Here’s a detailed, classic recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls—a hearty dish common in Eastern European, Middle Eastern, and Balkan cooking.
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🥬 Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golubtsi-style) Recipe
🧾 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the rolls:
1 large head of cabbage
500 g ground beef (or half beef, half lamb)
1 cup cooked rice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg (helps bind filling)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika (optional but recommended)
Fresh parsley (optional)
For the sauce:
2 cups tomato sauce
1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes (optional for richer sauce)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar (balances acidity)
1–2 tbsp oil or butter
1 cup water or broth
Salt & pepper to taste
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🔪 Step 1: Prepare the cabbage leaves
1. Remove core from the cabbage carefully.
2. Boil the whole cabbage in a large pot of water for 5–10 minutes.
3. As leaves soften, peel them off one by one.
4. Trim thick veins so rolling becomes easier.
👉 You want soft, flexible leaves—not fully falling apart.
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🥣 Step 2: Make the filling
In a large bowl, mix:
Ground beef
Cooked rice
Onion
Garlic
Egg
Salt, pepper, paprika
Parsley
Mix gently—don’t overwork or the rolls become dense.
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🧻 Step 3: Roll the cabbage
1. Take one cabbage leaf.
2. Place 1–2 tablespoons of filling near the base.
3. Fold sides inward.
4. Roll tightly upward like a wrap.
Repeat until filling is done.
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🍅 Step 4: Prepare the sauce
In a pan:
1. Heat oil/butter.
2. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
3. Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper.
4. Add water or broth.
5. Simmer for 5–10 minutes.
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🍲 Step 5: Assemble and cook
1. Place leftover cabbage leaves at the bottom of a deep pot (prevents burning).
2. Arrange rolls tightly in layers.
3. Pour tomato sauce over them until nearly covered.
4. Add a plate on top to keep rolls in place (optional but traditional).
Cook:
Simmer on low heat for 45–90 minutes, or
Bake covered at 180°C for ~1.5 hours
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🍽️ Serving suggestions
Serve hot with:
Yogurt or sour cream
Crusty bread
Extra tomato sauce spooned on top
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🧠 Tips for best results
Add a splash of lemon juice for brightness.
Let them rest 10–15 minutes after cooking for better flavor.
They taste even better the next day.
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If you want, I can also give you:
Turkish-style stuffed cabbage version (with spices like mint & chili)
Vegetarian version (lentils or mushrooms)
Or pressure cooker / instant pot method