Malfouf (Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Mar 30, 2026
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Malfouf is Lebanese stuffed cabbage rolls, and it’s one of the most comforting dishes in Middle Eastern cooking. Tender cabbage leaves are filled with spiced ground beef and rice, cooked in a tangy lemon and garlic broth until melt-in-your-mouth tender. This one takes time, but the result is worth every minute – and it gets even better if you let them chill overnight!
What Is Malfouf?
Malfouf means “rolled” or “cabbage” in Arabic, and the dish is exactly that: rolled cabbage stuffed with spiced meat and rice. Every country in the region has its own version. In Turkey it is called lahana sarması, in Greece lahanodolmades, and across the Levant you will find endless variations from village to village and from family to family.
I came across stuffed cabbage rolls through my travels across the Middle East and quickly understood why it shows up on tables from Lebanon to Turkey to Greece in some form or another. However, I keep coming back to the Lebanese version with its sharp lemon-garlic broth. Stuffed vegetables are a cornerstone of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking, and if you love this kind of dish, stuffed grape leaves, stuffed onions, and Turkish stuffed zucchini are all worth exploring.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Green cabbage: One head is all you need. Green cabbage has smooth, pliable leaves that roll well and hold up to long cooking times without falling apart. Look for a firm, heavy head with tightly packed leaves.
- Ground beef: The filling is raw ground beef mixed directly with uncooked rice. Both cook together inside the roll during the long simmer.
- Short-grain rice: Short-grain rice is important here. It has more starch than long-grain varieties, which means it cooks up tender and slightly sticky inside the roll, holding the filling together rather than separating. Arborio or Egyptian rice both work well.
- Seven spice: This is the warm backbone of the filling. Lebanese seven spice is a blend of allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, black pepper, and cumin. You can find it at any Middle Eastern grocery or make your own in five minutes.
- Garlic: Vampires beware: you’ll need a lot of it. Twelve cloves, sliced and layered between the rolls as they cook. The garlic softens completely over the long simmer and becomes sweet and mellow, infusing every layer of the pot.
- Lemon juice: Make sure it’s freshly squeezed. Added to the cooking liquid, it gives the whole pot a bright, tangy edge that cuts through the richness of the meat. Be generous and if the lemons aren’t very juicy, use more.
- Cumin: Added between layers along with salt and pepper.
- Olive oil: Mixed into the filling. It keeps the meat moist and adds richness to every bite.
How to Make Malfouf
Prepare the Cabbage
Cut out the core from the base of the cabbage using a sharp knife. Place the whole head in a large pot of boiling water. As it sits in the water, the outer leaves will begin to soften and loosen. Be patient and do not rush this. The leaves will separate very easily once they are ready. Pull them off one at a time using tongs, working from the outside in, and set them aside in a colander to cool.
Make the Filling
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, finely chopped onion, seven spice, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
Roll the Cabbage Leaves
Lay each leaf flat on a cutting board and cut alongside the thick white stem down the center to create two halves. Do not throw the stems or smaller leaves away. You will use them to line the bottom of the pot, where they will protect the rolls from scorching and absorb all the juices and spices as everything cooks. They end up being some of the tastiest bites in the pot.
Lay a cabbage leaf half flat on the board. Place a small amount of filling near the base and roll it up tightly. Since the rolls are packed tightly against each other in the pot, it is not critical to fold in the sides the way you would with grape leaves. A tight roll is more important. Do not overfill; a tablespoon or so of filling per leaf is enough. The rice will expand as it cooks.
Layer and Cook
Spread the cabbage stems and any leftover smaller leaves across the bottom of a large, deep pot.
Arrange the rolls seam-side down in a snug single layer. Scatter a third of the sliced garlic over the top, then squeeze over some lemon juice and sprinkle with cumin, salt, and pepper. Add another layer and repeat the seasoning. Continue until you have used all the rolls.
Place a heatproof plate upside down on top of the rolls. This keeps them from floating and unraveling as the water comes to a boil.
Pour in enough water to cover the rolls by about an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours. Do not lift the lid too often. You want a steady, gentle simmer throughout.
Remove from heat and let the pot sit, covered, for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting time is important: the rolls absorb more of the lemony, garlicky liquid and the whole pot settles into something much more cohesive than it is right out of the heat.
Tips For The Best Malfouf
- Be patient with the cabbage: The leaves will tell you when they are ready: they will peel away easily without tearing. If they resist, they need more time in the water.
- Season generously between each layer: The cumin, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper layered between the rolls is what makes the whole pot taste deeply seasoned rather than bland. Do not hold back.
- Roll tightly: A loose roll will fall apart during cooking. You want each one compact and firm before it goes into the pot.
- Do not skip the resting time: Thirty minutes to an hour off the heat makes a real difference to how the rolls taste and hold together when served.
- It tastes better the next day: Malfouf is one of those dishes that genuinely improves as it sits. The flavors deepen overnight. Make it the day before if you can and reheat gently before serving. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
What To Serve With Malfouf
A bowl of plain yogurt on the side is the most traditional accompaniment and my default choice. The cool creaminess against the warm, garlicky rolls is a combination that just works. Use homemade yogurt if you have it.
For an accompanying salad, something fresh and bright would balance out the richness of this dish nicely. A nice serving of Arabic salad or a classic fattoush would be ideal.
Storage
Store leftover stuffed cabbage leaves in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot over low heat with a splash of water. Malfouf can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Let it cool completely before freezing, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Malfouf is an Arabic word that means both cabbage and rolled. The dish is literally rolled cabbage, so I’d say the name is pretty accurate!
No. The rice goes in raw and cooks inside the rolls during the long simmer. This is important to the texture of the finished dish: the rice absorbs the meat juices and cooking liquid as it cooks, making the filling soft and cohesive rather than separate and grainy.
The Lebanese version is defined by its lemon-garlic broth and the addition of cumin. Eastern European versions tend to be cooked in tomato sauce. Turkish lahana sarması often includes mint. Each region has its own take, but this lemon-garlic version is one of the most refreshing and aromatic.
Usually this means the rolls were too loosely packed or the pot was not simmered gently enough. Make sure each roll is tight before layering, and keep the heat low once it comes to a boil.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!
More Stuffed Vegetables Recipes
Turkish Recipes
Karniyarik Turkish Stuffed Eggplant Recipe [Video]
Persian Recipes
Persian Dolmeh Recipe [Video]
Greek Recipes
Gemista Recipe (Greek Stuffed Vegetables)
Malfouf (Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Ingredients
- 1 head green cabbage
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup short grain rice, such as Egyptian rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp 7 spice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
For Cooking
- 2 lemons, juice of
- 12 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 cups hot water
Instructions
Prepare The Cabbage:
- Cut the core from the cabbage and crave it out completely. This is to make sure the leave detach easily later when cooked.
- Place the head of cabbage in a large pot of boiling water. As the leaves soften and loosen, peel them off one at a time using a pair of tongs. Set aside to cool. Be patient: the leaves will separate easily when they are ready. Remove the leaves one by one and place them in a colander to cool.
Prepare The Filling:
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, rice, onion, seven spice, salt, pepper, and olive oil until well combined.
Roll The Cabbage Leaves:
- Lay each leaf flat and cut alongside the thick white stem to create two halves. Reserve all stems and small leaves to line the bottom of the pot.
- Place a small amount of filling near the base of each leaf half and roll tightly. Do not overfill. There is no need to fold the edges as the cabbage leaves are sturdy enough to keep the filling.
- Repeat until all the cabbage leaves and filling is used.
Cook The Malfouf
- Line the bottom of a large, deep pot with the reserved cabbage stems and small leaves.
- Arrange the rolls seam-side down in a snug layer. Scatter a third of the sliced garlic over the top, squeeze over some lemon juice, and sprinkle with cumin, salt, and pepper. Repeat for each layer until you run out of stuffed cabbages leaves.
- Place a heatproof plate upside down on top of the rolls to weigh them down.
- Add enough water to cover the rolls by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium, cover, and gently simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours, until the rolls are very tender and the rice and beef are fully cooked. Check midway to see if you need more salt and lemon juice.
- Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve with yogurt and more lemon.
Notes
- The stems and small leaves lining the pot absorb all the spices and juices and are delicious. Do not throw them away.
- Season generously between each layer of rolls. The garlic, lemon, cumin, salt, and pepper between the layers is what makes the whole pot taste deeply seasoned.
- If you have leftover filling, you can use it to stuff other vegetables such as tomatoes, small eggplants or peppers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
