G
et ready to take a big, nostalgic bite out of another culinary classic that’s as comforting as a warm hug and as rich in history as your grandma’s secret recipe book. Today, we’re diving fork-first into the world of cabbage and meatballs — a humble pairing that’s been stealing hearts and appetites across South Africa (and the globe) for generations.
A South African Classic – Cabbage and Meatballs Wrapped in Nostalgia
Cabbage and meatballs are the ultimate power couple in South African kitchens. Known affectionately as “oumense onder die kombers” (old people under the blankets), “ouma onder die kombers” (gran under the blanket), Koolfrikkadel (cabbage and meatballs), and the list goes on. These parcels of goodness are a staple at family gatherings and Sunday lunches at Ouma’s house.
While you’ll find versions of stuffed cabbage rolls in places like Germany (kohlrouladen) and Hungary (töltött káposzta), the South African rendition stands out for its simplicity, heartiness, and that unmistakable local flair.
Each family’s cabbage and meatballs recipe revolves around the main ingredients: cabbage parcels stuffed with minced beef and cooked in a beef- or tomato-based sauce. My ouma made hers with bone marrow and tomato sauce, which delivers a rich, flavorful, and heartwarming dish.
The Heart of the Dish: Frikkadels, the South African Way
Let’s get to the meat of the matter—frikkadels! These aren’t just any meatballs. They’re a true South African comfort food classic, with roots in Dutch and German colonial history, but now completely at home on our tables. Traditionally, frikkadels are baked (not fried!), which gives them a caramelized, slightly crisp exterior while keeping the inside juicy and tender. The typical mix? Minced beef or mutton, a generous helping of onion, breadcrumbs, and a dash of spice—think coriander, black pepper, and maybe even a pinch of nutmeg for that extra warmth.
Flavours that Steal the Show
Bone Marrow: The browned bone marrow adds depth to the sauce thanks to the bone and marrow caramelizing and rendering throughout the sauce. I’m a sucker for marrow, and it’s another highlight of the dish.
Tomato Based Sauce: My ouma’s recipe has a tomato-based sauce that adds some contrast to the green cabbage and brown meat. Brushing some of the sauce over the cabbage parcels prior to grilling adds a lovely visual touch. The sauce is deliciously tasty, thanks to the bone marrow, spices, and additional chunks of beef filling. Some recipes opt for a less saucy version, without tomato; this yields a sauce that mostly comes from the rendered beef mince filling, onion, liquid from the cabbage, etc. It’s equally as delicious, but just different.
Cabbage Beef Parcels: The cabbage adds a subtle sweetness and a tender crunch that perfectly balances the savory, aromatic meatballs. It also gets a lovely char on top when grilled in the oven, which adds additional flavor—I adore grilled cabbage, by the way (joh!).
Starch: It’s usually served with a side of fluffy white rice or buttery yellow rice and a dollop of tomato-and-onion relish, but feel free to serve it with your starch of choice (mash could be absolutely divine).
Sexy New Drop
I also got to make this delicious dish in a stunner of a casserole. Le Creuset treated me and shared their new Cast Iron Rhone Casserole with me (…plus a few extras). Such a pleasure to cook with, even heat distribution, a quality piece that can be used on the stovetop as well as in the oven, and absolutely stunning!
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Over and Out
Food is more than just ingredients—it’s stories, memories, and a bit of magic wrapped up in every dish. Next time you tuck into those cabbage-wrapped meatballs, remember you’re biting into a tradition that’s been passed down through generations, that’s loaded with history, a dash of spice, and a whole lot of love.
Stay tuned, my foodies, because I’ve got a brand-new recipe coming your way soon. Until then, keep those big bites coming and never be afraid to savor the stories behind your food.
Oumense Onder die Komberse | Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
Rice
- 1 ½ cups basmati rice or white rice of choice
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
Tomato Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil or oil of choice
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 6 pieces bone marrow
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg and extra for dusting
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 whole cloves
- 50 grams tomato paste
- 400 grams crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 30 grams butter cubed, optional
Meat Stuffing
- 2 slices white bread soaked in 1/2 cup milk and drained
- 800 grams beef mince
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large white onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely diced
- 1 tbsp parsley finely diced
- 2 tsp beef stock granules or powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 large head of white cabbage thick stems removed
Instructions
- Start by prepping all the ingredients before you start cooking. This is when you can also prep your starch of choice.
- The Starch: Add the rice to a medium saucepan and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain and add 3 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to steam until you're ready to serv. Just before serving, add the butter and salt and gently mix in.
- The Sauce: Bring a large saucepan to a medium heat, add oil and onions, and lightly brown. Then add the bone marrow and allow to brown on both sides. Note: feel free to add dash of water if the onion brown too quickly.
- Add tomato paste, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. Sauté until the tomato paste turn darker in colour.
- Add crushed tomatoes and 1/2 cup water and stir. Set the heat to a medium-low, cover and sauté for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop. Meanwhile prepare the beef stuffed cabbage parcels.
- The Cabbage Parcels: Starting from the cabbage's stem, slice a slit in the base of each leaf and carefully remove. Then remove the thickest part of each leaf's stem (see the recipe image and video for reference). Note: If it tears slightly do not worry - you'll make up for this when folding just make sure each leaf in mostly intact.
- In a large pot, add about 4 cm of water and steam all the cabbage leaves together, about 5 minutes. Then drain and allow to cool down. Note: they should be just soft enough so you can fold them.
- Squeeze any excess liquid from the soaked bread and add to a large bowl with the remaining beef filling ingredients. Combine the mixture using your hands, ensuring it well combined. Stuff each cabbage leaf with approx. 1/4 cup of filling. Place the filling in the center of the cabbage leaf and fold in manner that will ensure the seam is at the bottom and that the filling won't fall out whilst it's cooking. Set aside. Note: the remining beef filling will be squeezed in between the parcels so don't overfill the parcels.
- Remove the lid, season with salt and pepper and stir. Evenly space the cabbage parcels in the saucepan. Place any remaining mince in between each parcel and cover. Simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes. Note: do not exceed 10 minuets aa you don't want to overcook the mince filling. Meanwhile, preheat your oven on a high grill setting, around 250℃/482℉ .
- Remove the lid and add drop a few cubes of butter on top (optional), sprinkle over some nutmeg and place the in the oven, uncovered. Grill on high for 5-10 minutes or until the surface of the cabbage starts to charr and the beef filling starts browning. Serve immediately with with your starch of choice - te lekker!
Video
