Meat and Cabbage Buns are a simple rustic recipe that packs big flavor and are easy to pack as a meal on the go. Based on a family favorite German kraut bierocks recipe these meat and cabbage filled buns can be served hot or cold making them perfect for lunchboxes, picnics and more!
Bierock recipe
Authentic German bierock recipes are made of a mixture of onions, ground beef and cabbage wrapped in a soft bread dough. But you can make this cabbage bun recipe with any ground meat you’d like!
Based on a recipe for kraut bierocks from my German step grandmother, this version is made with a simple mixture of ground meat, cabbage, onion and spices.
Created in collaboration with Genuine Skagit Valley to showcase the versatility of the gorgeous produce available at farm stands in our region. Like ground lamb from Harmony Fields, onions and cabbage from Boldy Grown Farms, garlic from La Conner Gardens, and flour from Cairnspring Mills. This cabbage roll recipe truly is an example of a beautiful dish that can be created with a few simple, but high quality, local ingredients.
Served hot or cold these cabbage rolls are a delicious, handheld meal and are perfect for picnics, hiking, camping, road trips, lunchboxes and more. I hope you love it as much as I do 🙂
Ingredients
- Cabbage – shredded green cabbage.
- Ground meat – ground lamb, ground beef, ground pork, etc. Or you can make cabbage rolls without meat simply by omitting the meat and replacing with chopped mushrooms and additional shredded cabbage.
- Onions – chopped
- Garlic – diced
- Seasonings – salt, black pepper, paprika, apple cider vinegar.
- Egg – as an egg wash to brush over the top of the cabbage rolls.
- Yeasted bread dough – this homemade yeasted bread dough recipe is soft and fluffy and also sturdy enough to hold the filling. But you can also make bierocks with frozen bread dough from your grocer’s freezer section.
- Optional – sesame seeds or everything bagel seasonings for sprinkling over the top before baking.
Step by step instructions
- Begin by making the soft bun dough. Proof yeast with sugar and warm water. Then combine with whisked eggs, sugar, water, warm milk, and melted butter. Combine salt and flour then add to wet mixture. Cover and proof, 1 hour. Then punch down and proof allow to rise again. Or defrost frozen bread dough according to package directions.
- Meanwhile prepare filling. Brown meat then add onions, garlic and seasonings and allow to cook until onions are beginning to soften. Then add shredded cabbage and vinegar. Cook until cabbage is wilted. Then remove from heat and allow to cool while the dough continues rising.
- Once dough has finished rising and the filling is cool preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and fill buns.
- Then fill buns. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and roll each one into a 5-6” circle. Place about ¼ cup of filling in the center of the dough. Bring the edges around the filling and pinch to seal.
- Place buns sealed side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Or use a sesame seed topping to easily distinguish between two different bierock fillings if you’d like to make several at one. Like with and one without ground meat for example.
- Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Enjoy!
How to serve
Cabbage rolls can be served hot out of the oven. Or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel to reheat cold cabbage rolls.
You can also serve cabbage rolls cold. Which makes them a great lunchbox meal idea.
How to store
Store cabbage rolls tightly covered refrigerated for up to seven days.
To freeze bierocks place baked rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for several hours until frozen solid. Then transfer to freezer bags and you’ll be able to reheat as many cabbage rolls as you’d like at a time.
Reheat in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through. Or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave in 30 second intervals until soft and steamy and warmed through.
Yield
This bierock recipe yields a generous 16 cabbage buns. They can be frozen and have quite a long shelf life when refrigerated. But if you’d like to reduce the yield simply adjust the serving size in the recipe below.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
Ground meat and cabbage filling
- ½ medium cabbage shredded (about 3 cups)
- 1 pound ground beef or ground lamb or pork
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 medium onions diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon paprika
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 large egg
- sesame seeds optional
yeast rolls
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup warm water
- 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 7 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Begin by making the soft bun dough. Warm milk with butter either over low heat in a saucepan or in 15 second intervals in the microwave until milk is warm and butter is melted. Set aside while you proof the yeast. In a small bowl add a pinch of the sugar to the warm water and sprinkle yeast over the top. Set aside until poofy, about 10 minutes. While yeast proofs, whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Then stir in the warm milk and butter. Finally stir in the proofed yeast and water. Add salt to flour and slowly add to wet mixture to form a loose dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and all to proof 1 hour. After an hour, punch dough down and let rest again for another hour.1 cup milk, ½ cup butter, 1 cup warm water, 4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast, ½ cup sugar, 2 large eggs, 7 cups all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt
- Meanwhile prepare filling. In a large skillet over medium high heat add oil and ground lamb and cook until lamb is browned, occasionally stirring, and breaking up meat. Once meat is browned, reduce heat to medium and do not drain. Add onions, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper and cook over medium until onions are starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Then top with shredded cabbage and vinegar and cook covered until cabbage is wilted, about 10 minutes longer. Remove lid and cook as needed to remove any additional moisture. Then remove from heat and allow filling to cool to room temperature.½ medium cabbage, 1 pound ground beef, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 2 medium onions, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon paprika, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Once dough has finished its 2nd proof and the filling is cool preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and fill the buns. Divide the dough in half and in half again. Then do the same to each of those four pieces until you have 16 pieces total. Roll each piece of dough into a 5-6” circle and place about ¼ cup of filling in the center of the dough. Bring the edges around the filling and pinch to seal. Place buns sealed side down on a greased baking sheet. And brush with egg wash. Leave plain or sprinkle with sesame seeds.sesame seeds, 1 large egg
- Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
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