How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Gołąbki)

ground meat

🥗Healthier: lean turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Turkey is lower in fat, while chicken is often more affordable.

rice

🥗Healthier: quinoa

💰Cheaper: barley

Quinoa is a protein-rich alternative, while barley is budget-friendly.

tomato sauce

🥗Healthier: homemade tomato puree

💰Cheaper: canned tomatoes

Homemade puree avoids preservatives, while canned tomatoes are cost-effective.

caraway seeds

🥗Healthier: fennel seeds

💰Cheaper: cumin

Fennel offers a similar flavor profile, while cumin is widely available.

Fill a large pot half full with water and bring it to a boil over high heat.

In a separate pot, boil 1 cup of chicken broth over high heat.

Rinse the cabbage in the sink and discard the outer leaves.

Core the cabbage with a paring knife.

Peel and mince the onion and garlic, pressing down with the flat side of a knife to crack the garlic open for easier peeling.

Once the water and broth begin to boil, reduce heat on both pots to low.

Place the cabbage in the large pot, cover with a lid, and allow to blanch for 5 minutes.

Add the half cup of rice to the boiling chicken broth and cover it as well, allowing it to cook for 12 minutes.

After 5 minutes, remove the cabbage from the heat and place it in a bowl until cool enough to handle.

Once the rice is finished cooking, remove it from the heat as well.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk together the egg, marjoram, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.

Mix in the ground pork, cooked rice, and half of the onion and garlic with your hands to make the filling.

Combine the tomato sauce with the remaining quarter cup of chicken broth and the rest of the onion and garlic to make the sauce.

Spread 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish.

Separate the cabbage leaves, discarding any that are too damaged to stuff, until you have about 14 to 18 good leaves.

Cut off an inch long portion of the main vein of each cabbage leaf to make them easier to roll.

Roll about a quarter cup of the filling mixture into a log and place it into a prepared cabbage leaf just above the incision on the main vein.

Roll the bottom part of the leaf over the filling, tuck in the sides, and continue rolling tightly until the leaf is fully wrapped around the filling.

Place the rolled cabbage into the casserole dish seam side down.

Cover the cabbage rolls with the rest of the tomato sauce.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about an hour.

After baking for an hour, remove the cabbage rolls from the oven.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: