🥬🍅 Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golubtsi / Holubtsi / Gołąbki-style)
🛒 Ingredients (Makes about 10 rolls)
For the cabbage:
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1 large green cabbage
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Salt, for blanching
For the filling:
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500g (1 lb) ground beef, pork, or a mix
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1 cup cooked rice
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1 small onion, finely chopped
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1 egg
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½ tsp salt
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¼ tsp black pepper
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Optional: chopped parsley or dill
For the sauce:
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2 cups (500 ml) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
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1 tbsp tomato paste (for depth)
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1 tsp sugar
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1 tbsp olive oil or butter
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Salt & pepper, to taste
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Optional: splash of lemon juice or vinegar for brightness
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the cabbage:
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
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Carefully peel off 10–12 outer cabbage leaves.
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Blanch the leaves for 2–3 minutes until soft and flexible, then drain and let cool.
2. Make the filling:
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In a large bowl, mix together the meat, cooked rice, chopped onion, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper.
3. Stuff the rolls:
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Trim the thick vein on the back of each cabbage leaf to make it easier to roll.
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Place about 2–3 tablespoons of filling on each leaf.
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Fold sides over and roll up tightly like a burrito.
4. Make the sauce:
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In a saucepan, heat olive oil and add tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
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Add tomato passata, sugar, salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.
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Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
5. Assemble & cook:
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Pour a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a deep baking dish or pot.
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Arrange cabbage rolls seam-side down in a single layer.
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Pour remaining sauce over the top, covering the rolls.
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Cover tightly with foil or a lid.
6. Bake or simmer:
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Oven: Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 1 hour.
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Stovetop: Simmer gently, covered, for 45–60 minutes.
🧂 Serving suggestions:
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Top with sour cream or a sprinkle of fresh dill
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Serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes
Would you like a vegetarian version, or one made in the air fryer or slow cooker?