Golabki Polish Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Vegetarian Version Recipes

CLASSIC GOłąBKI: POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS WITH TOMATO SAUCE (PORK & RICE)

Steps:

• Wash the cabbage under running water. Even though the inside is usually clean (the outer leaves protect the inside), you might want to clean it anyway. Remove the tough outer leaves and discard them. Separate the inner leaves and wash them under running water.
• Cut out the stalk from the head.
• Grab a large cooking pot, large enough for the whole cabbage head to fit. Pour water in and bring it to boil. Add a solid pinch of salt and sugar and stir.
• Blanch the cabbage head in the boiling water, core side down. After a few minutes (2-3), the leaves should peel off easily. If not - cook it for a few more minutes.
• Remove cabbage to a baking tray, but keep the water in the pot.
• (Optional) To keep a more vibrant colour, you can place the leaves into ice water - that will slow down the cooking process.
• Set ten best leaves (largest, unbroken) aside. Using a paring knife, cut the main 'vein' out from each cabbage leaf and trim from the bottom with a knife.
• Peel an onion and dice it finely. Finely chop the garlic with a knife.
• Heat up a tablespoon or two of oil, add in chopped onion. When it turns golden, add chopped garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, a tablespoon marjoram, and cooled down onion/garlic.
• Season with salt and pepper, mix thoroughly - no special tools are necessary, you can use your hands. This mass will be our stuffing.
• Lay the cabbage leaf flat. Place about ¼-⅓ cup of meat mixture in the centre of a cabbage leaf. Gather the edges of the cabbage inwards and roll it tightly. Continue until you have 10 decent-sized rolls.
• Line the bottom of the large cooking pot with some of the remaining pre-cooked leaves - this prevents the dish from burning.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the pot, in layers, one on top of another. Cover with a layer of remaining leaves.
• Pour the stock in. Cook on a medium heat, covered for about 40-50 minutes until the cabbage is tender. Not every cabbage is the same, you'll have to check how soft it is as you go.
• When the cabbage rolls are nearly done, let's make the tomato sauce.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. When melted, add in the flour. Whisk together and cook for a bit until it gains some colour.
• Pour in around a cup (250 ml) of the stock that got made from cooking the cabbage rolls. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
• Pour in 2 cups of tomato passata/purée and add a tablespoon of tomato paste. Bring to a boil yet again, then reduce the heat to a minimum.
• Season with salt and ground pepper. If the tomatoes are too acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Continue cooking until you reach a desired thickness.
• Serve cooked cabbage rolls, with tomato sauce on top or on the side.
• Garnish with some freshly chopped dill or parsley leaves.

GOLABKI (STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place cabbage head into water, cover pot, and cook until cabbage leaves are slightly softened enough to remove from head, 3 minutes. Remove cabbage from pot and let cabbage sit until leaves are cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
• Remove 18 whole leaves from the cabbage head, cutting out any thick tough center ribs. Set whole leaves aside. Chop the remainder of the cabbage head and spread it in the bottom of a casserole dish.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion in hot butter until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool.
• Stir onion, beef, pork, rice, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place about 1/2 cup beef mixture on a cabbage leaf. Roll cabbage around beef mixture, tucking in sides to create an envelope around the meat. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture. Place cabbage rolls in a layer atop the chopped cabbage in the casserole dish; season rolls with salt and black pepper.
• Whisk tomato soup, tomato juice, and ketchup together in a bowl. Pour tomato soup mixture over cabbage rolls and cover dish wish aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cabbage is tender and meat is cooked through, about 1 hour.

POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLABKI / GOLUMKIES / GOLUMPKIS)

Steps:

• Cut 12 large leaves off of cabbage head, cover leaves with boiling water, let stand until leaves are limp (2-3 minutes); then drain OR core cabbage head, and boil cabbage until leaves are tender enough to remove easily (10-15 minutes), very carefully remove 12 large leaves (You may have to peel the outer layers first and then return the cabbage to cook and continue peeling the leaves until all are done); then drain.
• Mix beef, pork, rice, egg, milk, seasonings, and vegetables.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Put 1-4 tablespoons (depending on size of leaf) of meat mixture in center of each leaf; tuck in sides and roll to cover meat (I roll any leftover filling into meatballs and cook them with the cabbage rolls).
• Place, seam side down in baking dish.
• Mix tomato sauce with the sugar; pour over rolls.
• Cover and bake for 45-60 minutes.

GOLABKI, (POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE)

Steps:

• Core cabbage and place in a large pot of boiling water, cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes until soft enough to pull off the leaves Repeat till all the large leaves are removed.
• Sauté onion in oil till transparent.
• In a large bowl, mix meat, onion, rice, egg, salt & pepper.
• Place heaping tablespoon of meat mixture on each leaf.
• Fold sides over filling while rolling leaf around filling.
• Chop remaining cabbage and place half in the bottom of a Dutch oven.
• Layer cabbage rolls then cover with remaining chopped cabbage.
• Combine tomato soup with water, stir till smooth, then pour over cabbage and rolls.
• Cover; bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

SWEET & SOUR VEGETARIAN GOLABKI (STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS)

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil.
• Plunge cored head of cabbage in the water cooking about 5 minutes on each side, using tongs to turn.
• While cabbage is cooking, prepare other ingredients.
• In a large bowl, mix onion, vegetarian beef, rice, mushrooms, bread w/ milk, egg, ketchup and spices.
• Mix well.
• When cabbage is done, let cool for 5 minutes.
• When ready to use, carefully peel back outer leaves and fill with about 2 Tablespoons of filling.
• Roll the leaves up as you would for a burrito or an envelope, making sure you secure all the filling but not overly tight.
• Carefully place rolls closely together in a large pot, packing them tightly until all the filling is used up.
• Put the onion with cloves in the pot.
• Pour tomato sauce and broth over the rolls and bring to a bubble.
• Lower heat to low and simmer one hour, covered.
• Add lemon juice, brown sugar and ginger snaps gently incorporating into the sauce (use a baster if you need) and let simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Serve.

GOLABKI (POLISH STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS) (VEGETARIAN VERSION)

Steps:

• Slice through the base of the cabbage and cook in lightly salted boiling water until tender.
• When the leaves are tender, peel off (You may have to peel the first layers first and then return the cabbage to cook and continue peeling the leaves until all are done).
• Boil the rice until just tender; drain and set aside.
• Fry the onions in the butter until softened.
• Dice the mushrooms and fry lightly with the onions, and the Worcestershire sauce, if using.
• Mix with the rice and season with salt, pepper, garlic, paprika and parsley.
• Place a tablespoonful of the rice mixture in each cabbage leaf; carefully, tuck in sides and roll to cover rice.
• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Grease a roasting pan and place cabbage rolls seam side down in pan, packing them tightly together.
• Pour enough juice or stock over the top to cover them.
• Sprinkle lightly with remaining paprika.
• Cover and bake in oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove cover and bake for another 10 minutes to brown the cabbage lightly.

STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS (GOLABKI)

Steps:

• In a large bowl add mix Chop Meat, Egg, and Salt and Pepper then add the Rice.
• Add one can of Tomato soup to chop meat mixture, mix well.
• Set mixture until ready to stuff the cabbage leaves.
• To prepare the Cabbage leaves – Boil water in a pot big enough to hold a head of cabbage.
• Then cut out the core of the cabbage and place the head of cabbage in the hot water then wait 2-3 minutes take out cabbage and start removing the outer leaves – set them aside.
• Repeat until all leaves are removed.
• Starting with the larger leaves place around 1/3 cup of the filler mixture in center of leave.
• Fold leave in half- Tuck in the left and right side of leave and then roll the rest of the way.
• Repeat until leaves or mixture is finished (as the leaves get smaller use less filler).
• If you cook on top of stove method- Line bottom of pot with any leftover un-stuffed leaves to prevent burning of stuffed cabbage.
• Then line pot with a row of stuffed cabbage and add some tomato soup.
• Repeat until you placed all stuffed cabbage in the pot.
• Cook on a simmer for around 1 ½ hour.
• If you use the Oven or a Roasting Oven – Pre-heat oven to 375’ – in a baking dish line stuffed cabbage in rows then add tomato soup for each row – Cook for 1 hour with a lid then remove lid and cook ½ hour more (except don’t remove lid in the roasting oven).
• Enjoy.