Kåldolmar (Swedish Cabbage Rolls)
In short: Blanched cabbage leaves wrapped around a mild pork and beef filling, browned in butter with a little syrup, baked and served with lingonberry jam. It takes about 2 h 10 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Total
- 2 h 10 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Kåldolmar are Swedish cabbage rolls, made with fresh white cabbage rather than pickled leaves. A mild filling of ground pork, beef and rice is rolled in blanched leaves, browned in butter with a touch of dark syrup for color, then baked until tender. They come to the table with boiled potatoes, a cream sauce made from the pan juices and lingonberry jam.
Instructions
- Cut the core out of the cabbage. Lower the whole head into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 5 minutes, then peel off the softened outer leaves with tongs. Repeat until you have 12 large leaves, and shave down the thick ribs so the leaves roll easily.
- Mix the pork, beef, rice, onion, egg, milk, salt, pepper and allspice in a bowl with your hands until evenly combined.
- Place about 3 tbsp of filling on the stem end of each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly into a neat parcel. Tie with kitchen string or secure with toothpicks if needed.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Melt 2 tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the rolls in batches, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pack them snugly into a baking dish.
- Drizzle the rolls with the syrup and dot with the remaining butter. Pour the stock around them, cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more, basting once or twice, until the rolls are glossy and the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Pour the pan juices into a saucepan, add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and simmer for 1 minute until slightly thickened. Season to taste.
- Serve the rolls with the sauce, boiled potatoes and lingonberry jam.
Tips
- If peeling a hot head of cabbage is fiddly, freeze the whole cabbage overnight and thaw it. The leaves then come off easily without blanching.
- Dark syrup gives the rolls their glossy, slightly sweet finish. If you cannot find it, use golden syrup or light molasses, or a spoonful of brown sugar.
Questions and answers
Can I freeze kåldolmar?
Yes. Freeze the cooked rolls in their juices for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat, covered, at 160°C (325°F) for about 25 minutes.
How do Swedish cabbage rolls differ from Eastern European ones?
Swedish rolls use fresh blanched cabbage and a mildly seasoned filling, and they are browned in butter with syrup and served with cream sauce and lingonberry jam. Many Eastern European versions use soured cabbage and a tomato sauce.
Can I prepare kåldolmar ahead?
Yes. Roll the cabbage leaves and refrigerate them for up to a day before browning and baking. Baked rolls also reheat well the next day.
How long does it take to make Kåldolmar (Swedish Cabbage Rolls)?
About 2 h 10 min in total: 1 h of preparation and 1 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kåldolmar (Swedish Cabbage Rolls)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 22 g of protein, 53 g of carbohydrates and 25 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 22 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Fat | 25 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 17 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
