Malfouf Mahshi (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
These Lebanese stuffed cabbage rolls feature tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a flavorful mixture of rice and ground meat, simmered in a tangy tomato broth. It's a comforting and hearty dish, perfect for a family meal. The bright lemon and mint cut through the richness for a balanced taste.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 2 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Per serving
- 757 kcal
Mise en place
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1.5 kggreen cabbage, large head
filling
- 500 gground beef, lean
- 0.75 cupshort grain rice, rinsed
- 6 clovegarlic, minced
- 1 tbspdried mint
- 1 tspallspice
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 1.5 tspsalt
pot base
- 4 clovegarlic, sliced
- 250 gbeef ribs, optional, for flavor(optional)
sauce
- 3 tbsptomato paste
- 0.5 cuplemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tspsalt
- 4 cupwater, hot
garnish
- 2 clovegarlic, crushed with a pinch of salt
- 1 tspdried mint
Equipment
tongs · large bowl · large pot · cutting board · knife · serving platter
The method
Step by step
- 1
Carefully remove the core from the cabbage head. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then submerge the cabbage head in the boiling water for 5-10 minutes, or until the outer leaves soften and can be easily peeled off.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: You may need to gently pry leaves off with tongs as they cook. If the cabbage is too large for your pot, you can cut it in half.
- 2
As leaves soften, peel them off one by one and set aside to cool. Continue boiling and peeling until all usable leaves are removed. Once cool enough to handle, trim the thickest part of the stem from each cabbage leaf to make them easier to roll.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Save any small or torn cabbage pieces to line the bottom of your cooking pot.
- 3
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rinsed short grain rice, minced garlic, dried mint, allspice, black pepper, and salt for the filling. Mix thoroughly by hand until well combined.
About 5 min
- 4
Lay a cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place a spoonful of filling near the trimmed stem end. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, then roll tightly from the stem end up to form a compact log.
About 20 min
Cook’s note: The amount of filling will vary depending on the size of the cabbage leaf. Aim for a roll about the size of your thumb.
- 5
Repeat the rolling process with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
- 6
Line the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed pot with any extra cabbage leaves, outer cabbage trimmings, or the optional beef ribs and sliced garlic.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: This layer prevents the bottom cabbage rolls from sticking or burning.
- 7
Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls tightly in layers in the pot. You may need to stack them in a circular pattern.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Packing the rolls tightly helps them maintain their shape during cooking.
- 8
In a separate bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, lemon juice, salt, and hot water to create the cooking sauce.
About 2 min
- 9
Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls in the pot. It should just barely cover the rolls; if not, add a little more hot water.
About 1 min
- 10
Place a heat-proof plate or a smaller pot lid directly on top of the cabbage rolls to weigh them down. This keeps them submerged and prevents them from unraveling.
- 11
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until the cabbage is very tender and the rice is fully cooked.
About 1 hr 30 min
Cook’s note: Check occasionally to ensure there's enough liquid; add more hot water if needed.
- 12
While the cabbage is simmering, prepare the garnish by crushing the garlic with a pinch of salt and mixing it with the dried mint.
About 2 min
- 13
Once cooked, remove the pot from the heat and carefully remove the plate. Let the pot rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: This resting period allows the flavors to meld and the rolls to firm up slightly.
- 14
To serve, carefully invert the pot onto a large serving platter, or gently lift the rolls out with tongs. Sprinkle with the crushed garlic and dried mint garnish.
About 2 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 757.1kcal
- Protein
- 41.4g
- Carbs
- 59.5g
- Fat
- 41.5g
- Fibre
- 11.1g
- Sugar
- 15g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover malfouf mahshi in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently in a pot on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave, until warmed through.