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In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, paprika, salt, and pepper.
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Gently mix with clean hands or a fork until everything is evenly distributed but not compacted, which keeps the filling tender.
Make the Sweet‑Tangy Tomato Sauce
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In another bowl stir together tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
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Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity to your liking; this balance is what gives stuffed cabbage rolls their signature flavor.
Fill and Roll the Cabbage
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Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a 9×13‑inch baking dish.
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Lay one cabbage leaf flat, cut‑vein end nearest you. Place 2–3 tablespoons of filling in a log shape near that end.
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Fold the sides over the filling, then roll up tightly from the stem end to the top, making a neat little package.
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Place roll seam‑side down in the sauced baking dish and repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
Bake the Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
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Pour remaining tomato sauce evenly over the rolls, adding a splash of water or broth around the edges if needed so there is sauce almost covering them.
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Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 1/2 hours, until cabbage is very tender and the meat is cooked through.
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Remove foil for the last 10–15 minutes if you like the top slightly caramelized in spots.
Serving, Make‑Ahead
Serve stuffed cabbage rolls hot with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or crusty bread, spooning plenty of tomato sauce over the top. Leftovers reheat very well and can be frozen tightly wrapped for easy future dinners, a trick many traditional recipes mention.
