Malfoof – Middle Eastern stuffed cabbage rolls

Last Updated on January 29, 2025 by Jacqueline Rafidi

Malfoof, stuffed cabbage leaves, is the ultimate Arab comfort food! I feel like I’ve said that about multiple Middle Eastern dishes, but this is definitely top 5 for sure.

I did not fully appreciate meals like this until I got married and had a family of my own. If you’ve never tried Malfoof, get ready for your taste buds to experience something truly special. Malfouf, or stuffed cabbage rolls, is one of the most beloved dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s comfort food at its finest – tender, boiled cabbage leaves stuffed with a flavorful mixture of ground beef, rice, and fragrant spices. They’re very similar to stuffed grape leaves (or warak dawali) but with cabbage instead of grape leaves. And believe it or not, these actually are easier and much more quick to roll which is why people *ahem, me* often prefer making these.

The first time I made Malfouf, I was a little nervous! Often times, traditional Arab meals can look complicated or intimidating but once I got the groove of it and had a good rhythm going, I realized it’s pretty easy and just more time-consuming rather than difficult. I had moved to Jacksonville, FL after getting married and was craving a bite of home. So I facetimed my parents and had them walk me through the process. Once I took my first bite of the malfoof, it was all 100% worth it! The tender rolled cabbage leaves, the flavorful rice and meat mixture, the soft, cooked garlic that adds a touch of sweetness —all simmering together in one big pot, filling your kitchen with that irresistible aroma is literally malfouf GOALS. It all made me feel like I was back home at my parents’ house. 

What is Malfoof?

In Arabic, malfoof means “cabbage,” which is the star ingredient of this dish – the cabbage leaves! This meal is popular throughout the Levant region, so you’ll find similar versions in Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine. It’s one of those dishes where everyone has their own twist on it, but the basic idea remains the same: tender cabbage rolls simmered in a flavorful cooking liquid. Sometimes tomatoes are added for color and flavor, sometimes different spices and herbs are added as well. There are eastern European versions of stuffed cabbage and Asian versions as well. It always amazes me how cultures around the world share similar foods.

Best cabbage to use for malfouf?

The first and most important step in making malfoof is preparing the cabbage leaves. I love using the round and flat head of cabbage – Taiwanese cabbage. These work best in my opinion because the leaves are more flat with less of a curl which makes them easier to roll, and they roll off the head of the cabbage more easily than a regular head of cabbage. 

How to make malfoof

Start with the cabbage

The goal is to soften the leaves so they’re pliable enough to roll without tearing. Here’s how my family and I do it:

1. Boil the water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then a simmer. Leave plenty of room at the top to allow the cabbage to go in without the water overflowing. Keep a large plate or tray near you to place the boiled cabbage leaves on them.
2. Remove the core: Make deep cuts around the core of the cabbage and let them come to a point to allow you to remove the core completely. If you’re using a regular head of cabbage, make cuts in the shape of a square around the core and leave the core intact. 
3. Boil the cabbage: Gently place the whole cabbage head into the boiling water Let it boil for 1-2 minutes, then carefully peel off the outer leaves. Some will even fall off on their own. Once the leaves are tender enough and able to bend, use tongs to remove them from the hot   water and place on the plate or tray. Keep repeating this process until you’ve removed most of the large leaves. Let the leaves cool. 
4. Trim the Ribs: Once the cabbage leaves are cool enough to handle, use a pairing knife to cut around the rib and sit it aside. 
5. Cabbage Ribs: Don’t throw those thick stems away! They add amazing flavor to the pot. Place them at the bottom of your pot to create a layer that prevents the cabbage rolls from sticking as they cook.

Prepare the filling

1. Mix the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rinsed cup rice, and spices as well as salt and black pepper.
2. Optional Add-ins: Some people like to mix in tomato paste or even a bit of lemon juice to brighten up the filling. Others stick to the basics. It’s up to you and your family’s preference.
3. Rolling the Cabbage: Now comes the main part—rolling the cabbage! Lay out a cabbage leaf smooth side down on a flat surface and place a spoonful of the meat and rice mixture at one end in the shape of a log, then just roll it up! You don’t need to tuck in the sides, but if there is a bit sticking out, you can tuck it in to make things look more uniform. Repeat until all the leaves are stuffed!

Cooking the malfoof

Once your cabbage rolls are ready, it’s time to layer them in a large pot for cooking.

1. First Layer: Start by placing those cabbage ribs or any outer leaves at the bottom of the pot. This prevents the rolls from burning or sticking during cooking.
2. Arrange the Rolls: Stack the rolled cabbage tightly in layers in the pot. You can also tuck a few unpeeled garlic cloves between the layers for extra flavor. They’ll get nice and soft during cooking, adding a mellow garlic taste to the dish. I use about 2 heads of garlic for this and scatter all the unpeeled cloves of garlic throughout each layer.
3. Cover with water: Sprinkle salt generously over the malfoof in the pot, then cover everything with cold water. The water should be just slightly visible on the side of the pot from where the malfoof is.
4. Simmer: Place a small, heat proof plate upside down over the cabbage leaves to keep everything in place while it’s cooking. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let the rolls simmer gently for about 1 hour. The key is to cook the cabbage until it’s tender and the rice is fully cooked, soaking up all those delicious flavors.

Serve!

When the malfoof is ready, you’ll know by the smell—it’s intoxicating! Serve the rolls warm, with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of dried mint and maybe some sliced jalapeno on the side like my family does. You could also serve these with yogurt which my kids tend to love. The yogurt adds a cool, creamy contrast to the rich cabbage rolls.

Can you freeze malfoof?

Yes! Malfoof is a great dish to make in large batches, especially if you’re a busy mom or love meal prepping. You can freeze the rolls either before or after cooking. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, simply thaw and reheat them in the same pot with some water or sauce. They’ll taste just as good as fresh!

There’s something so cozy about malfoof. It’s one of those comfort foods that feels like a warm hug from your Tete/Sitti. The combination of soft cabbage, tender rice, and flavorful meat mixture is just unbeatable. Plus, it’s a dish that brings people together. Although it’s not a quick, weeknight meal—as you can probably tell- it’s a hearty meal filled with tradition, storytelling, and cultutre. Malfoof is a labor of love and often made for family gatherings or special occasions and they’re the meals that I look forward to making the most as it instills the tradition in my kids.

Whether you’re making it for the first time or the hundredth, malfoof is a dish that’s all about tradition, flavor, and heart. I hope you give it a try next time you’re in the mood for something hearty, healthy, and truly special. Enjoy!

More traditional Arab meals to try:

Fasolia – Green bean stew with tender meat

The BEST Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves

Chicken and Cauliflower Makloubeh

When you make this malfoof recipe, comment down below and rate this recipe to let me know your thoughts! Also, share a picture or tag me on Instagram @thebitewithjackie, I love seeing your remakes!

Malfoof – Arab style cabbage rolls

Different countries have other variations of cabbage rolls, but there is something about cabbage, garlic and lemon all combined! 

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Ingredients

  

• 2 large heads cabbage
• 2-3 heads of garlic cloves separated and skin left on
• Water
• Salt generous amount
• Lots of lemon

Filling:

• 3 cups jasmine rice rinsed and drained
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoon allspice
• 1 tablespoon 7 spice
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/3 cup butter samneh or olive oil
• Salt generous amount
• Black pepper to taste
• Water

Instructions

 

• Fill a large soup pot with water about ¾ of the way up and bring it to a light boil. In the meantime, take each head of cabbage and score around the stem in the shape of a square making sure to cut to about the center of the cabbage. This helps the cabbage leaves release from the core.
• Have tongs, a fork and a large platter ready to place your leaves on once they cooked. Submerge the cabbage into the boiling water. The leaves will start to brighten, and the outermost leaves will begin to fall off on their own. Keep them in the water just long enough for them to become pliable so that we can stuff them. Keep peeling them off using the tongs and fork to help as needed and place all the leaves on the large platter. As you reach the center, the leaves are a bit more firm and need a bit extra time in the water. You can either continue to peel the leaves or cut the core from the entire center of the core to fill as the “jajeh” – watch video for reference.
• Discard the water in the pot and bring the pot next to you. Place each leaf on a cutting board, carefully remove the center vein of each leaf using a knife and creating a triangle around it. Place them all at the bottom of the pot. This helps prevent the malfoof from burning and also soaks up the delicious flavor while cooking and ends up being a great addition to the meal. Each leaf will make 2-3 malfoof rolls – once the vein is removed, the small and medium leaves can be cut in half the remainder of the way and the larger leaves can be cut into 3rds.
• Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients being careful not to overmix. Bring one piece of cabbage leaf towards you and place a small amount of the filling – about ½ to 1 tablespoon depending on the size of the leaf – in the shape of a log leaving some space at the edges. Begin rolling tightly folding in like a burrito only on the thinner side where there was no vein attached. Continue rolling and reserve a few leaves if you make the “jajeh” portion. Remove the jajeh from the core, hollow it out with a knife and spoon or a vegetable hollower and fill it with the rice and meat mixture. Use the few reserved cabbage leaves to cover the jajeh.
• Place all the rolls tightly in the pot seam side down on top of the cabbage veins. Once you finish each full layer, add a few garlic cloves in between and continue placing all the rolls and the jajehs in the pot. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt on top of all the rolled malfoof and fill the pot with water just until the water is visible on the edges, do not completely submerge the leaves – this will leave you with a lot of excess liquid at the end. Place a small, heat proof plate upside down on top of the malfoof to keep all the rolls intact. Bring the pot to a boil on medium high, reduce it to a low simmer, cover and let it cook for about 1 hour or until the rice from the top malfoof is completely cooked.
• Serve with the garlic cloves – which should be completely softened and very sweet, and a gooood squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Sahtein and enjoy!!

Keyword Malfoof, Malfoof – Arab style cabbage rolls