Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Holubky / Töltött Káposzta) 🥬🍖

Ingredients:

For the rolls:

• 1 large head cabbage
• 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (or a mix of beef & pork)
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder

For the sauce:

• 2 cups tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for richness)
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp oil or butter

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Instructions:

1. Prepare cabbage leaves:
   • Bring a large pot of water to boil.
   • Core the cabbage and carefully separate leaves.
   • Blanch leaves in boiling water 2–3 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Make filling:
   • In a bowl, combine ground meat, cooked rice, onion, egg, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well.
3. Roll the cabbage:
   • Place 2–3 tbsp filling in the center of a leaf.
   • Fold sides over and roll tightly. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
4. Prepare sauce:
   • In a saucepan, heat oil or butter. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, and paprika. Simmer 5 minutes.
5. Cook rolls:
   • Place cabbage rolls seam-side down in a baking dish or pot.
   • Pour sauce over the rolls.
   • Cover and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45–50 minutes, or simmer on stove 40–50 minutes.
6. Serve:
   • Spoon sauce over rolls and enjoy hot. Optional: add a dollop of sour cream.

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✨ Tips:

• Leftovers taste even better the next day!
• For extra flavor, add a slice of smoked bacon or sausage to the sauce.

I can also make a quick 30-minute skillet version or a slow-cooker version if you want it even easier. Do you want me to do that?