Greek Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Creamy Lemon Sauce
Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a flavorful rice and meat filling, gently simmered and served with a velvety lemon sauce. A classic Greek comfort dish, perfect for family meals or festive occasions.
Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a flavorful rice and meat filling, gently simmered and served with a velvety lemon sauce. A classic Greek comfort dish, perfect for family meals or festive occasions.
Info
Prep Time:
30mCook Time:
30mDifficulty Level:
Ingredients
For the Cabbage Rolls
- 1 whole cabbage (light and loose-leafed)
For the Filling
- 500 g mixed ground meat (lamb and pork or beef and pork)
- 2 dry onions, grated
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 small tender leek, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, grated
- ½ bunch fresh dill
- ⅓ bunch fresh parsley
- 1 cup Carolina rice
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 egg yolks
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional, for thicker texture)
For the Creamy Lemon Sauce
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 500 ml broth from the cooked cabbage rolls
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- A little finely chopped dill
Directions
Preparing the Cabbage
Remove the outer leaves and core the cabbage using a sharp knife.
Submerge the cabbage, core-side down, in a large pot of boiling water. The water should cover the cabbage halfway.
Boil for 7–10 minutes, until the leaves soften slightly. Remove and set aside to cool.
Preparing the Filling
In a large bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.
Mix and knead the mixture until the meat lightens in color.
Add the water and lemon juice, and mix again.
Assembling the Rolls
Carefully peel off the cabbage leaves and trim the thick central vein from each leaf.
Place a spoonful of filling on each leaf and roll tightly.
Line the base of a wide pot with leftover cabbage leaves, slices of onion, and a few carrot pieces.
Arrange the rolls snugly in the pot, seam-side down. Cover with a heatproof plate to prevent unrolling during cooking.
Add water just to cover, then season with salt and pepper and drizzle with ⅓ cup olive oil.
If available, tie leftover parsley and dill stems with kitchen twine and add to the pot for extra aroma.
Cover with the lid and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Avgolemono Sauce
Whisk the egg yolks with the juice of 2 lemons in a bowl.
Gradually add a few spoonfuls of hot broth from the pot, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
Pour the avgolemono over the rolls and gently shake the pot to distribute evenly.
For a thicker sauce, dissolve the cornstarch in a little water and mix it in while heating gently.
Creamy Lemon Sauce (Optional Alternative)
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to make a light roux.
Slowly whisk in the hot broth and cook until thickened.
Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a touch of dill.
To Serve
Arrange the cabbage rolls on a serving platter and pour the creamy lemon sauce or avgolemono over the top. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh dill and serve warm.
Recipe Tips
For extra aromatic dolmades, allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes after cooking before serving—the flavors of lemon, dill, and herbs will meld beautifully.