Italian-Style Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Smothered in Homemade Spaghetti Sauce & Mozzarella (Crock Pot)

Italian-Style Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Smothered in Homemade Spaghetti Sauce & Mozzarella (Crock Pot)

Ingredients

For Sauce:

  • 3 (14.5 oz.) cans Hunt's tomato sauce
  • 1 (6 oz.) can Hunt's tomato paste
  • 1 (14.5 oz.) can Hunt's Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano
  • 2 Tbl. red wine
  • 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tbl. dark brown sugar, (yes, Tbl., not tsp.)
  • 2 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tsp. whole fennel seed
  • 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
  • 1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed between your fingers when adding
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Rest of Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 lb. mild italian ground sausage, I like Johnsonville's
  • 1 well-beaten egg
  • 1 (8 oz.) cont. fresh sliced mushrooms, torn or coarse chopped into smaller pieces
  • 2 ribs celery, quartered lengthwise and very thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup instant rice, such as Minute Rice, *1 cup if you prefer a firm cabbage roll
  • 1/4 cup coarse grated parmesan cheese, I simply used Kraft's
  • 2 finely chopped shallots
  • 15-18 cabbage leaves
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup more parmesan cheese
  • garlic salt and dried parsley for top

Instructions

  • For Sauce:
  • In large bowl, stir together all ingredients. Remove 3 cups sauce to second large bowl and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside first bowl of sauce.
  • To second bowl with parmesan added, crumble in ground beef, sausage, beaten egg and rice, and add mushrooms, celery and shallots. Stir to mix to get started, then mix more evenly by hand. Cover and refrigerate.
  • For Cabbage Leaves:
  • Bring a pot of water to a low boil, add 1 tsp. sugar. Add 3-4 leaves at a time, and boil for just 4-5 minutes. Remove with tongs to a baking sheet. Cut out very end thick part of stems for easier rolling making a 1" deep v-cut.
  • To Assemble:
  • Place 1/2-3/4 cup meat filling (depending on size of leaf) into center of stem-end of cabbage leaf. Fold sides over, then roll up towards end of leaf. Place seam side-down into sprayed and lightly sauce-coated large, oval crock pot. ) *I used a 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of mine. Pour some of the sauce (a little less than half) over the rolls to coat when bottom is filled. Repeat with a second layer and cover with rest of sauce. Place on lid and turn crock pot onto HIGH. Cook for 4 hours. Turn down heat to LOW, cover, and cook for 2 more hours or until rolls are done inside. Remove lid, cover with shredded mozzarella and parmesan, sprinkle with garlic salt and parsley, put lid back on and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes until cheeses have melted. *You can just put it all on top and serve rolls going two deep. Or you can carefully lift the top layer of rolls and place some of the cheese underneath to top the bottom layer. I served the ones on top, then added the rest of the cheese, more garlic salt and parsley, and let it re-melt. But you can dump it all in at once, and let them fight over it if you want! ;)

    • Notes

    Tip to separating leaves: Slice off core, not cutting too much in that it ruins the good leaves after removing the outer 2-3 yucky ones. See which leaf is top and first to remove, slice through that leaf at stem and gently pry open a bit. Wherever there is resistance, run under hot water to soften and leaves will fall and pull away easily. Take your time doing this with each leaf and they'll all be picture-perfect and not tear. Doesn't take long, either.