Documented recipe

Swedish kåldolmar (stuffed cabbage rolls)

Tender cabbage leaves wrap a filling of ground meat, rice, onion and mushrooms; the rolls are baked with syrup and served with a sauce made from their pan juices. Serves 4; preparation time and yield are estimates.

Kåldolmar are stuffed cabbage rolls baked until tender. This version combines beef and pork with rice cooked in milk, onion and mushrooms. Allow about 40 minutes for preparation and 45 minutes for baking.

Total time85 min
DifficultyIntermediate
servings4
Swedish kåldolmar (stuffed cabbage rolls)
Image generated by the Kitchenpause team

Ingredient allergens

Allergen list

There are no verified associations for these ingredients yet.

Alternatives by dietary restriction

Milk

Lactose-free milk

For lactose intolerance

It can replace liquid milk in cooking and baking to reduce lactose. It retains milk proteins, so it does not avoid the milk allergen. Choose a variety suited to the recipe and check the label. Also check other allergens and the risk of cross-contact.

Lactose-free milk retains milk proteins. This option does not address milk allergy.

Allergens to consider in this alternative:

  • Milk and milk products

Check the label, other allergens and cross-contact. Replacing one ingredient does not remove allergens elsewhere in the recipe; adjustments depend on the culinary use.

Take your time

Method

  1. 01

    Cook the rice

    Put the rice, water and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the rice is soft and the mixture is thick, like porridge. Leave it to cool.

    Ready to continue when: The rice is soft and the mixture has thickened.

  2. 02

    Soften the cabbage leaves

    Remove the cabbage core and put the head in a pot of boiling water. Remove the large leaves as they soften, until you have 12. Reserve 360 ml of the cooking water. Pat the leaves dry and trim the thick central rib.

    Ready to continue when: You have 12 large, flexible leaves and 360 ml of cooking water reserved.

  3. 03

    Sauté the onion and mushrooms

    Melt one tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Sauté the mushrooms until browned and their liquid has evaporated, then remove them. In the same pan, cook the onion until soft. Leave both to cool.

    Ready to continue when: The mushrooms are browned with no visible liquid, and the onion is soft.

  4. 04

    Make the filling

    In a bowl, mix the cooled rice with the onion, mushrooms, ground meat, eggs, salt and white pepper. Stir until the filling is evenly combined.

    Ready to continue when: The filling is uniform, with the ingredients evenly distributed.

  5. 05

    Wrap and bake the rolls

    Heat the oven to 200 °C. Put a generous tablespoon of filling on each cabbage leaf. Fold the thick end over the filling, fold in the sides and roll into a parcel. Arrange the rolls seam-side down in an oven dish. Drizzle with one tablespoon of melted butter and the syrup. Bake for 20 minutes. Mix the reserved cooking water with the concentrated veal stock, pour it over the rolls and bake for another 25 minutes.

    Temperature: 200 °C / 392 °F

    Ready to continue when: The rolls have baked for 20 minutes and then another 25 minutes; they are tender and hold their shape.

    45 min
  6. 06

    Thicken the sauce

    Pour the pan juices into a saucepan and heat gently. Mix the cornstarch with a little water until smooth, add it to the juices and stir until the sauce thickens. Adjust the salt and pepper using the measured ingredients, then serve with the rolls.

    Ready to continue when: The sauce lightly coats a spoon and has no cornstarch lumps.

Sources and review

Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:

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  2. A Review of Traditional, Time-Honoured Foods and Recipes: To Choose to Use or Not to Use | OpenAlex openalex.org/W4414609765
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  4. Swedish meatballs | sweden.se sweden.se/culture/food/swedish-meatballs
  5. Full text of "Recipes of all nations" archive.org/stream/McGillLibrary-104467-115/104467_djvu.txt
  6. Swedish Köttbullar with lingonberries and pressed gherkin salad - Falstaff - Stine Christiansen | Styling: Gitte Heidi Rasmussen www.falstaff.com/nordics/recipes/cooking/swedish-koettbullar-with-lingonberries-and-pressed-…
  7. Köttbullar – the most beloved traditional food of the Swedes | Cheeses from Switzerland www.cheesesfromswitzerland.com/en-x-nordics/inspiration/recipes/detail/koettbullar-the-most-…
  8. Kalops - Traditional Swedish Beef Stew Recipe honestcooking.com/kalops-swedish-beef-stew-recipe/print/220189/
  9. Pytt i panna recipe - BBC Food www.stage.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pytt_i_panna_28950
  10. Hoja de impresión de Albóndigas suecas (Köttbulllar) canalcocina.es/receta/albondigas-suecas-kottbulllar/vista/impresion
  11. Paladar internacional: kroppkakor www.prensalibre.com/vida/paladar-internacional-kroppkakor/
  12. Köttbullar, albóndigas suecas www.directoalpaladar.com.mx/carnes-y-aves/kottbullar-albondigas-suecas-receta-sueca
  13. Qué es el kanelbullar de Suecia: la receta nórdica para acompañar una merienda en 8 pasos | TN artear-tn-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/cocina/recetas/2026/08/08/que-es-el-kanelbullar-de-suec…
  14. Prepara albóndigas suecas con menos de un cuarto de carne de res y en tres sencillos pasos - Infobae www.infobae.com/mexico/2025/05/20/prepara-albondigas-suecas-con-menos-de-un-cuarto-de-carne-…
  15. Albóndigas suecas www.hola.com/cocina/recetas/20220913217063/albondigas-suecas-receta-cabana-marconi/
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  17. Timeless classics - Swedish Lapland www.swedishlapland.com/toplist/timeless-classics/
  18. Kaldolmar Recipe: Swedish Cabbage Rolls with Lingonberry honestcooking.com/kaldolmar/print/332434/
  19. Swedish meatballs with homemade flatbreads and roasted aubergine – Food & Home Magazine www.foodandhome.co.za/recipes/swedish-meatballs-with-homemade-flatbreads-and-roasted-aubergi…
  20. River Cottage chef invites travelers to Sweden’s culinary heartland globetrender.com/2025/03/14/river-cottage-chef-invites-travellers-discover-swedens-culinary-…
  21. Client Challenge doi.org/10.2307/jj.16063709.49
  22. How to make Swedish stuffed cabbage rolls www.thelocal.se/20160115/swedish-stuffed-cabbage-rolls
  23. Crock Pot or Stovetop Cabbage Rolls With a Preparation Short-Cut www.thespruceeats.com/swedish-cabbage-rolls-slow-cooker-3055201
  24. SurvivalBlog.com Recipe of the Week: Swedish Cabbage Rolls - SurvivalBlog.com survivalblog.com/2016/07/25/recipe-of-the-week-swedish-cabbage-rolls/print/
  25. Kåldolmar (Swedish Cabbage Rolls) | Universal Yums www.universalyums.com/recipes/kaldolmar-swedish-cabbage-rolls
  26. - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZWqrLBfjQU&vl=es-ES
  27. Rollitos de col rellenos serbios | American Diabetes Association diabetesfoodhub.org/es/recipes/rollitos-de-col-rellenos-serbios
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  29. Golubtsi, rollitos de repollo ucranianos auténticos — diegodoal diegodoal.com/recetas/golubtsi

State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.

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