Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (2024)

April 20, 2020

Published April 20, 2020 | 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

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!

Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (2)

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!

Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (5)

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.

Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (6)

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.

Cabbage Rolls Golubtsi (Authentic Recipe) (7)

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”

Julia Frey of Vikalinka

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

4.92 from 36 votes

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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.
read more..

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Kozey says
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I love this recipe and will be making it today to serve some guests we will be having over for dinner. Have you ever tried cooking the golubtsi in an Instant Pot and if so, how long should I cook it?
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- Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
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  I haven’t tested this recipe in the Instant Pot, so cannot advise on the timing.
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Sarah says
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I could not find 95% lean pork at my local grocery store, and ended up using 75% lean pork and 95% lean beef. This resulted in the sauce being a quite watery consistency after cooking, although it still tasted very good! If one runs into the same problem as I, it would probably be a good idea to reduce the amount of chicken stock.
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Michellik says
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This recipe looks delicious! How long would I need to cook on low or medium heat if I was to use my stovetop instead?
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- Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
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  I would cook them just as long but on low heat. The issue with the stovetop method is the bottom tends to burn. If you can, I recommend using an oven for this recipe.
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Sharon dela Peña says
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Tried cooking Russian food for the first time (inspired by my Russian friends) and my family loved this recipe so much.
Thanks for sharing!
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- Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
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  I am thrilled you loved it, Sharon! Thank you for a great review!
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Hala says
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Hello.
This recipe might come from Russia from but in Lebanon we do it all the time.
Stuff cabbage with meat, rice, salt and pepper only.
In the pot, cut the shredded leaves (the ones that are not too perfect to stuff) in small pieces. Fry with a bit of oil, add salt + cumin.
Once the base is done. Put the rolls nicely in the pot, you can add whole garlic cloves in between. And here comes the secret for very tasty cabbages.
Aside, smash some garlic add to them dried peppermint and…. grenadine syrup (the concentrated one made at home and boiled for like 12 hours). This what makes the whole story. Add this on top of the rolls. Cover with water + salt.
Cover the pot and wait until they get cooked. You will have the best cabbage rolls in your life.
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- vikalinka says
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  Thank you for sharing your tasty recipe, Hala!
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Jen says
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Delicious! I really enjoyed making and eating these cabbage rolls 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Love the tip to freeze the cabbage, it worked like a charm. When I was at the supermarket they strangely had run out of green cabbage, only had purple. So I was a bit unsure, but decided to just try the purple cabbage. The dark purple color against the tomato and cream sauce make a nice contrast.
Also… loved the tomato sauce. It’s like a velvety, rich tomato soup, thanks to the creme fraiche. I also tried reducing some of the sauce as well, and wow. And the meat filling is delicious. I had some extra filling left over, so I made them into meatballs, pan fried them in some butter, then finished cooking them with some of the tomato sauce. I think this recipe will become a staple for my husband and I, can’t wait to make these again!
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- vikalinka says
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  Wow, what an amazing response, Jen! I’ve never actually tried them with red cabbage but I made lazy cabbage rolls with it and yes, very delicious!
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  - Fred Maradei says
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    I have friends who immigrated from Russia. I would like to have them for dinner and serve this recipe. What are some sides that would be authentic to serve?
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    - Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
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      Hi Fred, you can add this recipe for mashed potatoes to serve alongside the cabbage rolls. If you are thinking to have them over in the summer, this simple tomato and cucumber salad is a classic. Another one is this Korean Carrot Salad, yes, it’s very Russian despite the name. 🙂 And to finish the meal you can serve Russian Honey Cake Medovik or this simple Apple Cake. There are many other options on my website. Simply enter Russian in the search bar at the top and you will get many results you can choose from. I hope this helps!!
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Cindy says
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I will be trying this recipe with Sour cabbage, I have a friend that uses all pork, very little rice and sour cabbage, no sauce. They were delicious!
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Jenny Rush says
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My whole family loved this recipe and the borscht recipe too! Thank you for sharing. Both have become a staple in our home.
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- vikalinka says
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  That is so great, Jenny!! I am so happy to hear that.
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ivan says
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I’m excited to try this recipe, bought all the ingredients today. Question: do you brown the meat beforehand or does it just just cook during the cooking process?
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- vikalinka says
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  You don’t need to brown the meat mixture before putting it in cabbage leaves as the rolls get braised in liquid for 1 hour 30 minutes.
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John Hawkins says
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This is excellent. “golub” means pigeon in several languages. When the cabbage is rolled up from the wide part to the top, the roll resembles a pigeon breast.
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Veronica says
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Love this recipe the frozen cabbage leaf method worked beautifully as I would always boil then wrap then fry . Too messy and a lot of effort. This was truly effortless thank you so much for sharing.
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- vikalinka says
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  I love to be able to simplify some labour intensive, traditional recipes. So glad this recipe made your life easier and tastier, Veronica!
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Sara says
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Trying to go low carb. Do you think replacing the rice with cauliflower rice would work? Not sure what that would do to the overall structure.
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- vikalinka says
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  I haven’t tried, so can’t be certain but I have made them without the rice for the same reason. They are still delicious but I think using cauliflower rice is worth a try, Sara.
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Joni says
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This is a wonderful recipe! Have you ever tried this recipe with sour cabbage?
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- vikalinka says
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  Hi Joni, I haven’t. Do you mean cabbage fermented whole? I’ve never actually seen such a thing!
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  - Jelena says
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    It’s a winter staple here in Serbia. Minced meat, rice and chopped onions make the filling for the cabbage leaves. It’s cooked very slowly on low heat and ham and bacon are added to the pot. And there’s plenty for freezer, too.
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    - vikalinka says
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      Mmm… now that I think about it, I should make a batch for my freezer. 🙂
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      - Charlene says
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        Hey there. Do you freeze them cooked or uncooked?
      - vikalinka says
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        I usually freeze them cooked, Charlene.
  - SUSAN PEAVOY says
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    Valinka, sour cabbage is otherwise known as BRINED CABBAGE, there are recipes for making it if you can;t find it in the store.
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    - Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
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      Hi Susan, I actually have a recipe on my site for brined cabbage aka sauerkraut as I grew up eating it. 🙂 What I meant is I never saw fermented cabbage being used for cabbage rolls. In Russia and Ukraine we use fresh cabbage leaves for that.
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      - Cyzana says
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        Hi there! My family has a Ukrainian background and we do definitely use fermented cabbage for our rolls which we call Sarma. My mum ferments large amounts of whole cabbage heads in a barrel in the garage just for sarma!! 😉 We also do it in a massive pot and cook it very slow on the stovetop. In order for the sarma not to burn, we put a layer of cabbage on the bottom of the pot. We also add in some smoked meats to get a bit of a smoky flavour.
      - Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
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        Hi Cyzana, it’s great to hear of your family tradition, however sarma is not Ukrainian in origin, it comes from the Balkans, Turkey, Moldova and Romania. They are all countries close to Ukraine and as we know there is lots of crossover in food influence. Stuffed cabbage is called “holubtsi” in Ukrainian. Fermented cabbage is also used but this method is quite old and often only kept in remotes villages. What I meant is I never saw it myself but I know it exists from cookbooks.
Sandra Croley says
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I am looking forward to trying your recipe for cabbage rolls tomorrow. The only thing I will be doing different is something my friend tried this week, which is cooking the cabbage in the Instant Pot! She said it just took 5 minutes at pressure but will do 10 minutes next time, as the cabbage leaves in the middle of the head were not quite softened enough.
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- vikalinka says
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  Oh I would love to hear your feedback, Sandra. It’s a brilliant idea to cook the cabbage in a pressure cooker! I would actually experiment at cooking the cabbage rolls in the Instant Pot as well.
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  - Diana Fjer says
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    I actually did this yesterday. The first cabbage I did at 5 minutes and it wasn’t quite soft enough. Second cabbage I did 7 minutes and it was perfect.
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    - vikalinka says
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      Excellent! Thank you for sharing, Diana!
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Tammy Proctor says
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I’m so happy someone has finally shared the freezing cabbage method. I’ve used this method for the past 25 years or so. I like to buy my cabbage from my farmers market. There are 2 primary types of cabbage grown. Summer cabbage and winter cabbage. I prefer summer cabbage, it has a softer texture and makes more tender rolls. I pick them up when they are a fantastic price. Put in freezer and pull out when ready to make my rolls, which is not usually until Thanksgiving and again at Christmas (if I’m not smart enough to make them all at the same time). I do cook my cabbage rolls longer when using the frozen cabbage method since the cabbage is not cooked at all as it would have been with the boiled leaf mllethod. Because of the extra cooking time I use raw rice and raw meet but I add some tomato soup to my stuffing mix so there’s moisture for the rice to absorb. Image the extra flavour as you don’t loose the meat juices as they are also favouring the rice as it cooks. I can 1 can of soup for a recipe this size. I also cook in a saucy sauce which again is simply a mixture of equal canned tomato soup to water and a bit of salt and pepper. Enough to cover the rolls. Easy peasy.
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- vikalinka says
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  Great tips, Tammy!! Thank you for sharing!
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  - Randy says
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    I have cooked your rolls three times now.There is a fresh batch now in the oven every one loves them saying the best ever!!
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    - vikalinka says
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      Fantastic! Enjoy your cabbage rolls, Randy! I need to make a batch or two made asap!
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Wendoline from Newmarket, ON, Canada says
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My first time making cabbage rolls and absolutely delicious!
Thank you Vikalinka! My whole family loved them and these are by far the best I’ve ever tasted!
A keeper!
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- vikalinka says
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  So happy to hear it, Wendoline! It feels great when you ace something the first time around, isn’t it?!
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Amanda says
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What size quart cast iron dish did you use for this recipe?
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- vikalinka says
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  I’ve used a 5 quart dish, Amanda.
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Julie says
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Dear Vikalinka, thank you for the cabbage roll recipe. I am in a book club and when we read books based in other countries we make their food. Everyone loved the cabbage rolls and no one said anything, but I thought the leaves were not as tender as they should be. Do you think it could be because I packed them too tightly in the pan? Was I supposed to cut off the thicker part of the leaf at the bottom? I don’t know if you have any suggestions for me because I really liked them, but I know they can be better if I figure out why part of the roll didn’t cut through very easily. Thank you, Julie
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- vikalinka says
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  Hi Julie, I always cut away thicker parts to ensure the entire leaf is the same thickness. Aslo, they do need to be submerged in the cooking liquid the entire time. I do like my cabbage leaves to have a bit of texture but if yours were a bit tough for your liking, you could always increase the cooking time to 2 hours total! I hope it works slightly better next time. Best, Julia
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Annelise says
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What kind of rice do you use for this dish?
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- vikalinka says
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  You can use any rice you have, Annelise as long as you pre-cook it. I used basmati rice here, not because it is authentic but simply because that’s what I usually buy.
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Tanya says
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Having never made cabbage rolls before, I really appreciated the detailed directions. The sauce did not come out thick. It’s rather thin like soup instead. Quite tasty but very thin. I wonder how to make it thicker.
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- vikalinka says
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  Hi Tanya, my sauce is not very thick either since there is no flour in it, it is perhaps a tad thicker than a soup. Make sure the sour cream/creme fraiche you use is full fat, which helps with the thickness. However if you like yours thicker, you can take the cabbage rolls out after they are cooked and reduce the sauce on a stovetop until desired consistency over low heat or you can mix 1 TBSP of cornstarch with 3 TBSP of water and mix it in to thicken the sauce. I hope this helps! Best, Julia
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- Marianne Leo says
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  You can also make a browned butter roux and cook until smooth. Add the cooked heated sauce and cook until quite thick and then return to cooked rolls.. This is nice and thick and is even better as a sauce over potatoes.
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  - vikalinka says
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    Great suggestion, Marianne!
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megan says
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Hi! i made these rolls a couple of days ago following your recipe ! They taste great! However, the meat inside didn’t cook fully after the hour and thirty minutes in the oven so when i eat them i have to cut them up and recook them on a pan. i was wondering if you possibly know why it would do that, the cabbage on top was browned so they looked fully cooked. would you suggest longer in the oven or maybe precooking the meat a bit? thanks !
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- vikalinka says
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  Hi Megan, that is very puzzling as they should definitely be fully cooked within that time period. My only guess is that perhaps they were overcrowded in the pot/pan, it’s the only scientific explanation for it as even a meatloaf, which is much bigger would cook in 90 minutes. Maybe next time try to divide them into two pans and make sure there is enough liquid that covers them. I’ve used this recipe my whole life and my mom before me, so it should work as written.
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  - Melissa says
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    I may be too late for past batches, but maybe for future this might help. If you use a processed meat (generally the pork) with nitrate in it the meat will be cooked, but not brown. The same reason that a ham is pink, but a pork roast is brown. If you have ever put bacon on a meatloaf, it will be pink under the bacon, the sane goes for any meat with nitrates or such added.
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Lori B says
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I have made cabbage rolls for years…and have tried many different recipes. This is by far my favorite recipe! I made them for my coworkers. They know I love to cook and share. They had asked if I could make cabbage rolls, so I had to search for something amazing. This was it!! Thank you so much for sharing. I’ve added the recipe to my favorites and will make again real soon! 🙂
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- vikalinka says
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  I am so happy to hear this, Lori! It is my family recipe and I’ve always preferred it since this is how my mother made cabbage rolls and I grew up with the taste. Thank you for your feedback! 🙂
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  - Heinz says
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    I will try this soon. Here in Romania the cabbage is softened by putting it in brine for a few weeks. Then the dish is made similar to yours but only with minced pork meat. Then between the layers of rolls some pork belly slices are put. (Calories and fat). The sauce is a watery tomato sauce. this dish is erved in Romania on all festive occasions: weddings, christmas, Easter etc. in Romanian they are called Sarmale.
    I think your recipe is better and will try it soon. This will get me some stern looks from Romanian traditionalists. LOL.
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    - vikalinka says
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      I love pork belly slices so much. I need to incorporate them into my recipe! Don’t worry about the traditionalists, they don’t like me either! 🙂
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Heather says
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My boyfriend was born in Russ and adopted by an American couple. I have been trying to incorporate Russian recipes to our menu. I loved this so much I sent the recipe to my mother, telling her she had to make them for my dad and siblings that still live at home. I will be trying eggplant caviar line to week! Thank you for having a “Russian” tab 🙂
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- vikalinka says
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  Wow, Heather!! That is so great!! I love promoting Russian dishes to the rest of the world! 🙂
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Mary says
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I’m Egyptian and we have a very similar dish. We add fresh chopped Dill and fresh chopped Cilantro to the dish. We put the mixture in a bowl and make a small hole in the middle of the mixture. We then fire up a piece of charcoal then add about 2 tbspn of warm ghee or butter in a small foil paper cup. We add that foil cup in the center of the mixture and once the coal is hot, we drop it in there and tightly cover it. It’s old fashioned smoking 🙂 then we do exactly what your recipe calls for. It’s just to die for
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See Also
Lentil Walnut Loaf Recipe on Food52
- vikalinka says
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  Oh my goodness, Mary, I love your way so much more! Sounds incredible with all the smoking. 🙂 I am very tempted to try, I hope I don’t burn the house down!
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Matt says
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These cabbage rolls look awesome! I got the urge to make them after visiting a local russian restaurant. A question about placing the rolls into the oven safe dish: it looks like you have them stacked…do the rolls stick together at all when cooked? Also, should the sauce end up covering the rolls completely? Thanks:)
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- vikalinka says
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  They don’t stick to each other, Matt, so feel free to stack them up. The sauce should cover them, if you don’t have enough you can always add a bit of stock. I hope this helps!
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Elisabeth says
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This recipe is amazing! Definitely a favorite in our house. Just FYI in my local Market Basket in the “international” aisle they sell jars of cabbage leaves. They cost around $5 but it’s nice to not deal with boiling or freezing the leaves. I have used them and they’re great! Thanks for this recipe 🙂
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- vikalinka says
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  Thanks Elizabeth! I completely agree it’s so nice not to deal with the leaves! I wish I had a similar service nearby. 🙂
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Sonya says
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Does the sour cream curdle when you cook it with the cabbage rolls?
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- vikalinka says
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  Usually sour cream curdles when cooked over intense heat so if you simmer cabbage rolls over gentle heat it shouldn’t curdle. It also depends on the quality of sour cream and how it’s made. Generally, slight curdling doesn’t affect the taste or even texture. I hope this helps, Sonya.
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Pawel says
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Thank you for the recipe. Please note however that the dish’s origin is Polish and that It is called “GOŁABKI” which simply means “peageons”.
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BJ says
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When you place the cabbage in the freezer do you put it in aziploc? Or just uncovered?
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- vikalinka says
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  I put it in a ziplock.
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Mary says
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These are similar to the ones my Ukranian mom makes except no carrots or parsley in them. She covers them with tomatoe soup mixed with carnation milk and tomatoe juice. Have to try your version!
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Joe says
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It seems that eastern European countries all have some version of this dish. My mother was Polish. She would use tomato soup instead of canned tomatoes for a mellower flavor.
Sometimes, she would crumble crisped bacon in the mix. That was my favorite! A Polish woman I know said they would add chopped mushrooms as a variation. I’ll definitely try the freezer trick.
Wow! This takes me back to simpler, humbler times. Yet we had everything we needed, and didn’t know it.
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Hannah says
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Hello! I was excited when I saw this recipe because it is exactly like a Lithuanian dish that my husband and I have fallen in love with. I worked all day making this dish and, sadly, the meat never finished cooking inside the rolls! I halved the recipe and put the rolls and sauce in an oven safe dish. Since I didn’t have a dish with a lid, I used aluminum foil instead. After 1 hour of cooking covered and 30 minutes uncovered, the meat was still pink. So, I cooked them covered for another hour and they were still pink. I then decided to try to finish them in the slow cooker and put the rolls, sauce, and extra chicken stock in the slow cooker on high for 3 hours. The meat was still pink and inedible. Do you have any suggestions for next time?
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- vikalinka says
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  Hi Hannah, I am sorry this was your experience. Ground beef should never be cooked this long, so it’s no surprise it was inedible after 6.5 hours of cooking. My only guess is maybe the oven was on a wrong setting and the meat was not actually cooking or it was just pink but not raw. The amount of time indicated in the recipe is more than enough for the meat to cook all the way through and be safe to eat. If you are in doubt you can always check the internal temperature, which should read 160F according to health and safety. Best wishes, Julia
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- Kim says
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  Go in to a Doar Store and buy an oven thermometer. The kind that hangs off the bottom of the oven rack. Set hour oven at 350 to bake and leave it to heat 30 minutes. Your thermost at may be off. [F after 30 minutes oven isn’t yet at 350, raise the temp and see where you need to set it to reach 350. It may simply be a quirky temperamental thermostat.
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Jessica says
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Made these tonight and they are wonderful!!!! I paired them with a really dense, crusty bread to sop up the sauce. So, so, so fantastic!
Every dish I’ve made from your blog has been unbelievable! Thanks so much for all your effort!!
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- vikalinka says
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  Thank you so much, Jessica! What a sweet comment!! Thank you for following. 🙂
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Marie says
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Can I use minute rice uncooked instead of long grain cooked rice.????
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- vikalinka says
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  Marie, I’ve never used that product, so I can’t be really sure…I suppose so.
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Kristin says
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I am kind of new to cooking. I was wondering what else I could use if I don’t have a cast iron pot?
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- vikalinka says
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  Kristin, you don’t have to use a cast iron pot, you can use any oven-proof dish that is big and deep enough. 🙂
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Amanda Q. says
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My sister just reminded me that we also put a large sliced white onion in with the crushed tomatoes. Again, thanks so much for sharing!
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- vikalinka says
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  You are welcome and thank you for sharing your family recipe. 🙂
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Amanda Q. says
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I am just now coming across your recipe. This is the first meal I EVER learned to prepare (I was probably 4). Cabbage rolls are our traditional family meal. We make them a bit differently than you do, but yours sound wonderful as well. We had always known that their origin was somewhere across The Pond, but we were’t really sure where. We do core and freeze our cabbage beforehand. We also simmer a pot of water, stab the middle of the cabbage, and dunk it in and out quickly to peel the leaves. We stuff it with a pound of hot sausage, a pound of mild sausage, and rice mixed in until it “feels” right. We roll each up, and lay them seam side down in the pot. We open two large cans of crushed tomatoes and pour them over, juice and all. Then we sometimes add a couple of cans of drained diced tomatoes. About a tablespoon of ketchup to cut the acidic taste of all those tomatoes. We usually eat so many of them that we don’t need a side dish. Thank you so much for sharing this and helping me learn more about their origins!
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Little Cooking Tips says
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That is an amazing dish we’re sure we’ll enjoy. We adore dolmades (as we call rolls of vine leaves or cabbage leaves here in Greece). Those are called lahanodolmades here and are very similar to the Russian version. We use an avgolemono sauce to serve them, which is a simple Greek egg-lemon sauce. So your version is a fantastic alternative to the classic recipe we use!
We really can’t wait to try this amazing delicacy!
Great work Julia!
Panos and Mirella
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Lena says
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I plan to make these for about 30-40 people. Would you double or triple the recipe? I don’t mind left-overs, but don’t want to unnecessary hours in the kitchen. What would you recommend?
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- vikalinka says
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  Lena, I would triple the recipe.
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  - Lena says
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    Thanks 🙂 One more question- would a regular glass casserole dish work for this one?
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    - vikalinka says
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      Yes, a glass casserole is absolutely fine, Lena.
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      - Lena says
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        They came out AWESOME. I made them for an American church picnic and I had a couple elderly polish men come up to me and say that they were excellent…Thank you so much for the recipe!!
      - vikalinka says
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        Oh, Lena, music to my ears! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
      - Lena says
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        I’ve commented on these before but I must do it again. I made these for an international gathering and once again, people raved over them and kept on saying how GOOD they were… someone washing the casserole dishes afterward saved the sauce to eat before rinsing the dish lol. I also made vegetarian oned with lentils instead of meat. The fresh blast of parsel, sauteed union and spices had some peopke coming back for thirds. Oh, and I chopped up dill and mixed it into sour cream as the topping for the rolls…which was gone too quickly. I guess you can say it was a success!!!
      - vikalinka says
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        That is such an amazing response from people, Lena! Thank you so much for sharing it with me. Now I am craving them myself! I love your idea for the vegetarian golubtsi. I must try making them with lentils.
Rebecca says
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I’m making these now, they’re in the oven as I type! I haven’t tried them yet but oh my goodness, if they taste as good as they smell, I might never eat anything else! Thank you for such a great recipe. I’m making this for my parents at their house and they’re just as excited as I am 🙂 I think I’ll toast a loaf of french bread to dip in the sauce!
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- vikalinka says
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  I hope they tasted as fab as they smelled, Rebecca!
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Brenda says
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I used spring greens blanched first, used pork meat, the result was Yummy…
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- vikalinka says
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  It does sound yummy, Brenda!
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Anna says
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Cant wait to try this!! What do you typically serve these with?
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- vikalinka says
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  I usually just serve them as they are. I feel like they are a meal in itself but mashed potatoes are also great on the side. 🙂
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Jessica Tillman says
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If I don’t have a cast iron pot, would you recommend putting them in a classic glass baking dish and cover with aluminum foil? Or could I possible cook them in a pot in the stove on low?
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- vikalinka says
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  I would use a baking dish and cover it with foil, Jessica.
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Becky Ginn says
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What do you do with all of the extra frozen/boiled cabbage leaves? Do you use them for another recipe?
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- vikalinka says
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  Hi Becky, I usually buy a small-ish head of cabbage to avoid the problem.
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Adriana says
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Yum! I had my first Russian Cabbage Rolls last week at the Buford Highway Farmers Market in Atlanta. I can’t wait to make these for myself!
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- vikalinka says
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  Good luck, Adriana, one of my all time favourite meals! 🙂
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  - Adriana says
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    What do you recommend for side dishes to serve with the cabbage rolls?
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    - vikalinka says
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      Adriana, they are actually a dish in itself because they are a protein-carb-veg combo but if you really like to add something they are wonderful with mashed potatoes!
      Reply
jan says
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I have tried freezing cabbage but find that, although the leaves are easy to roll, they are tough and stringy after cooking in the oven. Is steamed cabbage more tender than frozen cabbage? Does freezing toughen the leaves?
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- vikalinka says
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  Jan, I would say that depends on the size of a cabbage. I found that freezing did the same job as steaming in terms of preping it. I usually cut away parts of thick membranes on leaves that are particularly large leaves because whether you steam them or freeze they will be tough, so they should be removed before rolling. I hope that helps. 🙂
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Brigitte Staudt says
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Thank you so much for a fantastic recipe. I hate to say with my German heritage I have never made cabbage rolls on my own! The recipe was easy, the pictures were lovely and the cabbage rolls turned out delicious–will definitely make again. I am so thrilled I stumbled across your site! Thanks again, will be checking in often!!
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- vikalinka says
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  I am so glad you ventured out into the cabbage roll making territory, Brigitte! They might seem intimidating at first but as you’ve learned they are quite easy to prepare. Thank you for your kind words and hope to hear from you again. Have a lovely weekend!
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Tonya says
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Such a great idea to freeze the cabbage instead of boiling it. So much easier, I used to dread making this dish because of the boiling process. Now I will definitely make it more often because of ur recipe 🙂 Thank u
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- vikalinka says
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  Thank you, Tonya!
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Roxanne says
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A cold and windy blast today gave me a chance to try this dish! My Family loves trying new tastes and we all agreed the was an awesome meal! The sour cream gave it a very unique flavor. I want to try the creme fraiche next time and I did not have the pork on hand, so I just used 2 pounds of the ground beef. Wish I would have had some crusty bread on hand to sop up the wonderful broth! I had cabbage and needed to use it and this recipe came up on Pinterest. Thank you for sharing.
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- vikalinka says
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  I am so happy to hear it, Roxanne. I love a family that is not afraid to be adventurous with food! Thank you for your kind comment. 🙂
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Phyllis Magarian says
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Does freezing the cabbage rolls take place of boiling them? My husband and I are alone now so I usually make a large batch to eat that night and then freeze in smaller packages to take out when we don’t feel like cooking!
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- vikalinka says
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  Yes, for the first stage when you separate cabbage leaves for rolling. You still have to cook the rolls later. 🙂
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Jess says
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These look amazing! Do you freeze your left overs before or after you cook them?
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- vikalinka says
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  I usually freeze them after I cook them but I rarely do that anymore, my 9 year-old eats like a teenager! 🙂
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Alden says
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Could this recipe work in a crockpot on low?
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- vikalinka says
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  Alden, I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not. I wouldn’t cook it for too long though…maybe just 4 hours as you don’t want your cabbage leaves to get all mushy. If you do, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
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  - Alden says
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    I tried cooking in my stock pot on low for four hours. Turned out amazing! This will definitely be a recipe we pass down. Thanks so much!
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    - vikalinka says
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      Glad you enjoyed it Alden. 🙂
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      - Lorene says
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        Best idea ever to freeze the cabbage,I’ve been make cabbage roles for years boiling the head ,removing leaf by leaf. This was a snap,no mess no burned fingers. I’m trying your recipe to day as my mom made this when we were young.
      - vikalinka says
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        Isn’t it the best kitchen hack, Lorene!! I hope you enjoy your cabbage rolls!
- Karen says
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  Could not include rice just use more meat?
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  - vikalinka says
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    That is absolutely fine, Karen.
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Elizabeth says
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Looks so delicious! Thank you for the tip about freezing the cabbage first. Can’t wait to try the recipe while the cold weather lingers.
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- vikalinka says
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  You are welcome, Elizabeth. I couldn’t believe how much easier it was!
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  - Margie says
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    Did you remove the “core” from inside the cabbage before
    you froze it? Or, when you remove from the freezer and
    slice the bottom off, do you have to remove the core?
    I look forward to your reply so that I can try this method.
    I also am tired of burning my fingers!
    Reply
    - vikalinka says
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      Margie, I didn’t remove the core before I froze it but I do always remove the core and thick ribs before I roll them.
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    - Adriana says
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      I froze my cabbage overnight and the leaves were wonderfully pliable. I think it will simplify things even more to core the cabbage in advance of freezing. Since I did not thaw it out in advance I put the whole head I. The microwave for 30 seconds at a time and peeled off a few leaves as ai needed them.
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      - vikalinka says
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        Good tips, Adriana! 🙂
- Colleen says
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  Almost identical to the Cabbage rolls my little Polish Grandmother taught me to make! Thank you for sharing!
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  - vikalinka says
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    You are most welcome, Colleen.
    Reply

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