Simple Cabbage and Beef Rissoles Baked in Tomato Sauce

Romanian

Medium · Hot

Simple Cabbage and Beef Rissoles Baked in Tomato Sauce

Hearty Romanian-style cabbage and beef patties simmered in a paprika-scented tomato sauce. These rissoles are like sarmale cousins — comforting, frugal, and full of that sour-bright punch Andrei loves.

Recipe by

Andrei Popescu

The Sarmale Roller

Prep

25 min

Cook

55 min

Rest

5 min

Total

1h 25m

Method

Soften the Cabbage and Aromatics

In a large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of olive-oil. Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the shredded cabbage to the skillet with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage is fully wilted and tender, about 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Form the Rissoles

Form the mixture into 10 equal patties, about 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. They should hold together firmly.

Build the Tomato Sauce

Pour in the tomato-sauce and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat.

Bake the Rissoles in Sauce

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15 minutes until the tops are slightly browned and the sauce has thickened around the edges.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour the tomato-sauce into a baking dish, add the paprika and warm olive oil, and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Stir to combine and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Nestle the formed rissoles into the sauce. Remove from heat.

Serve with the Good Fixings

Spoon the yogurt mixture over each rissole or serve it alongside in a small bowl. Scatter the remaining parsley over the top. A hard squeeze of lemon over the dish never hurts — Andrei would approve.

Calories

448

per serving

Protein

24g

Carbs

52g

Fat

16g

Fiber

Sugar

Sodium

780mg

Dairy OptionalEgg PresentGluten FreeDiabetes FriendlyHeart HealthyDigestive SupportWeight ManagementHigh ProteinLow CalorieBalanced MacrosFiber Rich

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

TenderCrispySilkySaucy

Aromas

HerbalSmokySavoryCitrus

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Frying Pan

Frying PanOvenDutch OvenChef KnifeCutting BoardMixing BowlBaking DishWooden SpoonSpatulaAluminum FoilPlastic WrapPaper Towels

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

SautéIngBakingSimmeringForming

Safety & Storage

Cooking Temperature

Ground beef rissoles must reach minimum 160°F internal temperature to ensure food safety. Use a calibrated meat thermometer to verify doneness, especially at the center of the largest patty.

Cross Contamination

Raw ground beef and egg are high-risk allergens. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat preparation. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling raw beef before touching other ingredients or cookware.

Storage

Cool cooked rissoles to room temperature within 2 hours, then refrigerate at 40°F or below. Consume within 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat refrigerated leftovers to 165°F before serving.

Handling

Refrigerate egg and ground beef while preparing other ingredients. Do not leave egg or raw beef at room temperature for more than 30 minutes during prep work.

High Risk Population

This dish contains ground beef and egg. Pregnant individuals, young children, elderly persons, and immunocompromised individuals should ensure beef is cooked to 160°F throughout. Avoid consuming raw or undercooked egg.

Allergen Warning

This recipe contains eggs, wheat (breadcrumbs), and milk (yogurt). Verify all ingredients and preparation surfaces are free from allergen cross-contact before cooking for individuals with food allergies or intolerances.

Pro Tips

Technique

Don't rush the cabbage wilting — let it cook down slowly with a pinch of salt until it's silky and tender. Undercooked cabbage makes sloppy rissoles that fall apart in the sauce.

Substitution

No ground beef? Ground pork or a half-and-half blend works beautifully here — that fat content keeps the patties juicy during baking. Use what you have; my baba never turned away a meal for lack of the perfect meat.

Flavor Boost

Bloom the paprika in the olive oil before adding the tomato sauce — heat it until it shimmers, then pour. This is the difference between flat paprika and that deep, warm sweetness that makes Romanian cooking sing.

Reheating

These taste even better the next day. Cover tightly and reheat low and slow, or portion into containers for weekday lunches that beat any takeaway.

From the chef

These rissoles are sarmale for a weeknight — all the same flavors without the rolling. Shredded cabbage goes into the beef mixture before you shape them, so it wilts into the patties as they bake and keeps everything moist and frugal. The tomato sauce gets sweet paprika bloomed in oil before anything else goes in, and a hard squeeze of lemon stirred through at the end gives that sour punch borș would bring on a proper Sunday. They bake in the sauce so the edges caramelize and the centers stay tender. Make a big pan — they disappear.

Andrei PopescuThe Sarmale Roller

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TagsBakedComfort FoodOne PotTomato SauceCabbageSarmale Inspired

Source: generated · June 10, 2026