Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls Recipe (Holubtsi) Is European Comfort Food (8 Ingredients) by 30Seconds Food

Cabbage rolls are always a hit here on 30Seconds. Holubtsi, or cabbage rolls, is a favorite comfort food in Ukraine. It's one of the most popular dishes in Ukraine and throughout Central Europe.

There are many different recipes for cabbage rolls, and they vary from region to region and family to family. This easy cabbage roll recipe is a simple one often served in Ukraine. To make this European-style cabbage rolls recipe you will need the gather the following ingredients from your fridge and pantry: green cabbage (check out the health benefits of cabbage), ground beef or lamb, rice, butter, onion and a can of tomato soup.

To make this a vegetarian recipe, simply leave out the meat and double the amount of rice. Instead of ground beef or ground lamb, you could use ground turkey or ground chicken. 

Serve these tender cabbage rolls for lunch or dinner with your favorite side dishes. 

Cuisine: Ukrainian 
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus overnight to freeze cabbage
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours plus overnight to freeze cabbage
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Cabbage Rolls

• 1 large head of cabbage
• 1 - 2 cups cooked ground beef, ground lamb or your favorite ground meat
• 2 1/2 cups partially cooked rice (cook it about three-fourths of the cooking time)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped

Sauce

• 10 ounces (1 can) tomato soup
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup water

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the whole head of cabbage in the freezer overnight. Set it out to thaw the next morning. Once thawed, remove the core from the cabbage and separate all the whole leaves. 
2. Combine the cooked meat and rice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepot. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion to the rice mixture. Mix well. 
4. To the same saucepot, add all the sauce ingredients. Cook until butter has melted and incorporated into the sauce. 
5. To make the cabbage rolls, cut large leaves in half and remove any tough stems. Put about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the filling onto the bottom of the cabbage leaf and roll it up, making sure to push the ends in to seal the roll. Place it into a lightly oiled baking dish. Repeat with remaining filling and cabbage leaves. 
6. Pour the tomato sauce over the top of the cabbage rolls. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. 
7. Cover the baking dish and bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 1 hour or until leaves are tender. 

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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