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Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

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Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are filled with a spiced ground beef and white rice stuffing and simmered in a flavorful beefy tomato sauce. You'll save so much time compared to the stovetop version!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in a row, with red tomatoes and chopped cabbage in a sauce on top of the rolls, served on a white plate, with white napkins and a brown woven placemat underneath

This is a family favorite recipe from our Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook. The pressure cooker is the fastest way to make tender, juicy stuffed cabbage rolls in a fraction of the time.

So if you're like me and always avoided making long-simmering cabbage rolls, you'll love how flavor-packed this recipe is without hours of work!

Update: A sincere thank you to our dear friend Carol for contributing this recipe and post. I've updated the post with new photos and a video for easy step-by-step instructions to make stuffed cabbage rolls at home.

overhead of mixing the stuffing for cabbage rolls in a metal bowl

How to Make Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

This Instant Pot Stuffed Cabbage Roll recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.

I like to stuff my cabbage rolls with a mixture of ground beef and pork. Of course, you can use all pork or all beef if you prefer. And while the recipe calls for long-grain white rice, you can truly use any rice you happen to have on hand. I've even used leftover cooked rice rather than cook a new batch. The filling is VERY forgiving.

overhead of cabbage leaves stuffed with meat filling

🧅 Tip: Both the filling and the sauce use 1 cup of onion. Save some time by chopping 2 cups of onion all at once and use half for the filling and half for the sauce.

I like the sauce on the thicker side. So I always thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry after removing the cooked cabbage rolls. If you like it saucier, then feel free to skip the thickening step at the end.

overhead of an instant pot with uncooked cabbage rolls

overhead of cooked stuffed cabbage rolls with tomato sauce

How Many Rolls Does the Recipe Make?

I usually make 15 cabbage rolls with this recipe. The number of servings you get depends on how large your cabbage is.

💡 Tip: Be sure not to overfill your Instant Pot. If needed, cook the rolls in 2 batches rather than going over the Fill Line.

After arranging the rolls in the pressure cooker and covering them in the sauce, run a long-handled rubber spatula around the outer edge of the rolls. This allows the sauce to run down the sides.

And if you have any leftover cooked chopped cabbage, you can add it to the sauce too.

one stuffed cabbage roll cut in half on a plate with an instant pot in the background

Can I Freeze Cabbage Rolls?

Yes! These stuffed cabbage rolls freeze well. Just be sure to cool them fully before storing in an airtight container and freezing for up to three months. Defrost the rolls overnight in the fridge and warm in the Instant Pot or microwave to serve.

overhead of plates of stuffed cabbage rolls with a fork

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Ingredients

1 large head cabbage, cored
1½ pounds lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped onion
¾ cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
2 cans (14.5 ounces, each) diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

!TO MAKE THE CABBAGE ROLLS:

Fill the pressure cooking pot halfway with water. Select Sauté and bring to a boil. Add the cabbage to the boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, turning, until the outer leaves are softened. Drain.
Remove 12 leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Coarsely chop the remaining cabbage.
In a large bowl, use your clean hands or a wooden spoon to mix together the
ground beef, onion, rice, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper until well blended.
Lay the cabbage leaves on a work surface with the stem end nearest you. Divide the filling among the 12 leaves, placing it at the bottom of each leaf. Fold the sides in and roll the leaf around the filling, burrito style. Fasten the rolls with toothpicks if needed.

!TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

Select Sauté and add the vegetable oil to the cooking pot. When the oil is hot, add the onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
Stir in the tomatoes, beef broth, white vinegar, tomato paste, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix in the chopped cabbage.
Gently put the cabbage rolls directly into the sauce in the cooking pot. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and 20 minutes cook time.
When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker. Let the pressure release
naturally for 20 minutes and finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve
drops, carefully remove the lid. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cabbage rolls to a serving platter.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Add the slurry to the pot. Select Sauté and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Spoon the sauce over the cabbage rolls before serving.

Notes

*You can substitute all ground beef for the pork if you prefer

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 448 Total Fat: 23g Saturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 147mg Sodium: 725mg Carbohydrates: 21g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 8g Protein: 38g

Nutrition information is calculated by Nutritionix and may not always be accurate.

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