This Cabbage Roll Meatloaf features a mixture of lamb, beef, rice, and sautéed cabbage packed into a cabbage-lined loaf with hard-boiled eggs at its center. The meatloaf is finished with a crown of yogurt dusted with sumac and accented with fresh dill and lemon zest. This dish boasts all the cozy comfort of classics it borrows from in a jumbo, showstopping format.
Related: Canadian Baked Beans That the Whole Family Will Love
ingredients
directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a medium-sized bowl with cheesecloth and place the cabbage in the center with the core facing up. Carefully remove the core from the cabbage and gently peel 6 outer leaves from the head. Cut the remaining cabbage in half. Finely chop half and reserve the rest for another recipe.
Line the cheesecloth with four of the outer cabbage leaves to form an upside-down dome. Set aside. Remove the ribs from the last two cabbage leaves and set them aside as well.
Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté until the onion is just translucent. Add the cabbage and sauté until it wilts.
Stir the garlic, tomato paste, allspice, cumin, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt into the cabbage mixture. Toss to coat. Pour in half of the beef stock and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Take the veggies off of the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Place the beef, lamb, cooled veggies, rice, and the remaining salt and raw eggs in a large bowl. Using clean hands, mix until everything is well integrated.
Spoon half of the meat mixture into the cabbage vessel. Press the hard-boiled eggs in a row down the center of the vessel. Cover the eggs with the remaining meat mixture. Cover the bottom of the meatloaf with the reserved cabbage leaves tucking in the edges.
Gather the cheesecloth around the meatloaf to form a tight bundle. Secure it by tying a knot.
Pour the remaining stock and the marinara sauce into the bottom of an oven-safe pot. Stir to combine. Lower the cabbage roll meatloaf into the pot, knot-side-down. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Take the finished meatloaf out of the pot and cut away the cheesecloth. Spoon a little of the braising liquid onto a platter and place the meatloaf on top. Top the meatloaf with yogurt, dill, sumac, and lemon zest. Serve immediately.
