Why is my stuffed cabbage tough?

If your cooked cabbage is tough, it's likely because the cabbage is not cooked through yet . Continue to cook the rolls until they're tender. It's also important to make sure you let the rolls rest after they're finished baking.

What is the best type of cabbage for cabbage rolls?

Any variety of green cabbage will do for this recipe, but we went with savoy cabbage because the leaves are a bit looser and easier to work with. The leaves are also just the right shape and size for this application.

What is stuffed cabbage made of?

The cabbage rolls are filled with a mixture of beef, pork, brown rice, and fresh herbs and spices , then baked in a homemade tomato-based sauce, which has an amazing depth of flavor. Served with extra sauce on the side because you can never have too much sauce!

How long does cabbage take to soften?

Step 1Cut cabbage into wedges or slice it thin. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add cabbage. (It's OK to crowd the pot because the cabbage will shrink!) Step 2Boil until tender, about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage and 10 minutes for wedges .

What happens if you cook cabbage too long?

You overcook the cabbage Overcooked cabbage is rather unappetizing as it becomes too soft and attains "that" annoying smell that dissuades many from cooking cabbage .

Can dogs have cabbage?

All varieties of cabbage are not only tasty to your dog, they are also very healthy . Cabbage helps your dog's digestive system and is good for their skin. It can cause flatulence (gas) in dogs, so remember to feed cabbage in small amounts, and introduce it into their diet slowly.

How long can you eat stuffed cabbage?

Do you want to eat the stuffed cabbage in the next week? If so, place them in the refrigerator. The stuffed cabbage will stay fresh for up to 1 week . If not, place them in the freezer.

What nationality eats the most cabbage?

China produces nearly half of the world's cabbage while Russia consumes the most per person. The average Russian eats about 44 pounds of cabbage a year. That compares to the 8.6 pounds eaten by Americans. Raw cabbage is rich in vitamin C.

Why do you put baking soda in cabbage?

Baking soda does help green vegetables retain color, but it causes undesirable color changes in red cabbage—it turned blue. The science can be distilled to this: Adding baking soda to cooking water makes it slightly alkaline, which stabilizes the green color of chlorophyll .

Why are my cabbage rolls chewy?

If your cabbage rolls are too tough, it means that you have not cooked them long enough.

How do you know if cabbage is overcooked?

Cabbage is sweet and aromatic when cooked correctly. But the same sulfuric compounds that provide many of its health benefits can turn saboteur when overcooked, creating a pungent, unpleasant smell .

Does baking powder soften cabbage?

The baking soda, however, turned red cabbage a scary shade of blue because the cabbage's pigments (red anthocyanins) turn blue in alkaline environments. Baking soda also accelerates softening in all vegetables, no matter what their color .

Does cabbage go soft when cooked?

Opt for Green or Savoy Cabbage Use green or Savoy cabbage because they're the best cabbage varieties for boiling, becoming tender and sweet after cooking .

Golubtsi Recipe (Easy Russian Stuffed Cabbage) (2024)

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Whether you call these golubtsi, golabki, golumpki, or simply Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, you're going to love this classic Eastern European dinner. This recipe is the perfect combination of beef, rice, cabbage baked in a tasty tomato sauce. Hearty, delicious, and full of healthy ingredients!

Not to get allfood-blogger-life-story on you, but homemade cabbage rolls was something my grandma made when we were growing up. It is such a hearty, satisfying meal that I absolutely missed from childhood, so I had to recreate it and share the recipe with you.

Even if you're not typically a fan of cabbage, this golubtsi recipe is worth trying. It is absolutely different than the plain, mushy boiled cabbage we all eat once a year for St. Patrick's day.

This recipe is full of flavor, thanks for a special seasonings added to the beef and rice filling. The way that the cabbage holds in the beef and rice and other ingredients is perfect and has such a great flavor and texture.

Related recipe:Cabbage and Kielbasa Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 large head of cabbage (approximately 15-18 leaves)
1 ½ pounds ground beef
¾ cup uncooked white rice
1 medium onion, diced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 10-oz cans of tomato soup (I used Campbell’s)
1 large egg

You'll also need:

9x13 inch baking dish
Foil
Tongs or a slotted spoon for removing the cabbage leaves from boiling water

Related recipe:Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon

How to make homemade cabbage rolls:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: Carefully remove approximately 15-18 leaves from the cabbage.

Step 3: Fill a large stockpot with water and bring it to a boil. Place the cabbage leaves in the boiling water and simmer until softened, about 30 seconds to a minute. You might need to do this in a few batches. Set the cooked cabbage leaves aside.

Step 4: While the cabbage is simmering, combine the ground beef, rice, onion, seasonings, and egg, mixing well. It is OK to overmix this mixture, it should be like a thick paste.

Step 5: Open one can of tomato soup and pour it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, then use a large spoon to spread it around.

Tips for making cabbage rolls

Make certain to let the cabbage rolls cool before filling them.
If you prefer a suuuper soft rice inside your cabbage rolls, you can pre-cook the rice for about 10 minutes before mixing it with the ground beef.
If you can't get the cabbage leaves to stay closed once they are rolled up, you might have too much filling inside. Take a little bit out and try again.
Make certain to put the seams down on the cabbage rolls so that they bake and stay closed. Otherwise, all the goodness will spill out into the pan.... but even if the goodness spills out, it is absolutely delicious all mixed in with the tomato sauce!

Related recipe:Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Ground beef substitutions for stuffed cabbage

I love subbing out half of the ground beef for ground pork or ground turkey. These cabbage rolls can be made with just ground turkey, ground pork, or ground lamb instead of beef.

What side dishes go well with homemade cabbage rolls

We love sopping up the sauce with some bread - try making a homemade baguette or toasting whole wheat bread. If you want to add a traditional Eastern European salad to your meal, try making this Russian Beet Salad as a starter.

However you decide to serve this homemade cabbage roll recipe,please take a picture and tag me on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK. You can find me at @babaganoshblog on both. I love seeing your creations!

Why are my cabbage rolls tough?

If the texture of your cabbage rolls are tough, it just means that you need to cook them for a little bit longer. They shouldn't have a chew to them at all once they're cooked all the way through.

Related recipe:Draniki (Russian Potato Fritters)

Can I freeze cabbage rolls?

You sure can freeze cabbage rolls! The key is to freeze them before you cook them in the oven. Just cover and add to your freezer. When you're ready to cook, let them thaw overnight in the fridge, then cook according to the recipe.

How long can cabbage rolls stay in the fridge?

Leftover stuffed cabbage rolls need to be eaten within 3 days to make sure that they're still fresh and delicious. But they never really last that long anyway! 🙂

Don’t miss these other recipes using cabbage:

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Stir Fry with Pork
Crunchy Soba Noodle and Red Cabbage Stir Fry

Other Eastern European recipes to try:

Syrniki
Air fryer kielbasa
Zapekanka
Fried cauliflower
Buttermilk blini

If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!

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4.85 from 46 votes

Homemade Cabbage Rolls

This is my absolute favorite golubtsi recipe (stuffed cabbage). Just a few minutes of prep and hands-on time, then the cabbage rolls are baked in a delicious tomato sauce until perfection!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Eastern European, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian

Servings: 4

Author: Kate

Ingredients

1 large cabbage - (you'll need approximately 15-18 leaves)
1½ lb ground beef
¾ cup uncooked white rice
1 medium onion - diced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
2 10-oz cans of tomato soup - (I used Campbell’s)

Special equipment

9x13 baking dish
Large pot
Tongs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Carefully remove approximately 15-18 leaves from the cabbage.
Fill a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Place the cabbage leaves in the boiling water and simmer until softened, about 30 seconds to a minute. Set the cooked cabbage leaves aside.
While the cabbage is simmering, combine the ground beef, rice, onion, seasonings, and egg, mixing well.
Open one can of tomato soup and pour it into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish, then use a large spoon to spread it around.
Once the cabbage leaves have cooled, fill each cabbage leaf with about ½ cup of the meat and rice mixture. Roll the cabbage leaf end over the meat mixture, fold the sides of the cabbage leaf in, and then roll completely closed.
Place the rolled cabbage rolls seam side down in the prepared baking pan and repeat with all the leaves and meat mixture.
Pour the second can of tomato soup over the prepared cabbage rolls.
Cover with foil and bake for 90 minutes.

Notes

Try these with a mixture of ground beef and ground pork or ground turkey!
If your cabbage rolls are not staying rolled, try stuffing them with a little less meat mixture to make sure stay closed.
Turn this into a freezer meal: prepare the cabbage rolls in an aluminum foil tray and freeze. When ready to serve, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and bake according to the recipe.

Nutrition

The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.