel Chein for chabad.org

Posted: Apr 12, 2009

Traditional food

Is there a traditional food for Simchat Torah and why is it traditional for the holiday (AKA: what does it symbolize.)

Posted By Daniel

Posted: Oct 13, 2008

Sugar in food

We do not use sugar in any of the things that I , my wife or daughter cooks. Sugar is supposed to go into cakes only and that is supposed to be used sparingly. I am a litvak and litvaks are salt and pepper ONLY people. I once went into a kosher take out for some chopped liver and when I tasted it I tasted sugar and when I brought it back in to get my money back the women said that she puts a pinch of sugar into everything...I got my three dollars back or I would have burned the store down.
Hooray for the litvaks!!!

Posted By Der Shkotz Formerly known as anonymousfrom Seagate, Seagate, New York

Posted: Oct 13, 2008

Stuffed Cabbage

In answer to the question from Anon Seagate NY, Yes there is a more simple way my Aunt used to do this recipe... A Russian way.
It is very simple especially for people who dont do sugar etc..
Same sort of method - use sultanas instead of apples or Honey... a little brown sugar and lots of unsweeened tomato juice and maybe a large tin of chopped tomatoes. So long as the mixture is firm after cooking the rice ( I use brown rice) there is not much difference. The Sauce is looser if you dont use flour also. ( This is optional) It is a very simple dish to make and i always put a wooden spear through the balls to make sure the cabbage leaves remain tight.
The main trick with Stuffed cabbage is making sure the cabbage leaves are dry after cooking before folding in to shape!

Posted By Braham Brighton UK, Brighton, UK
via lubavitchbrighton.com

Posted: Sep 24, 2008

Stuffed cabbage

I do not like anything sweet and sour or just plain sweet like Hungarian cooking, are there any more recipes for the stuffed cabbage sauce to make it palatable but not piquant. Thank you!

Posted By Anonymous, Seagate, N.Y.

Posted: Oct 5, 2007

Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

Yes, isn't this a wonderful website in so many ways? One of the best, really.

Posted By KL duPre, Poulsbo, WA

Posted: Nov 21, 2005

Stuffed Cabbage Recipe

The recipe is simple and easy to follow. I appreciate this website.

Posted By Elaine Markfield, Brooklyn, NY

Traditional Simchat Torah Foods


	Basic Stuffed Cabbage


	Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage


	The most comprehensive kosher cookbook, Spice and Spirit shows you how to infuse your cooking with both the spice and spirit of kosher food. Includes over 800 recipes, as well as guides to Kashrut, Shabbat, and the holidays.