Dalmatian style meatballs in tomato sauce with cabbage are a combination of my 2 favorite meals from my childhood -cabbage in the tomato sauce and meatballs cooked in the tomato sauce. My grandma was making those meals very often for me. Even today, there is nothing better for me than my grandma’s meatballs in tomato sauce and her cabbage in tomato sauce. Whenever I’m visiting my grandma, she always cooks it for me.
I’m living far away from my childhood home, and sometimes I become nostalgic. I find the best remedy for my nostalgia is cooking my childhood meals because my family’s love language is food. Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce came alive one day after I finished a call with my grandma. Because of a call with my grandma, I got a huge craving to eat her cabbage in tomato sauce and her meatballs in tomato sauce. I decided to suit both of my cravings, and I created this meal. The name of this meal is Dalmatian style because my ancestors are from Dalmatia, and I spent many days there when I was a child.
Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce are made without onion, without garlic, and without alliums. Therefore it is a perfectly safe meal for everyone who is suffering from allium allergy, having problems with eating alliums, low food map, and for everyone who enjoys eating easy and delicious meals.
If you are looking for no onion no garlic meals without meat which are extremely easy and quick to make, check out my One pot Broccoli pasta recipe or Cabbage with Noodles recipe.
Table of contents
Ingredients that are needed for Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce without onion without garlic
- Ground meat – you can use any type of ground meat. Beef, pork (NOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE), chicken, turkey… Use your favorite type of ground meat
- Uncooked rice – it will give carbs to the meal, it will make meatballs softer, and give flavor to the meatball
- Parsley flakes – for the flavor of the meatball
- Salt – for enchanting the flavor
- Pepper – according to your preference. If you like spicy food – add more pepper, if you don’t like spicy food or pepper taste you can omit it. This meal will be equally delicious if you skip on pepper
- Cabbage – a vegetable that will give nutrition, and taste to the meal. It will make it a bit sweetish, and give a delicious tone to the meal
- Oil – for making the sauce
- Flour – for making the sauce
- Tomato paste – for delicious tomato taste and color
- Water – for making the sauce
- Sugar – for enhancing the flavor
Equipment that are needed
- Big bowl
- Pot
- Cheese grater
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
Tips & tricks on how to make Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce without onion without garlic good
- If you aren’t sure that you add enough salt and pepper – take one piece of the meatball mixture (try to take a piece that doesn’t have rice inside), and fry it in the pan. After it is completely baked, taste it. If you are missing salt or pepper, add more.
- If you don’t want meatballs to be sticky, fry the rice for a few seconds in 1 teaspoon of oil. Fry until the rice is white. Do not get golden color on the rice, it needs to be white. Cool down the rice before you add it to the ground meat
- You can cut cabbage with a knife or shred the cabbage on the cheese grater. Using a cheese grater will shred cabbage in a minute.
How to shred cabbage on the cheese grater?
- Take a big bowl.
- Place the cheese grater in the bowl.
- Shred cabbage on the cheese grater.
How to know if Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce without onion without garlic is done?
- Meatballs – the thermometer needs to show 165C when stick inside the meatball. In case you don’t have a meat thermometer, the meat inside can’t be pink, steam needs to come out when you cut it, and the meat juice is clear, not red. You need to check this when you think the meal is done, and while the meal is still cooking on the stove.
- Cabbage – cabbage is soft
Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce without onion without garlic: what can go wrong, and how to fix it
- You oversalt the meatballs
the rice from the meatball will soak the extra salt
- The meatballs are undercooked
cook it for a few more minutes
- The sauce is too thick
add more water and boil it a bit longer
- If the sauce is too runny
simmer the Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce without onion without garlic for a few more minutes, so that extra water can evaporate
How to store Dalmatian style meatballs and cabbage in tomato sauce without onion without garlic?
You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze this meal for up to 3 months.
Garnish for this meal
Garnish can elevate how the food looks, and it can make it look more appetizing. However, garnish can be a spot where alliums are hiding. In this recipe, I garnished my plate with freshly chopped parsley.
Ingredients
Meatball
- 1 ½ lb ground meat 700g
- ¼ cup uncooked rice 40g
- 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Cabbage
- 4 cups shredded cabbage 400g
Tomato sauce
- cooking oil - enough to cover the bottom of your pot
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ⅓ cup tomato paste 80ml
- 6 cups water 1.5l
- salt to taste
- sugar to taste (optional)
Instructions
Meatball
- Mix ground meat with rice, parsley flakes, salt, and pepper. Shape it into balls. It should be a bit smaller than a tennis ball.
Cabbage
- Shred the cabbage on a cheese grater.
Tomato Sauce
- Add the oil to a pot and heat over medium-low heat. Add shredded cabbage and a pinch of salt. Salute it all together for a few minutes (the cabbage should be soft).
- Add flour to the cabbage and saute with constant stirring for a minute. Flour needs to blend in with the cabbage, and not have any lumps.
- Add tomato paste, and saute with constant stirring until the tomato paste is combined with cabbage.
- Add shaped meatballs, water, and salt. Simmer for 50 minutes, and gently stir occasionally.
- In the end, add a bit of sugar to increase the sweetness of the cabbage and tomato.
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It is a good recipe.
Thank you! I’m happy that you like it 😊
My family loves this recipe.
Thank you! I’m happy that you like it 😊