Korean Cabbage Rolls (Print)

Napa cabbage leaves filled with spicy Korean-seasoned beef, steamed and served with sesame-soy dipping sauce.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Cabbage Rolls

01 - 1 large Napa cabbage (about 12 large leaves)
02 - 1 lb ground beef
03 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small carrot, grated
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
07 - 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
08 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
10 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

→ For the Dipping Sauce

13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
15 - 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
16 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
17 - 1 teaspoon honey
18 - 1 clove garlic, minced
19 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Separate the cabbage into individual leaves and blanch for 1–2 minutes until pliable. Transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, drain and pat dry.
02 - In a mixing bowl combine the ground beef, green onions, minced garlic, grated carrot, grated ginger, gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper and toasted sesame seeds. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
03 - Lay a cabbage leaf flat, place 2–3 tablespoons of the filling near the base, fold the sides inward and roll tightly to enclose the filling. Repeat until all filling and leaves are used.
04 - Arrange rolls seam-side down in a steamer basket set over simmering water. Cover and steam for 15–20 minutes, until the filling reaches a safe internal temperature and is cooked through.
05 - While the rolls steam, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl until the sauce is uniform.
06 - Transfer the steamed cabbage rolls to a platter and serve immediately with the dipping sauce alongside.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cabbage rolls look impressive but are secretly easy to prepare once you get rolling.
  • The spicy-sweet dipping sauce balances everything, making each bite unforgettable.
02 -
  • Overcooking the cabbage makes the leaves tear when rolling—I learned the hard way that 2 minutes is really the sweet spot.
  • Letting the filling chill for 10 minutes after mixing helps it hold together nicely inside the leaves.
03 -
  • Stack your finished rolls close together in the steamer to keep them snug—this stops them unraveling as they cook.
  • Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the cabbage as it cools for even better flavor.
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