How to perfect tomato sauce for stuffed cabbage rolls
Stuffed cabbage rolls with tomato sauce are a classic dish that brings back childhood memories. This comforting meal was often accompanied by mashed potatoes, which I generously smothered with the sauce. It was so delicious that I was tempted to lick the plate clean. The creamy, herb-scented tomato sauce is versatile and complements cabbage rolls and meatballs, meatloaf, or roulades.
There are two ways to prepare tomato sauce for stuffed cabbage rolls. The first method involves using the broth in which the cabbage rolls were cooked. Simply add tomato purée to the pot, season it with salt and pepper, and thicken with flour or cream. While this is a straightforward way to make a sauce using the broth, it can be tricky to achieve a thick consistency in the pot. For a more flavourful sauce, add onion and garlic, and reduce it in a pan.
Sauce from fresh tomatoes or purée?
During the summer, I recommend making sauce from fresh tomatoes, such as the Limo variety, which are very easy to peel. In autumn, it's worthwhile using homemade preserves that capture the taste of summer. If homemade tomato purée isn't available, shop-bought passata is a good substitute.
How to prepare tomato sauce for stuffed cabbage rolls?
If you choose fresh tomatoes, submerge them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Carefully remove them, then use a sharp knife to peel off the skin and remove the seed cores.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg of tomatoes or about 500 ml of tomato purée,
- 3 cloves of garlic,
- 2 onions,
- 1 tablespoon of butter,
- Salt and pepper to taste,
- Fresh or dried basil.
Instructions:
- Place a tablespoon of butter in a heated pan. Add finely chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent.
- Next, add garlic grated finely. Sauté with the onion for about 5 minutes.
- Add the peeled tomatoes or homemade purée. Mix everything well and heat for 15 minutes to let the sauce develop its flavour. Season with salt and pepper.
- Finally, sprinkle with fresh or dried basil.
How to thicken tomato sauce?
To achieve a properly thick sauce, you need not add extra ingredients. Use the right temperature and time to allow the water to evaporate naturally. If pressed for time, you can thicken the sauce by adding wheat flour or cream.
Mix the flour in a separate container with a small amount of cold water, and temper it by adding 1-2 tablespoons of hot sauce from the pan before pouring it back in and stirring.
If you choose to add sour cream with 12% or 18% fat content, temper it similarly. This additional step is unnecessary for sweet cream with 30% fat content.
