Lazy Cabbage Roll Bake

A simple layered version of cabbage rolls—no rolling needed!

Ingredients

Cabbage and filling

• 1 small head of cabbage
• 1 pound (500 g) ground beef or lamb
• ½ cup (100 g) uncooked rice
• 1 medium onion, diced and sautéed
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• 2–3 tablespoons water

Filling seasonings

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, optional

Sauce

• ⅓ cup (100 g) tomato paste
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (100 ml) heavy cream
• 1¼ cups (300 ml) water
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, optional
• A few sliced tomatoes for the top

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cook the rice in boiling water for about 5–8 minutes, until only half cooked. Drain well.
3. Carefully separate the cabbage leaves. Boil them for 2–3 minutes, just until softened, and drain well. Trim away any very thick parts of the center stems.
4. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, half-cooked rice, sautéed onion, parsley, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, salt, pepper and optional cayenne. Add 2–3 tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, heavy cream, water, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper and optional cayenne.
6. Lightly grease a deep baking dish or Bundt pan. Line the bottom and sides with overlapping cabbage leaves.
7. Spread a layer of the meat mixture over the cabbage. Cover it with more cabbage leaves. Continue layering until all the filling is used, finishing with cabbage leaves on top.
8. Pour the sauce evenly over everything. Arrange the tomato slices on top.
9. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil during the final 10–15 minutes so the top can lightly brown.
10. Make sure the center reaches at least 160°F, then rest for about 10 minutes before serving. If using a Bundt pan, carefully turn it onto a deep serving platter so the sauce doesn’t spill.