1-First, boil the cabbage leaves in salted water for about 2 minutes until they’re soft, then set them aside to cool. This step makes the leaves pliable and easy to work with, as suggested in the tips for better tenderness. For an added trick, cut about ½ inch off the bottom of the cabbage head to loosen the leaves while boiling.

2-Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and cook the rice according to package instructions, reducing the cooking time by 5 minutes to keep it slightly undercooked; this helps it absorb flavors later. In a pan, cook the ground pork or turkey, ground beef, diced onions, minced garlic, and seasonings until no pink remains, then drain excess fat for a lighter filling.

3-Assembling and Baking: Add the rice, diced tomatoes, ⅓ cup tomato sauce, and egg to the meat mixture and combine well to create your filling. Mix the remaining tomato sauce with the tomato soup in a bowl and spread a thin layer in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

4-Remove or thin the thick stem from each cabbage leaf, then place about ¼ to ⅓ cup of the filling in the center. Fold the sides over the filling and roll with the seam side down in the baking dish, then pour the remaining sauce mixture over the top.

5-Cover tightly with foil and bake for 75 to 90 minutes, letting it cool for 15 minutes before serving. For smaller leaves, overlap them when filling to avoid gaps, and remember that leftover filling can go into soups or stuffed veggies like zucchini.