1900s-present - Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian, Jewish, and Eastern European immigrant families

Cabbage Rolls

Name: Cabbage Rolls
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 large green cabbage; 1 pound ground beef; 1/2 pound ground pork; 1 cup cooked rice; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups tomato sauce; 1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional; 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, optional

Cabbage rolls came to American tables through many Eastern European and Jewish immigrant communities. Polish golabki, Ukrainian holubtsi, Slovak holubky, Jewish holishkes, and related dishes all wrap humble cabbage around a filling that stretches meat with rice or grain.

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Difficulty

Moderate

Prep time

45 minutes

Cook time

1 hour 30 minutes

Total time

2 hours 15 minutes

Servings

6 to 8 servings

Region

Eastern European American kitchens and immigrant cities

Era introduced

1900s-present

Introduced by

Polish, Slovak, Ukrainian, Jewish, and Eastern European immigrant families

Recipe tools

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The Story

Stuffed cabbage is labor, memory, and thrift in one pan. Cabbage leaves turn into wrappers, rice stretches the meat, and tomato or sweet-sour sauce keeps everything tender. In America, cabbage rolls became part of church suppers, holiday tables, diners, and freezer meals in communities shaped by Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Hungarian, Jewish, and other Eastern European immigration.

Ingredients

1 large green cabbage
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, optional

Equipment

Baking dish
Large pot
Skillet
Oven
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Mixing bowl
Spatula

Directions

Core cabbage and simmer whole head until leaves soften.
Peel off large leaves and trim thick ribs.
Mix beef, pork, rice, onion, egg, salt, and pepper.
Place a small portion of filling on each cabbage leaf.
Fold sides over filling and roll tightly.
Spread some tomato sauce in a baking dish.
Arrange rolls seam side down and cover with remaining sauce.
Add brown sugar and lemon juice or vinegar for sweet-sour sauce if desired.
Cover and bake at 350 F until filling is cooked and cabbage is tender, 1 1/2 hours.