Holubtsi
Holubtsi (голубці): Ukrainian cabbage rolls with pork, beef and rice in tomato sauce
Holubtsi, 'little doves', are the cabbage rolls of Ukrainian family feasts, made by the trayful for weddings, christenings and Christmas in homes from Lviv to Poltava. This version contains pork: tender cabbage leaves wrap a mix of pork and beef mince, rice, onion and carrot, and the rolls bake slowly in a tomato and soured cream sauce. Serve with more soured cream and dill. Chef's tip: core the cabbage and simmer the whole head, peeling off leaves as they soften; they come away without tearing.
- Total time
- 135 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the rolls
For the sauce
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put the whole 1 white cabbage in a large pan of boiling salted water. As the outer leaves soften, after 2–3 minutes, peel them off with tongs. You need about 18 leaves. Shave down the thick ribs with a knife.
20 minStep 2: Boil 5 ½ oz long-grain rice for 7 minutes so it is half cooked, then drain and cool. Fry 1 onion and 1 carrot in 2 tbsp sunflower oil for 8 minutes until soft and cool them too.
10 minStep 3: Mix 10 ½ oz pork mince, 10 ½ oz beef mince, the rice, half the onion and carrot, 1 ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp fresh dill. Wash your hands after handling raw meat.
5 minStep 4: Put 2 tablespoons of filling on each leaf, fold the bottom over, then the sides, and roll up firmly. Lay any leftover leaves in a deep ovenproof dish and pack the rolls on top, seam side down.
20 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Mix 2 cups tomato passata, ¾ cup soured cream, 1 ¼ cups chicken stock, 1 tsp sugar and the rest of the onion and carrot, pour it over the rolls and tuck in 2 bay leaves.
5 minStep 6: Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then uncover for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens and the centre of a roll reaches 160°F. A common mistake is using raw rice; it may not cook through in the sauce.
90 minStep 7: Rest for 10 minutes and serve with ½ cup soured cream, to serve.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 440 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does holubtsi take?
- About 135 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of long-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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