🥬 Grandma’s Stuffed Cabbage (Holishkes / Golabki)
A timeless, comforting dish of tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory filling of meat and rice, simmered in a rich, tangy tomato sauce.
📜 Introduction
Stuffed cabbage is a cherished dish found across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Each culture has its own name and slight variation, but the core principle remains: soft, blanched cabbage leaves envelop a hearty, well-seasoned filling, then are slow-cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender. This recipe yields a generous pot of comfort, perfect for gatherings, holidays, or a meal that stretches over days (it tastes even better the next day).
📖 A Brief History
The dish likely originated in the Middle East and traveled along trade routes and through cultural exchanges into Eastern Europe. Jewish Ashkenazi communities call it Holishkes or Praakes, Poles call it Gołąbki (“little pigeons”), while in Ukraine it’s Holubtsi. It was peasant food—born of necessity, using inexpensive, hearty ingredients like cabbage, ground meat, and grain to create a nutritious, filling meal that could feed a large family. It symbolizes hospitality, celebration, and resourcefulness.
✅ Benefits & Why Lovers of Good Food Adore It
· Nutritious & Balanced: Combines protein, vegetables, and grains in one package.
· Economical & Feeds a Crowd: Stretches a small amount of meat with rice and cabbage.
· Ultimate Comfort Food: The tender cabbage, savory filling, and tangy-sweet sauce are deeply satisfying.
· Freezer-Friendly: Perfect for make-ahead meals.
· Connects to Heritage: For many, it’s a taste of childhood and family tradition.
🛒 Ingredients
For the Cabbage & Prep:
· 1 large whole green cabbage (about 3-4 lbs / 1.5-2 kg)
· Salt for blanching water
For the Filling:
· 1.5 lbs (700g) ground meat (a mix of beef and pork is traditional, or use all beef)
· 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
· 1 large onion, finely diced
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 large egg
· 2 tsp sweet paprika
· 1 tsp dried marjoram or thyme
· 1 tsp salt
· ½ tsp black pepper
· ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
For the Cooking Sauce:
· 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
· 1 large onion, chopped
· 2 cans (28 oz / 800g each) crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
· 3 cups beef or vegetable broth
· ¼ cup brown sugar or honey (adjust to taste)
· ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
· 2 bay leaves
· Salt and pepper to taste
For Serving (Optional):
· Sour cream
· Chopped fresh dill or parsley
· Crusty bread
👩🍳 Methods & Instructions
Part 1: Preparing the Cabbage Leaves
1. Core the Cabbage: Use a sharp knife to cut a deep circle around the core at the bottom of the cabbage and remove it.
2. Blanch: Bring a very large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the whole cabbage head. As the outer leaves soften and become pliable (after 3-5 minutes), carefully peel them off with tongs and place them in a colander or on a tray. Return the cabbage to the water to soften the next layer. Repeat until you have 12-16 large, intact leaves.
3. Trim: Use a paring knife to shave down the thick central rib on each leaf to make rolling easier. Set aside.
Part 2: Making the Filling & Formation
1. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rinsed rice, diced onion, garlic, egg, paprika, marjoram, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
2. Formation: Place a cabbage leaf on a work surface with the rib side facing up. Place a portion of filling (about ¼ to ⅓ cup, depending on leaf size) near the bottom center of the leaf.
3. Roll: Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly like a burrito. Repeat with all leaves and filling.
Part 3: Building the Pot & Cooking
1. Make the Sauce: In the same large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft. Add crushed tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, vinegar, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
2. Layer the Rolls: Place a few leftover small cabbage leaves or scraps at the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking. Nestle the stuffed cabbage rolls, seam-side down, into the sauce in tight, single layers. You may have two layers.
3. Cook: Pour any remaining sauce over the top. The rolls should be nearly submerged. Cover the pot with a lid. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, until the rice in the filling is fully cooked and the cabbage is very tender.
🧑🔬 Nutrition Information (Per Serving, approx. 2 rolls)
· Calories: ~350-400
· Protein: 20g
· Carbohydrates: 35g
· Fat: 15g
· Fiber: 5g
· Key Vitamins/Minerals: High in Vitamin C (from cabbage and tomatoes), Vitamin K, Iron, and B Vitamins.
🎉 Conclusion & For the Lovers of this Dish
This stuffed cabbage recipe is more than just a meal; it’s a project of love, a connection to generations of home cooks who have shared this humble yet magnificent dish. The slow simmering fills your home with an irresistible aroma, promising a feast that nourishes both body and soul.
For the lovers of deep, savory flavors and texture contrast—the soft cabbage, the fluffy, fragrant filling, the vibrant sauce—this is your culinary anthem. Serve it with a dollop of cool sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh herbs, and plenty of bread for sopping up the sauce. Share it with family, with friends, or savor it over the week, knowing that like all great traditions, its flavor only deepens with time. Enjoy this taste of history, comfort, and sheer deliciousness.
