Polish Cabbage Rolls

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Polish

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 1 30

Servings:

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Edyta

These Polish cabbage rolls are a traditional dish filled with pork, rice, onions, and spices, all wrapped in tender cabbage leaves and baked in a savory tomato sauce. Known in Poland as Golabki or Halupki, this hearty classic is a family favorite across Europe and a must-try if you love wholesome, home-cooked flavors.

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Ingredients

whole young cabbage

Filling for Golabki

1½ lbs pork
½ cup dry rice
1 large yellow or sweet onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
2 tbsp butter
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp marjoram optional

Tomato Sauce

4 cups chicken broth (Better than Bouillon – 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of hot water)
4 tbsp tomato paste
4 tbsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

Prepare the Rolls

Preheat the oven to 375F.
Place rice in a pot and cover with 1 cup of water and a sprinkle of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked through. Once the rice is cooked, set it aside to cool off.
Using a pairing knife, carefully remove the core from the cabbage.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. The pot needs to be big enough to accommodate the whole cabbage head. Once the water is boiling, place the cabbage in the hot water and cook for about 15 -20 minutes. If the entire cabbage is not submerged in the water, flip it halfway through.
Carefully remove the cabbage from the hot water and let it cool off. I usually use two large forks to take it out.
In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in the frying pan, and add chopped onions. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes until lightly golden brown.
Add minced garlic to the onions and cook for another minute. Set it aside and let it cool off.
Once the cabbage is cooled off, carefully start removing the leaves, one at a time. Do not throw out the outer leaves; use them to place at the bottom of the baking dish. I recommend the 9/13 size of the baking dish.
Once you have a stock of leaves, using a pairing knife, remove the hard part from the leaf.
In a bowl, combine the meat, cooled rice, and onions/garlic mixture; add salt, pepper, and marjoram and mix well.
Use one leaf at a time and add 2-4 tablespoons of the meat/rice filling, depending on the size of the leaf.
Fold the side parts of the leaf inwards and then bottom to the top (in a similar way that you would fold the wrap).
Place all the folded rolls into the prepared baking dish on top of the big leaves.

Make the Sauce

In a separate pot big enough to accommodate 4 cups of liquid, heat up the chicken broth.
Add tomato paste to a cup and cover with hot broth. Mix well until the tomato paste is fully incorporated.
Add the tomato paste mixture to the hot broth and bring to a boil.
Add 4 tablespoons of flour to the cup and cover it with half a cup of cold water. Mix well. Then add the flower mixture to the tomato broth and bring to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes until the flour thickens the sauce. Check for the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

Assemble

Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls.
Cover the cabbage rolls with foil and place them in the 375°F hot oven.
Bake for 90 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool off slightly before serving.
Serve with your favorite salad on the side.

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