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stuffed cabbage roll on white plate, tomato sauce underneath, sprinkling of parsley on top
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4.84 from 6 votes

Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls is a Polish dish; Galumpkis, where cabbage is stuffed with a mixture of meat, rice and seasonings and baked in a tomato sauce. 
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Beef, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Polish
Keyword: Galumpki, Golabki, Golumpki, Polish cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage rolls
Servings: 8 rolls
Calories: 261kcal
Author: NicholeL

Ingredients

  • 8 leaves green cabbage
  • 28 oz crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup onion diced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 cup white rice cooked
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoon parsley chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Fill a large pot with water. Cut the stem out of the cabbage and add the cabbage to the pot. Bring to a boil, and boil 3-5 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the water and let rest until it's cool enough to touch.
  • Carefully peel 8 leaves off of the cabbage head and use a knife to cut a "V" where the thicker stem is. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan, add the crushed tomatoes, brown sugar and red wine vinegar. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  • Add ground beef, cooked rice, egg, parsley, salt and pepper to the bowl with the onion and garlic. Mix until combined.
  • Form small logs with the beef mixture, approximately 4 inches long by 2 inches wide.
  • Place a log of meat into the cabbage leaves and roll up, tucking in the ends. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves.
  • Pour half of the tomato sauce mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange the cabbage rolls into the dish and pour the remainder of the tomato sauce on top.
  • Bake for 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

To Freeze: place cooked and cooled cabbage rolls in a ziplock bag or freezer-safe container with a little bit of sauce. Freeze for up to 3 months. 
To Cook from Frozen: place frozen rolls and sauce in a deep saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until they're heated through. 
To Make in Advance: form the meat filling and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Prepare the sauce, cool and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Boil the cabbage and remove the leaves, then let cool completely. Refrigerate in a ziplock bag for 1-2 days. Let cabbage leaves come to room temperature before filling with the meat mixture so they're more pliable. 
Additions and Substitutions: ground beef can be replaced with lamb or a 50/50 mixture of both can be used. Parsley can be replaced with or used in addition to Italian seasoning. Crushed tomatoes can be replaced with tomato sauce or canned tomato soup. Garlic and parsley can be added for more flavor, as can 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire or A1 to make a more flavorful sauce. Red wine vinegar can be replaced with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Add shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the rolls at the last 15 minutes of baking for a less traditional version of the dish. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1roll | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg