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Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are a delicious comfort food. With a great tomato sauce and a delicious meat filling, pressure cooker stuffed cabbage rolls make the best dinner!
Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Sometimes it’s nice to spend a little extra time and effort to make a special meal. I’m all for a quick recipe, but I don’t mind cooking a more involved meal once in a while.
If you have never tried making cabbage rolls because they seem to complicated, this might be the recipe to try. I break down the steps to make it easier.
Steaming the cabbage helps soften the leaves so they come off of the head easier.
The meat mixture is super flavorful with the tasty ingredients you’ll add.
Stuff the leaves to make the rolls. Use a toothpick to hold together, if needed.
Cook the remaining cabbage to put in the sauce.
You’ll mix up the tomato sauce with the cooked cabbage and onion. Then spoon over the cabbage rolls.
Serve up from the pot or transfer to a serving platter.
Enjoy a comforting, home cooked meal. Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls will become a family favorite!
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If you make this pressure cooker cabbage rolls recipe, please leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d like to know how you liked it!
Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Equipment
- 6 qt or 8 qt Pressure Cooker
- trivet
Ingredients
- 1 cup Water
- 1 med Head of Cabbage, core removed
Meat Filling
- 1 ½ lbs Ground Beef or Ground Turkey (can also use part ground sausage)
- 1 lg Egg
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ¼ cup Grated Carrot
- ¼ cup Grated Onion
- ¼ cup Grated Celery
- 2 cloves Garlic, pressed
- ¼ tsp Thyme Leaves (or 1/8 tsp ground)
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 cup Cooked Rice
Tomato Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
- Remaining Cabbage, chopped
- 1 ½ Onions, chopped
- 1 (14 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 (14 oz) can Tomato Sauce
- 1 tsp Beef Bouillon
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 cup Water
Instructions
Soften the Cabbage
- Place the trivet and 1 cup of water in the stainless liner of the pressure cooker. Then place the cored cabbage on the trivet, cored side down.
- Cook at High pressure for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the cabbage. Then do a quick release.
- Remove the cabbage to a plate and set aside. Empty the inner pot and dry it.
Make the Meat Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, add the meat, egg, salt, pepper, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, Thyme, Italian Seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix well to combine.
- Mix in the cooled cooked rice. Set mixture aside.
Make the Cabbage Rolls
- Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and fill each one with about 2-3 Tbsp of the meat filling. Fold the sides over the meat, then the other two ends over to create a sealed cabbage roll. Secure with a toothpick, if necessary. Make as many rolls as you can until the filling is used up. Set the rolls aside.
- Chop the remaining cabbage into 1/2" pieces and set aside.
- Turn on the sauté setting. Add the olive oil, butter, chopped cabbage, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage and onion are soften. Turn off the sauté function and remove the mixture to a large bowl.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, bouillon, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire to the chopped cabbage/onion mixture. Mix well.
- Add the cup of water to the pot. Place the trivet in the pot.
- Place a layer of the cabbage rolls on the trivet. Cover with a couple cups of the sauce mixture.
- Add another layer of cabbage rolls, and another layer of sauce. Repeat if there is any left, ending with the sauce.
- Close the lid and seal it. Then press the Pressure Cook/Manual button, then the +/- button and select 20 minutes. High pressure. It will take several minutes for the pot to get to pressure.
- When the cook time is done, let the pot sit and naturally release for 15 minutes. Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining pressure. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
- Serve these delicious cabbage rolls directly from the pot, or transfer to a platter.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
RESOURCES TO MAKE pressure cooker cabbage rolls recipe and more
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The recipe is average. However, take a look at the nutrition info: 335 kcal.
What the heck does that mean? Who uses kcal? Why not state it in terms of calories per serving like nearly ALL other sites?
Sheesh.
That’s just how the program has it. Not my choice. But you got the meaning, as do ALL the other viewers, so that’s great!
Hello Sandy
Just a few words to let you know that I made this recipe for dinner and it was delicious! The whole family loved it!
Would definitely make it again!
Thank you!
This was the first thing I made when I got the instant pot. I never came back to leave the review. I always say, I will do it later. Sorry about that. This was amazing! I had a lot leftover and gave it to my neighbor. She loved it. I have made this often, for company, too. While I am here, I forgot to tell you about the collard greens that I made last night. I did write a review, but, I forgot to mention, that whole pot is for me! My husband doesn’t like that, but, he kept saying it smells good! I told him I can use other greens if he wants to try it. Yummy!
Thank you! I’m happy you liked those recipes! Happy Cooking!
OMG! SUPER EASY AND DELISH!!!
My 4 year old helped me make this recipe and the family all loved it!!
These are delicious! Can left overs be frozen?
These were fantastic! The sauce was delicious!! I always sprinkle some baking soda in my tomato sauce because it helps with heartburn😉
Fantastic! I like more sauce so I double that. Will definitely make again.
When I make stuffed cabbage in the oven or crockpot I use the dry rice. Do you need to use pre-cooked rice with this or could you cook a little longer for the rice to completely soften?
I think if I was going to use uncooked rice I would try a parboiled/quick cooking rice. I have not tried it with regular uncooked rice.
Looks like a fantastic recipe. However, can you clarify something for me. Is the cabbage softened on steam setting or pressure cook setting? Thanking you in advance.
Pressure cook setting. You could also try a great reader tip where you put the head of cabbage in the freezer overnight and take it out and thaw it on the counter to soften the leaves (if you have time to do that).
6 minutes is way too long to soften the cabbage. Mine was mushy after 6 minutes in Instant Pot.
Thank you for your comment. For me, 6 minutes works.
Just stick the whole head of cabbage in the freezer for a day or two beforehand . As it thaws, the leaves come off very easily.
:O
How to adjust for a 3 qt?
You can cut the recipe in half, but keep the cook time the same.
My husband is Romanian and this is a famous meal there. I was thankful to find your Instant Pot instructions. I had a few changes I make because of how I’ve made it with his family. I sauteed 2/3 c. dry rice with one chopped onion and used that in the meat mixture instead of grated onion and cooked rice. Also, we prefer it without the thyme and about half the Italian seasoning and some fresh parsley and dill instead. In Romania, they use sauerkraut both underneath and above the rolls. It turned out deliciously and all 4 of my kids gobbled it up! Thanks!