I got a lot of classic dishes I love to eat but do not necessarily love to make all the time. These delicious Savoy Cabbage Rolls (German Kohlrouladen) are definitely in that category. Everyone loves them here, but not so much when it comes to prepare them, to be honest. We only make them for special occasions or if someone asks really nicely. ;P

Not everyone thinks cabbage rolls are sexy, but that’s ok. ;P More cabbage rolls for all of us that like ’em. My grandma used to say – if you don’t want to eat it, that’s ok… but don’t expect to get anything else. It’s cabbage rolls or nothing, and if you don’t want to eat them, we will eat them gladly. She never tried to sugarcoat anything. Maybe it’s a post-war thing she had going on back then. ;P
Well. We love the cabbage rolls here. However, as mentioned above already, the preparation is a bit time-consuming. There is no way around it. I don’t want to put anyone off, but keep it in mind. The preparation of the cabbage needs some time. You need to clean the cabbage, cut the individual leaves into shape, blanch the leaves, let them cool down in cold water, prepare the filling, roll up the filling inside the leaves, fry the rolls, … it all adds up. ;P

Let’s be honest – you are not doing all of that and also prepare sides just for a weeknight dinner. All good and fine if you got friends or family over on the weekend… but this dish is just not a quick after-work meal. My good old Beef Rolls (aka. German Rinderrouladen) would be quicker on the table than these cabbage rolls. ;P
Well. Some dishes just take a little longer or are a little more elaborate – that’s what makes them special! Whenever we prepare something like this, the anticipation is always particularly great. You enjoy a meal much more when you only make it for special occasions. The hard work involved is quickly forgotten. ;P
Most recipes for savoy cabbage rolls (or regular cabbage rolls), usually use minced meat as a filling. I was actually going to use it here as well, but then I saw an offer for coarse pork sausages in the supermarket. A good replacement for regular minced meat (and cheaper, most of the time). ;P If you can’t get hold of this type of sausage or prefer regular minced meat – go for it! You might to season a bit more since those sausages for grilling are normally already seasoned.
If you like it hearty, you should definitely take a look at my Classic German Stew with Peas, Potato & Cured Pork. A great dish when it’s cold outside. If you prefer soup over stew, you might want to try my Zuppa Toscana (an Olive Garden Copycat). So good!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(6 servings)
For the cabbage rolls:
1 large savoy cabbage
1 stale bread roll
28 oz. (800g) pork sausages (casings removed)
1 large onion, finely diced
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp. mustard (medium hot)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika powder
salt, pepper
kitchen string
For the sauce:
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 large onion, in wedges
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
the remaining cabbage, in bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
4 1/4 cups (1000ml) veggie stock
2 tbsp. cornstarch + some water
salt, pepper
(6 Personen)
Für die Rouladen:
1 Wirsingkopf
1 Brötchen (vom Vortag)
800g Bratwürste
1 große Zwiebel, fein gewürfelt
1 Handvoll glatte Petersilie, gehackt
2 Eier (M)
1 EL Senf (mittelscharf)
1 TL Thymian
1 TL Paprikapulver
Salz, Pfeffer
Küchengarn
Für die Soße:
2-3 EL Olivenöl
2 EL Butter
1 große Zwiebel, in Spalten
1-2 Knoblauchzehen, fein gehackt
den restlichen Weißkohl, mundgerechten Stücken
2 EL Tomatenmark
1/2 TL Thymian
120ml trockener Weißwein
1000ml Gemüsebrühe
2 EL Speisestärke + etwas Wasser
Salz, Pfeffer





DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Clean the savoy cabbage and remove 12 of the outer leaves. Cut into the leaves at the base so they can be flattened easily. Blanch the leaves in batches in some boiling water for about 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water and let drain. Cut/Chop the remaining cabbage into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Let the stale bread roll soak in some cold water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water and add it to a large bowl. Remove the sausage meat from the casings and add to the bowl as well. Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash, dry, and finely chop the parsley – add both to the bowl. Add the eggs, mustard, dried thyme, and paprika powder to the bowl, season well with salt and pepper and mix everything until well combined.
3. Divide the meat mixture into six portions and shape each into an oval dumpling. Place two cabbage leaves overlapping each other in front of you, place one of the dumplings on top (see pictures). Fold the cabbage leaves over the dumpling and roll it up. Wrap the cabbage rolls tightly with kitchen string, so they do not open and unfold when being fried/cooked.
4. Peel the onion and garlic for the sauce and cut it into wedges/chop it finely. Set aside.
5. Heat up a large Dutch oven with some oil and fry the cabbage rolls briefly – the rolls should be slightly browned on all sides. Take the rolls out of the Dutch oven and place them on a plate.
6. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and let it melt. Add the onion wedges and the chopped garlic and sauté briefly. Next, add the chopped cabbage and cook/brown for about 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and thyme and let everything develop some roasting flavors. Deglaze the cabbage with the white wine. Let the wine cook down almost completely. Add the veggie stock and bring it to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add the cabbage rolls. The rolls should be submerged in the sauce – you might have to bury them a little in the chopped cabbage ;) Place the lid on the Dutch oven, reduce the heat slightly and let the cabbage rolls simmer for about 45 minutes.
7. While the cabbage rolls are cooking, you can prepare some boiled potatoes or pasta. Both are great sides for the cabbage rolls.
8. Remove the cooked cabbage rolls from the Dutch oven. Mix the cornstarch with some water and add this to the sauce to thicken it. Season with some more salt and pepper to your liking. Serve the cabbage rolls with sauce/chopped cabbage and some boiled potatoes (or pasta) on the side. Return leftover cabbage rolls back to the sauce.
1. Den Wirsing säubern und 12 der äußeren Blätter ablösen. Die Blätter am Strunk einschneiden und dann portionsweise für etwa 2 Minuten in kochendem Wasser blanchieren. Mit kaltem Wasser abbrausen und abtropfen lassen. Den restlichen Kohl in mundgerechte Stücke schneiden und zur Seite stellen.
2. Das altbackene Brötchen für etwa 5 Minuten in kaltem Wasser einweichen lassen, dann ausdrücken, um überschüssiges Wasser loszuwerden und in eine große Schüssel geben. Das Wurstbrät aus den Wursthüllen herausdrücken und zur Schüssel dazugeben. Die Zwiebel schälen und fein hacken. Die Petersilie waschen, trocknen und ebenfalls fein hacken – beides zur Schüssel dazugeben. Eier, Senf, Thymian und Paprikapulver ebenfalls zur Schüssel dazugeben, gut mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen und dann alles gut vermengen.
3. Die Fleischmischung in 6 Portionen aufteilen und zu ovalen Klößen formen. Zwei blanchierte Wirsingblätter überlappend aufeinanderlegen, einen Fleischklos darauf setzen (s. Fotos), die Kohlblätter an den Seiten über den Klos überschlagen und dann aufrollen. Die Rouladen mit Küchengarn fest umwickeln, damit sie sich beim Anbraten/Kochen nicht aufrollen.
4. Die Zwiebel und den Knoblauch für die Soße schälen und in Spalten schneiden bzw. fein hacken. Zur Seite stellen.
5. Etwas Öl in einem großen (gusseisernen) Topf erhitzen und die Rouladen kurz anbraten – sie sollten rundum etwas Farbe bekommen haben. Aus dem Topf nehmen und auf einem Teller zwischenparken.
6. Die Butter in den Topf dazugeben und erhitzen. Die Zwiebelspalten und den gehackten Knoblauch dazugeben und kurz anschwitzen lassen. Den kleingeschnittenen Kohl dazugeben und alles unter ständigem Rühren etwa 5-6 Minuten anbraten. Tomatenmark und Thymian zum Kohl dazugeben und kurz anrösten lassen. Alles mit dem Weißwein ablöschen und den Wein dann weitestgehend einkochen lassen. Gemüsebrühe dazugeben und alles einmal aufkochen lassen. Nach Belieben mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Die Kohlrouladen in den Topf dazugeben. Die Rouladen sollten so gut wie möglich mit Flüssigkeit bedeckt sein – man muss sie also ggf. etwas in den Kohl einbuddeln ;) Den Topf abdecken, die Hitzezufuhr etwas reduzieren und die Rouladen für etwa 45 Minuten köcheln lassen.
7. Während die Rouladen garen, kann man Salzkartoffeln oder Nudeln zubereiten – beides eignet sich prima als Beilage zu den Rouladen.
8. Die gegarten Rouladen aus dem Topf nehmen. Die Stärke mit etwas Wasser verrühren und dann in die Soße einrühren, um sie anzudicken. Nach Belieben noch einmal mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Zum Servieren, die Kohlrouladen mit Soße (und Kohlstücken), sowie Salzkartoffeln (oder Nudeln) auf Tellern anrichten. Übrig gebliebene Rouladen zurück in den Topf geben.

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Savoy Cabbage Rolls (German Kohlrouladen)
- Prep Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 01:00
- Total Time: 01:30
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Germany
Description
A classic German dish grandma loved to cook and everybody loved to eat – Savoy Cabbage Rolls aka. Kohlrouladen. The perfect dish for a cold winter day.
Ingredients
For the cabbage rolls:
1 large savoy cabbage
1 stale bread roll
28 oz. (800g) pork sausages (casings removed)
1 large onion, finely diced
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp. mustard (medium hot)
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika powder
salt, pepper
kitchen string
For the sauce:
2–3 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 large onion, in wedges
1–2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
the remaining cabbage, in bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
4 1/4 cups (1000ml) veggie stock
2 tbsp. cornstarch + some water
salt, pepper
Instructions
1. Clean the savoy cabbage and remove 12 of the outer leaves. Cut into the leaves at the base so they can be flattened easily. Blanch the leaves in batches in some boiling water for about 2 minutes. Rinse with cold water and let drain. Cut/Chop the remaining cabbage into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Let the stale bread roll soak in some cold water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze out the water and add it to a large bowl. Remove the sausage meat from the casings and add to the bowl as well. Peel and finely chop the onion. Wash, dry, and finely chop the parsley – add both to the bowl. Add the eggs, mustard, dried thyme, and paprika powder to the bowl, season well with salt and pepper and mix everything until well combined.
3. Divide the meat mixture into six portions and shape each into an oval dumpling. Place two cabbage leaves overlapping each other in front of you, place one of the dumplings on top (see pictures). Fold the cabbage leaves over the dumpling and roll it up. Wrap the cabbage rolls tightly with kitchen string, so they do not open and unfold when being fried/cooked.
4. Peel the onion and garlic for the sauce and cut it into wedges/chop it finely. Set aside.
5. Heat up a large Dutch oven with some oil and fry the cabbage rolls briefly – the rolls should be slightly browned on all sides. Take the rolls out of the Dutch oven and place them on a plate.
6. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and let it melt. Add the onion wedges and the chopped garlic and sauté briefly. Next, add the chopped cabbage and cook/brown for about 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomato paste and thyme and let everything develop some roasting flavors. Deglaze the cabbage with the white wine. Let the wine cook down almost completely. Add the veggie stock and bring it to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Add the cabbage rolls. The rolls should be submerged in the sauce – you might have to bury them a little in the chopped cabbage ;) Place the lid on the Dutch oven, reduce the heat slightly and let the cabbage rolls simmer for about 45 minutes.
7. While the cabbage rolls are cooking, you can prepare some boiled potatoes or pasta. Both are great sides for the cabbage rolls.
8. Remove the cooked cabbage rolls from the Dutch oven. Mix the cornstarch with some water and add this to the sauce to thicken it. Season with some more salt and pepper to your liking. Serve the cabbage rolls with sauce/chopped cabbage and some boiled potatoes (or pasta) on the side. Return leftover cabbage rolls back to the sauce.
Notes
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