Hearty Ukrainian Holubtsi with Sour Cream Sauce

Name: Hearty Ukrainian Holubtsi with Sour Cream Sauce
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: Cabbage; Ground beef; Cooked rice; Onion; Garlic; Egg; Salt and pepper; Tomato juice; Tomato paste; Sugar; Bay leaf; Paprika; Dried thyme; Sour cream; Lemon juice; Fresh dill; Salt

Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls Packed with Flavor

Holubtsi are traditional Ukrainian cabbage rolls filled with a savory mixture of rice and meat, simmered in a rich tomato sauce and served with a tangy sour cream accompaniment.

2 h 30 min
6
Intermediate

Ingredients

For the Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage

1 large, cored

Ground beef

1 lb

Cooked rice

1 cup

Onion

1, finely chopped

Garlic

2 cloves, minced

Egg

Salt and pepper

to taste

For the Tomato Sauce

Tomato juice

2 cups

Tomato paste

1 can (6 oz)

Sugar

1 tbsp

Bay leaf

Paprika

1 tsp

Dried thyme

1 tsp

For the Sour Cream Sauce

Sour cream

1 cup

Lemon juice

1 tbsp

Fresh dill

1 tbsp, chopped

Salt

to taste

Preparation

Preparing the Cabbage Leaves

Boil water

In a large pot, bring water to a boil.

Blanch cabbage leaves

Carefully remove cabbage leaves and blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minutes until pliable.

Dry leaves

Drain and pat dry with a towel.

Preparing the Filling

Combine ingredients

In a bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, chopped onion, minced garlic, and egg.

Be careful not to overfill the cabbage leaves to prevent tearing. For an extra rich filling, add a handful of sautéed mushrooms.

Season filling

Season with salt and pepper.

Mix filling

Mix until well combined.

Cooking Process

Rolling and Filling the Cabbage

Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into each cabbage leaf and roll tightly, tucking in the sides.

Preparing the Tomato Sauce

In a saucepan, combine tomato juice, tomato paste, sugar, bay leaf, paprika, and thyme. Stir and bring to a simmer.

Cooking the Rolls

Layer cabbage rolls in a deep oven-safe dish, pour tomato sauce over them, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 1.5 hours.

Plating & Serving