Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (2024)

Published | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

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Cabbage leaves stuffed with a savoury combination of ground beef, pork, rice and vegetables, then cooked in the oven in a creamy tomato sauce. Making cabbage rolls at home is much easier than you think!

Serve these with our Herb and Garlic Mashed Potatoes for a satisfying and cozy dinner.

Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (1)

Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed Cabbage rolls is a dish that every Russian and Ukrainian family makes. It’s a true comfort food for us, while managing to be quite healthy! It might be a little fiddly but not difficult at all.

Do you ever wonder how Russians survive long and cold winters without constantly coming down with colds? The secret is eating a lot of cabbage in the winter.

How is it relevant? Cabbage has LOADS of vitamin C, more than oranges!We can eat it as a salad, in soups, braised, or many other ways as well!

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How to Make Cabbage Rolls

The recipe I am sharing today is my mother’s. I might’ve tweaked it a bit to make it easier but the taste remained the same.

What cabbage to use

The most traditional cabbage to use in this recipe is green cabbage, however I’ve recently been experimenting with Savoy cabbage and loved the results.

Savoy cabbage is considered to be the sweetest of all cabbages. It also adds more texture to this dish and is a dream to work with as the leaves separate much easier.

Whatever type of cabbage you use make sure it’s fresh and crispy. I found that using cabbage later in the season (around March or April) produces cabbage rolls that could be a bit tough and stringy.

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Cabbage roll stuffing

These rolls are stuffed with a mixture of extra lean proteins. Ground beef and pork, caramelized onions, carrots, lots of fresh parsley and rice.

After the cabbage leaves are stuffed and rolled they are baked in a sour cream tomato sauce. It’s a one pot dish, that takes a bit of time to prepare but once it’s in the oven, it cooks hands free!

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How to Separate Cabbage Leaves

My mother never did that but I use a new method for separating cabbage leaves, which is much easier and faster.

According to the traditional method you have to boil a head of cabbage for a short time until the leaves soften enough to pull them apart. Sounds easy enough but it turns out to be a lot of pain!

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You have to boil it long enough for the leaves to become pliable but not too long so they turn mushy.

Then you have to pull that cabbage out of boiling water, burn your fingers in the process, cut away the outer leaves, then put it back in the water, then take it out again. Pain!

I’ve heard that it’s possible to freeze cabbage instead of boiling it with the same results. Sure enough, I froze it for a couple of days, then defrosted it and the leaves were very easy to separate and perfect for rolling! Success.

This recipe yields 10-12 servings. Basically it makes enough for two full meals.

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Can I freeze cabbage rolls?

Yes! They are very freezer friendly. Just pop them in freezer bags and they will keep for at least a month. This way you’ve got delicious dinner put away for a day in the future when you don’t feel like fussing in the kitchen.

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More authentic Russian cabbage recipes to try

  • Braised Cabbage with Bacon and Mushrooms
  • Homemade Russian Sauerkraut (Kvashenaya Kapusta)
  • Beef and Cabbage Soup Shchi
  • Lazy Cabbage Rolls (Easy Version)

Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (8)

Cabbage Rolls “Golubtsi”

Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Cabbage leaves stuffed with a mixture of beef, pork, rice and seasoned vegetables.

4.92 from 36 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine Russian

Servings 10

Calories 429 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cabbage 2 small heads
  • 110g/1/2cup rice, any type
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion large, chopped
  • 1 lbs ground beef I used 5% fat
  • 1 lbs ground pork I used 5% fat
  • 25g/1/4 cup parsley chopped
  • 2 carrots grated
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp pepper
  • 2-3 bay leaf

For the sauce

  • 250ml/1 cup chicken stock
  • 250ml/1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche full fat
  • 500ml/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes/passata crushed or Passata- 2 cups
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Freeze the cabbages 3 days before you need it. The night before defrost cabbage and keep them in the fridge until you are ready.

  • Cook rice in plenty water the same way you would pasta until al dente for approximately 5 minutes after the water boils. It shouldn't be too soft. Drain and set aside.

  • In a frying pan heat olive oil and cook onions over low heat for 7-10 minutes until tender.

  • Grate carrots. In a large bowl combine beef, pork, parsley, onions, carrots, rice, salt and pepper.

  • In a medium bowl whisk together stock, crushed tomatoes and creme fraiche, salt and pepper. Set aside.

  • Place your head of cabbage on a cutting board, cut off the bottom and pull the leaves away from the stalk. Repeat with the second head of cabbage.

  • Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.

  • Clear your work space, so all ingredients are within reach. Take a cabbage leaf and cut the rib down, so it's not too thick. Put 2 tbsp of filling at the bottom of the wide part of a leaf (see picture above) and roll it like a burrito, tucking sides in. Your cabbage rolls will vary in size slightly depending on the size of cabbage leaves. You will have approximately 30-32 cabbage rolls.

  • Pour a cup of the sauce on the bottom of your cast iron casserole or any other heavy bottom casserole and start stacking your cabbage rolls. Half way through add a couple of bay leaves and ⅓ of the sauce and continue stacking until all cabbage rolls are gone.

  • Pour the remaining sauce over cabbage rolls, cover with a lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Then take the lid off and bake for 30 more minutes. Serve with additional sour cream or creme fraiche and fresh herbs like dill and parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 21gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 686mgPotassium: 851mgFiber: 6gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 2690IUVitamin C: 76mgCalcium: 145mgIron: 3mg

Keyword cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage, stuffed cabbage rolls

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
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Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Polish and Ukrainian cabbage rolls? ›

Recipes vary depending on region; northern Poles prefer a savory sauce, while Galicia, Hungary and Ukraine favor sweet-and-sour, for example.

What are Ukrainian cabbage rolls made of? ›

Description. Ukrainian meat stuffed cabbage rolls. Made with sweet green cabbage, beef, pork, carrots, onions, tomatoes, rice, fresh dill/ parsley, spices.

What is the difference between halupki and golumpki? ›

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are simple comfort food dish that comes with a variety of different names and spellings. Golabki is what I grew up calling them, but there are similar versions, Galumpki and Golumpki. Then there is Halupki/Halupky, which is exactly the same thing.

What is Golubtsi made of? ›

Golubtsi is a Ukrainian style stuffed cabbage classic dish made with steamed cabbage leaves, stuffed with a mixture of seasoned ground meat, rice, carrots, and onions. The cabbage rolls are baked or cooked in a stove and smothered in a rich tomato-based sauce and can be served with Creme Fraiche.

Are cabbage rolls German or Polish? ›

Golabki, pronounced gowumpkee is also known as Stuffed Cabbage Rolls and it's a Polish dish consisting of cabbage leaves stuffed with a savory mix of beef, pork and rice or barely, generally served with a tomato based sauce.

What ethnicity are cabbage rolls? ›

Romanian cabbage rolls have one of the most interesting and rich histories among all dishes. In fact, this is a multicultural recipe, to which tens of countries from around the world have contributed. Initially, cabbage rolls were created by the Turkish, who claim to be the original cookers of the dish.

What are Hungarian cabbage rolls made of? ›

ingredients
  1. 2 heads cabbage.
  2. Filling.
  3. 2 cups long grain rice, scalded.
  4. 2 lbs lean ground beef.
  5. 1 lb fresh lean pork sausage.
  6. 2 small onions, minced.
  7. 4 eggs, beaten.
  8. 1 cup water.

What is the national dish of Ukraine? ›

The national dish of Ukraine is red borscht, a well-known beet soup, of which many varieties exist. However, varenyky (boiled dumplings similar to pierogi) and a type of cabbage roll known as holubtsi are also national favourites, and are a common meal in traditional Ukrainian restaurants.

Why are my cabbage rolls tough? ›

If your cooked cabbage is tough, it's likely because the cabbage is not cooked through yet. Continue to cook the rolls until they're tender. It's also important to make sure you let the rolls rest after they're finished baking.

What does golumpki mean in english? ›

In the United States, the terms are commonly Anglicized by second- or third-generation Americans to "stuffed cabbage", "stuffed cabbage leaves", or "cabbage casserole". They are also referred to as "pigs in a blanket", not to be confused with pigs in blankets in British and Irish cuisine.

Can you use the outer leaves of cabbage for cabbage rolls? ›

So at first, eating the outer leaves didn't sound too appetizing. But that's the thing about growing your own food; you put so much effort into your plants so it just kills you to let anything go to waste. So I decided to make cabbage rolls with the outer leaves. My goodness they were fabulous.

What to eat with cabbage rolls? ›

  • Fresh salad with a zingy lime vinaigrette. ...
  • Bread- Soft dinner rolls go well with cabbage rolls. ...
  • Mashed potato and sauerkraut. ...
  • Gravy.
  • Roasted carrots or other sautéed veges also go well with cabbage rolls.
  • You can also serve it with flavored rice dishes.
Jun 9, 2016

Why is it called Golabki? ›

“Gołąbki” that's the Polish term for stuffed cabbage rolls. Though the word literally means “doves” it has become globally recognized as the name for one of Poland's most well known dishes too.

What are the ingredients in Zarky's cabbage rolls? ›

Tender leaves of cabbage hand filled and rolled with a combination of rice and 100% lean ground beef including just the right herbs, topped with a delicious tomato basil sauce and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.

What is the difference between Polish and Ukrainian food? ›

While there are similarities, there are plenty of unique recipes also. Both cuisines influenced each other for centuries, but while Ukrainian cuisine was heavily influenced by Tatar, Russian or Turkish influences, in Poland German or Austria-Hungary influences are more visible.

What is the difference between Polish and Ukrainian pierogi? ›

Varenyky is the more commonly used term in Ukraine, often eaten with sweet fillings, while pierogi are the national dish of Poland. Different to pelmeni as they are usually vegetarian, varenyky and pierogi can be served fried in butter, usually as an appetiser or a dessert.

What is Polish stuffed cabbage made of? ›

Poland's gołąbki were originally stuffed with a blend of buckwheat and potatoes but modern versions can include rice and mushroom, grains & forest mushroom or ground meat. They are baked or simmered in a flavorful broth and typically topped with a creamy mushroom or tomato sauce.

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