Pork Cabbage Rolls

In these Pork Cabbage Rolls, tender cabbage stuffed with flavorful pork, Parmesan cheese, and roasted spaghetti squash gives classic cabbage rolls a makeover. This hearty dish is so fabulous, and it’s a lighter alternative to carb-heavy, cheesy dishes.

Who doesn’t love cabbage rolls? They’re meaty, slow-cooked goodness. And a pan can feed a crowd. But I get tired of the same-old-same old cabbage rolls and decided to switch things up.

What are cabbage rolls?

These savory cabbage rolls are a hearty and comforting dish featuring tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a flavorful filling of ground pork, roasted spaghetti squash, aromatic herbs, and Parmesan cheese. The rolls are nestled in a rich tomato sauce, topped with provolone cheese, and broiled until golden and bubbly.

Why you’ll love this recipe 

• It’s low carb for those days when I want something a bit lighter.
• You can prepare much of this recipe the day before.
• They look beautiful on any dinner table with minimal effort.

Ingredients needed 

• Spaghetti squash: Adds a sweet, nutty flavor and wonderful texture that mimics pasta while keeping the dish lighter.
• Savory cabbage leaves: Large, tender leaves that wrap perfectly around the filling. Savory cabbage, green cabbage, or Napa cabbage all work well.
• Ground pork: Provides a savory, rich base for the filling with wonderful flavor when browned.
• Dried sage and fennel seeds: These aromatic herbs add warmth and depth to the pork filling.
• Yellow onions and garlic: Build the savory foundation for both the filling and the tomato sauce.
• Parmesan cheese: Adds salty, nutty richness to the pork mixture.
• Provolone cheese: Melts beautifully over the top for a golden, bubbly finish. Dry mozzarella makes a great substitute.
• Tomato sauce: Consists of crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and ketchup (or tomato paste), fish sauce (or soy sauce), and salt.

How do you make these pork cabbage rolls? 

Roast the spaghetti squash:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
2. Drizzle the spaghetti squash halves with olive oil and season with salt.
3. Roast for 45-60 minutes until tender and golden.
4. Let cool, then scrape the flesh into a bowl and shred with a fork. Season with additional salt and pepper.

PRO TIP: Look for a spaghetti squash that feels heavy for its size with a firm, yellow-golden skin. The yellow spot on the bottom indicates ripeness.

Prepare the cabbage leaves:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Blanch 1/3 of the leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent.
3. Set the leaves on a clean towel to absorb excess water.
4. Repeat for the remaining cabbage.
5. Cut out the bottom, thickest part of the stem in an inverted “V” shape, 1-2 inches up from the bottom of each leaf.

PRO TIP: Large cabbage leaves work best. Use one large head or buy 2 smaller ones if there are no big ones. You can prepare the cabbage up to a day in advance.

Make the pork filling:

1. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet or enameled braising dish over medium-high heat.
2. Add olive oil and the pork. Break into small pieces and season with salt, dried sage, fennel seeds, and pepper.
3. Let sit undisturbed until browned, 2-3 minutes, then stir and cook through.
4. Remove the pork from the pan, leaving behind any fat.
5. Add more olive oil, then add half the onion, garlic, and salt. Stir to coat.
6. Add white wine to deglaze the bottom and cook until translucent, about 15 minutes.

PRO TIP: Don’t crowd the pan when browning the pork. Letting it sit undisturbed helps develop a beautiful golden crust.

Make the tomato sauce:

1. Add the ketchup to the remaining onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
2. Add the fish sauce, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and a generous pinch of salt.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring semi-frequently, until thickened (about 22-25 minutes).
4. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

PRO TIP: No tomato paste? Use ketchup instead. You can swap fish sauce for soy sauce, or omit both to keep this recipe gluten-free.

Make the filling and stuff the cabbage:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the reserved onions and garlic with the cooked pork, 2 heaping cups of spaghetti squash, and Parmesan cheese.
2. Mix to combine thoroughly and taste for salt and pepper.
3. For large leaves, add 1/4 cup of filling to the center of the leaf, just above the tip of the inverted “V.”
4. Roll the leaf like a burrito, tucking in the edges as you roll forward.
5. For smaller leaves, use 2-3 tablespoons of filling. Repeat until all leaves are stuffed.

PRO TIP: If you have small leaves, you can use 2 smaller leaves to make a roll by lining them up side-by-side with them overlapping a bit in the middle.

Assemble and finish:

1. Transfer the rolls to the tomato sauce in the skillet.
2. Top with provolone cheese slices.
3. Increase heat to medium-low and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
4. Remove the lid and reduce for 10-15 minutes more.
5. Preheat the broiler to high and broil the rolls until the cheese browns and bubbles.

PRO TIP: Keep an eye on the rolls under the broiler as they can go from golden to burnt quickly!

Serving

This stuffed cabbage recipe truly is a 1-dish meal, but sometimes I serve it with a side of brown rice or mashed potatoes. The cabbage roll sauce is so good you could also spoon it over pasta.

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Store any leftover cabbage rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Cabbage rolls also freeze nicely. Package them with the sauce in containers and freeze for up to a month.
• Large cabbage leaves work best: Use one large head or buy 2 smaller ones if there are no big ones. If you have small leaves, you can use 2 smaller leaves to make a roll but you’ll have to line the leaves up side-by-side with them overlapping a bit in the middle.
• Make ahead: You can prepare the cabbage and the spaghetti squash up to a day in advance.
• Use leftover cabbage: You’ll probably have some leftover cabbage. Use it to make a crunchy slaw or add it to a hearty soup.

Variations:

• Swap the meat: Try ground beef, turkey, chicken, or a plant-based ground meat substitute.
• Different cheese: Try mozzarella, fontina, or Gruyère in place of provolone for different flavor profiles.
• Add vegetables: Finely chop mushrooms, carrots, or zucchini and sauté with the onions for extra nutrition.
• Make it spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the filling or sauce for a kick of heat.
• Herb variations: Swap dried sage for oregano, thyme, or Italian seasoning for different flavor profiles.
• Rice filling: Add 1/2 cup cooked rice to the filling for a traditional cabbage roll texture.
• Gluten-free option: Omit the fish sauce and ensure all ingredients are gluten-free.

For more comforting stuffed recipes, try my Mini Taco Stuffed Peppers, Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Mushrooms, or Chickpea Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. 

More cabbage recipes you may want to try:

• Mexican Cabbage Salsa
• Roasted Cabbage Steaks (with Parmesan)
• Crunchy Cashew Cabbage Salad
• Cabbage Bowl Dip

5 stars (6 reviews)

Leave a Review

Get the Recipe:

Pork Cabbage Rolls

Sandy Coughlin

In these Pork & Squash Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, tender cabbage stuffed with flavorful pork, Parmesan cheese, and roasted spaghetti squash. Serves 4-6.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

bake spaghetti squash: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Yield: 6

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 1 small spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt to season
• 18 savory cabbage leaves, (savory, green, napa)

Filling

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp dried sage
• 1 ½ tsp fennel seeds, chopped or coarsely ground
• 1 tsp fresh black pepper, plus more to season
• 2 yellow onions, diced, divided in half
• 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided in half
• ½ c white wine
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt to season
• 1 c crumbled Parmesan
• 6 oz provolone cheese slices, about 6 slices–substitute dry mozzarella

Tomato Sauce

• 1 c chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp ketchup or tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce, substitute soy sauce or omit
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400.

Roast the squash:

• Drizzle spaghetti squash in 1 Tbsp of olive oil and season with salt. Roast squash for 45-60 min or until tender and golden. Let cool, then scrape into bowl and shred with a fork. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Prepare the cabbage leaves:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch 1/3 of the leaves into the boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent (this cook time may vary for other cabbage varieties). Set the leaves on a clean towel to absorb excess water—8 minutes. Repeat for remaining cabbage.
• Cut out the bottom, thickest part of the stem in an inverted “V” shape, 1-2’’ up from the bottom of the leaf (depending on size of the leaf). Repeat for all leaves.

Make the pork mixture:

• Heat a large, oven safe skillet or an enameled braising dish over medium-high heat, then add 1 Tbsp olive oil and the pork. Break the pork into small pieces, season with salt, dried sage, fennel seeds, and pepper. Let sit undisturbed until browned, 2-3 minutes. Stir the pork and cook through. Remove from the pan, leaving behind any fat, and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and salt. Stir to coat, then add the white wine to deglaze the bottom. Cook 15 minutes until translucent.
• Remove half of the onion and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Make the red sauce:

• Add the ketchup to the onions and sauté 2 minutes. Add the fish sauce, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring semi-frequently, until thickened—22-25 minutes. Taste for salt.
• While the tomato sauce reduces, make the filling and stuff the cabbage: Add the pork, 2 heaping cups of spaghetti squash, and Parmesan to the onions and garlic. Mix to combine, and taste for salt and pepper.

Roll the cabbage leaves:

• For large leaves, add 1/4 c of filling to the center of the leaf, just above the tip of the inverted “V”. Roll the leaf like a burrito, tucking in the edges as you roll forward. For smaller leaves, use 2-3 Tbsp of filling. Repeat until all leaves are stuffed.
• Transfer the rolls to the tomato sauce and top with cheese slices. Increase heat to medium-low and cover. Let sit 5 minutes to melt the cheese, then remove lid and reduce 10-15 minutes more.
• Preheat broiler to high and broil the rolls until the cheese browns and bubbles.
• Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

• Large cabbage leaves work best. Use one large head or buy 2 smaller ones if there are no big ones. If you have small leaves, you can use 2 smaller leaves to make a roll but you’ll have to line the leaves up side-by-side with them overlapping a bit in the middle.
• You can prep the cabbage and the spaghetti squash up to a day in advance.
• No tomato paste? Use ketchup instead.
• You can swap fish sauce for soy sauce, or to keep this recipe gluten-free, you can omit both. 
• You’ll probably have some leftover cabbage. Use it to make a crunchy slaw or add it to a hearty soup.

Cuisine: American

Course: Main Course

Calories: 516kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 1616mg, Potassium: 1113mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 1641IU, Vitamin C: 42mg, Calcium: 564mg, Iron: 4mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!