Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Dairy-Free)

Ingredients

• 1 medium Cabbage
• 1 lb Ground pork
• 1/2 cup Rice
• 1 medium Onion
• 28 oz Tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp Sweet paprika
• 1 cup Vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Remove the tough core from the 1 medium Cabbage. Place the whole 1 medium Cabbage in a large pot with enough water to cover it completely. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, about 212°F (100°C). Boil the cabbage for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the outer leaves are soft and pliable. Carefully remove the cabbage from the pot using tongs, drain any excess water, and place it on a cutting board or plate to cool for 10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, gently peel off about 8 to 10 softened outer leaves, keeping them whole.
2. 2While the cabbage cools, cook the 1/2 cup Rice: In a small saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup Rice with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Finely chop the 1 medium Onion into pieces no larger than 1/4 inch (0.6 cm). In a large bowl, combine the 1 lb Ground pork, the cooked 1/2 cup Rice, the chopped 1 medium Onion, 1 tsp Salt, and 1/2 tsp Black pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
3. 3Lay out one softened cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the prepared meat mixture onto the center of the cabbage leaf, forming a small log shape. Fold the sides of the cabbage leaf inward towards the center over the filling, then tightly roll up the leaf from the bottom (stem end) towards the top to fully enclose the filling. Repeat this process with the remaining cabbage leaves and meat mixture until all the filling is used.
4. 4In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (at least 5-quart capacity), heat the 2 tbsp Olive oil over medium heat, until it shimmers slightly, reaching approximately 275°F (135°C). Carefully place the rolled cabbage rolls into the hot oil, seam-side down, arranging them in a single layer if possible. If your pot is not large enough to hold all rolls in one layer, cook them in two batches, browning each batch for 3 to 5 minutes per side until lightly golden, then removing them and setting aside before adding the next batch.
5. 5Once all cabbage rolls have been lightly browned, arrange them snugly in a single layer at the bottom of the large, heavy-bottomed pot. Pour the 28 oz Tomato sauce and the 1 cup Vegetable broth evenly over the cabbage rolls. Sprinkle the 1 tbsp Sweet paprika evenly over the sauce and broth.
6. 6Increase the heat to medium and bring the liquid in the pot to a gentle simmer, which should be around 200°F (93°C). Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let the cabbage rolls cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes (90 minutes). The rolls are done when the cabbage leaves are very tender and the pork mixture inside is cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) when measured with a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a roll.
7. 7Carefully remove the cooked cabbage rolls from the pot using a slotted spoon and arrange them on a serving platter. Let the rolls rest for 5 minutes before serving. The remaining sauce in the pot can be spooned over the rolls or served on the side.

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