Instant pot stuffed cabbage rolls are equally delicious as the oven or stovetop version but made quicker and without any fuss. If you are looking for recipes that use leftover rice, this is it!
This stuffed cabbage rolls recipe can be doubled or halved, if needed.
It’s a quick and fuss-free method that makes this ground meat meal perfect for busy families so if you are looking for easy weeknight dinners, you might wanna give this recipe a go.
How do you steam a whole head of cabbage?
My favorite way is cooking it in my electric pressure cooker. It’s so easy and literally hassle-free. Below I explained in detail how I do it.
How to make stuffed cabbage rolls in Instant Pot
1. Cooking cabbage in instant pot
I find this the easiest way to do it, but you don’t have to do it this way. This is my preferred way for one simple reason: I don’t have such a large pot to cook the cabbage in and instant pot makes it so easy. Just 1.5 cups of water, bring to pressure and manually release right away.
It takes about 8-10 minutes to bring the pot to pressure. You literally set the timer to 0 minutes because the cabbage will be ready by then.
Note that the leaves will be soft – almost ready to eat so if you don’t like it, I suggest you boil it in a pot of water until you can separate the leaves easily.
2. Making the meat filling
Ground meat is combined with cooked rice, egg, fresh parsley, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, a generous pinch of cinnamon and dried oregano. It’s the perfect combination of seasoning for these instant pot stuffed cabbage rolls.
Then, just fill about 10 leaves with the mixture. I use an ice cream scoop to scoop the meat. You can also make smaller rolls. If you do, you will get more than 10.
In instant pot, you combine water and tomato passata. Then, add the cabbage rolls and pressure cook until ready.
How do you cut the core out of a cabbage for cabbage rolls?
Coring a cabbage head when making stuffed cabbage rolls can be quite the challenge. You need a sharp knife and patience. Some cabbage heads might be tougher than others so it can be tricky.
When you use my way of steaming the cabbage, you don’t need to core it at all! All you have to do is cut off the bottom part – and don’t be afraid to cut more rather than less.
What you are doing is making the outer leaves free. You will need 10 of them for this recipe. If you use a large head of cabbage, you might also cut some of the leaves in half and fill them with meat filling.
I sometimes make incisions into the cabbage (around the core), like if I ware to core it. This also helps to free some of the leaves.
What to do with leftover cabbage when making stuffed cabbage rolls?
Because you steamed it in the pressure cooker, it will be almost ready to eat so just chop it up and store it in an air-tight container for later use. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can turn it into a cabbage and bacon side dish or anything you like. It will need about 10 minutes of sauteing on the hob to make it. I also like to upgrade the cabbage and bacon side and cook it with wine, fresh parsley, caraway seeds and fill homemade sweet potato flatbread with it. It’s delicious!
Expert tips
Rice – Feel free to use any type of cooked rice you like. Long, short or medium-grain will all work well.
Ground meat – I used a combination of beef and pork. Now, you can use anything you like. It also does not have to be a mixture of 2 types of meat.
Tomato passata is a type of pureed tomatoes. It is like a thicker tomato juice. Some brands also might call it tomato puree. That is the best thing to use. If you don’t have it, try buying canned plum tomatoes and puree them in a food processor or blender. Do not use concentrated tomato puree – that is completely something else! By the way, you can double the tomato sauce, if you like these pressure cooker stuffed cabbage rolls with a lot of sauce.
If you see that some of the leaves are very large, either cut them in half and fill both parts or you can trim the ends, when rolling them.
Storage
Cooked stuffed cabbage rolls should last (when stored properly in an air-tight container in the fridge) for up to 3 days.
What should I serve with cabbage rolls?
Rice or potatoes are great choices. Dinner rolls also go well with these instant pot stuffed cabbage rolls.
If you like these stuffed cabbage rolls, you might also like these easy instant pot recipes:
Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup water (355 milliliters)
- 1 green cabbage
- 1.5 cup rice , cooked, see note 1
- ¼ cup parsley , finely chopped
- 1.5 teaspoon salt
- black pepper , see note 2
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 egg , medium to large
- 1 pound ground meat , see note 3 (450 grams)
- 1.5 cups tomato passata , see note 4
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano or thyme
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Instructions
- Pour in 1.5 cups of water in your pressure cooker and put in the steamer rack. Wash the cabbage and cut off some of the bottom parts (more is better). This will cause the outer leaves to loosen so you can easily remove them after steaming. Put the cabbage in and close with a lid. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK and set the time to 0 minutes. It will take about 8-10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure.
- Meanwhile: In a mixing bowl, mix well rice, parsley, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cinnamon, dried oregano, egg and ground meat.
- When the cabbage is ready, manually release the pressure. When the pin drops, remove the lid and take out the cabbage (the rack handles are pretty useful here but make sure to hold them with a kitchen towel not to burn yourself). Put it onto a chopping board and let cool slightly until you are able to handle the heat. The leaves will come off easily.
- Some leaves may be too large or have hard parts so trim these. Also cut off the end of the thick stem. Place about 1 scoop of meat onto the cabbage leaf and roll about two times before you tuck in both sides and finish off rolling. Set aside and continue until you have used up all the meat mixture.
- In instant pot, combine 2 cups of water with 1.5 cups of tomato passata and oregano. Put the cabbage rolls in and when you fill the bottom, place the rest on top of them.
- Close the lid. Lock it into its position. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 7 minutes. When the time is up, wait 5 minutes before releasing the pressure manually.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- I make this with any kind of leftover rice – either long or short or medium-grain will work just fine.
- Black pepper – I like adding a good amount of black pepper – about ¼ teaspoon. If not sure, start with ⅛ teaspoon and adjust the next time you will be making these.
- Ground meat – feel free to use any type of meat you prefer. I used a mix of beef and pork.
- Tomato passata is Italian pureed tomatoes. Some brands call it also tomato puree. It is NOT the concentrated tomato puree that is very thick and you usually use only a little bit of it. It has to be liquidy. You can use also plum tomatoes (blended in a food processor or blender) but I find this has a better taste.
- This recipe was developed for a 6-quart/6-liter instant pot. Using other pressure cooker or different size may lead to slightly different results, especially when it comes to time.
- The overall time does not include the time needed for the pot to come to pressure nor the time needed to release it. Count with an extra 15 minutes.
- Please, read the full post for more detailed information and useful tips.
Beth says
This looks really amazing! I would never of thought to make this in the Instant Pot! My mom used to make these when I was a kid and I remember how long it would take! Trying this ASAP!
Traci says
What an awesome recipe and method! Who doesn’t love a classic stuffed cabbage roll?! Savory, yummy, all the things. Another vote for the Instant Pot too :)
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
I love your recipe, I’ll be making it again!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks, Shadi!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I love how you cooked the whole head of cabbage like that. I’ll have to try that and cabbage rolls.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Let me know what you think so, Jacqueline!
Dannii says
We got loads of cabbage in our vegetable box, so I will definitely be trying that.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yay! :)
Bob Townsend says
Suggestion: Try putting the head of cabbage in a bowl of water in the microwave for 8-10 minutes. The leaves come right off. So much easier. If it starts getting difficult to remove the leaves, replace in the microwave for a couple of more minutes.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks for your comment, Bob! It’s always good to hear others’ suggestions so our readers can choose what they prefer!
Connie says
I made these tonight. So much easier than on the stove. Thank you.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Yay! That’s so good to hear, Connie! Thanks for your feedback.
Pati says
What are your thoughts about using frozen vegan meatballs and Napa (Savoy) cabbage?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Pati. I have never tried vegan meatballs so I am afraid I won’t be able to help. As for the Napa cabbage, I think you can use it, if you prefer that one.
Mindy says
I’m making this tonight, but using swiss chard leaves.
Linda says
Epic fail for putting the cabbage in the IP for 0 minutes. Outside leaves were overcooked and unusable and the inner leaves were not softened enough. I will either use the traditional boil method or the microwave method in the future, as another reader suggested. For now, I am making something else for dinner, but may pick this up again tomorrow and see if the remainder of the recipe can be salvaged.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Linda. Thanks for your feedback. I am sorry to hear that it didn’t work for you! Yes, the outside leaves will always be more tender than the inside leaves. However, I am not sure how overcooked they were – perhaps you are used to different a different recipe where the leaves were harder? Please note that the tenderness of the leaves will also depend on the size and type of cabbage. Could you let me know what cabbage you used? However, even overcooked leaves are still OK to use, if they hold the filling well. You will not notice any difference at the end. I also stated that this is my preferred way of cooking the cabbage leaves, but everyone can use their preferred way.
Carol says
Can you use uncooked rice?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Carol. I am afraid the rice might not cook through during the short cooking time. It would also suck all the juices as it needs liquid in order to expand.
Clarissa says
Excited to try this! Maybe I missed it, but does the rice go in the meat mixture part? I didn’t see that in the instructions. Thanks!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Clarissa! Yes, the rice is mixed with meat and other ingredients. The recipe card below this post has detailed instructions, but if in doubt, the video above the recipe card should help you understand the process better. Happy instant cooking!
Calvi says
Do you use a rack or just put on the bottom of the pot? It did not say when you mix the rice with the meat. Assuming you do mix it with the spices, but did not say in the recipe.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Calvi. The full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below this post. There is also a video for easy understanding if in doubt. Yes, you use the rack. Rice is mixed with the meat. Happy instant pot cooking!
Carol says
Actually the instructions regarding the rice are not in the recipe card (only in the video). I had to log back in to find out what to do with the rice. Looking forward to the end result.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Carol. You were right and thanks for pointing it out! I am not sure how I missed it the first time but it is fixed now. Happy instant pot cooking!
Carol says
LOVED these rolls! The big test was whether my husband would like them (he isn’t crazy about anything cabbage). He loved them and was happy to learn that we have leftovers. Thank you for this recipe! I prepared it exactly as instructed.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thanks so much for finding time to leave the feedback and rating, Carol! I am so happy you and your husband enjoyed this recipe. I hope you try some more recipes (the instant pot chicken risotto is our readers’ favorite). Happy instant pot cooking :)
helen says
Thanks for this amazing recipe. My family loved it.
Kathy says
Do you think this would work with cauliflower rice?
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
I haven’t tried so not sure, Kathy.
Tracie says
I tried your IP method for the cabbage but overcooked it. My fault as the cabbage was small. I couldn’t salvage enough to roll anything worthy.
I did place all ingredients in the pot and called it stuffed cabbage soup!
It was delicious!
Definitely make again with bigger head of cabbage!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
What a great way to save a meal, Tracie! Hope all goes well next time.
Cyndi says
Super excited about this recipe! I have an 8qt IP. If I double the recipe, should I change the cooking time? If so, how long should I cook for? Thanks so much!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Cyndi. The cooking time will remain the same. Happy instant pot cooking!
Carolyn says
I just made your instant pot stuffed cabbage rolls. They were delicious. I even shared with my neighbors.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Glad to hear that and thanks so much for your feedback, Carolyn!
Joseph Lee says
It is an excellent choice for a healthy diet. I found everything is good with the exception that how to soften the cabbage is a challenge.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Hi Joseph. Thank you for your feedback. I will double check the instructions and update the recipe if needed.
Denise says
The Polish tradition is to use tomato soup. My grandmother from Poland taught me this.