Cabbage Rolls Halupki, also known as Galumpki, or even Pigs in a Blanket, are a classic dish with roots in Eastern European cuisine. These hearty rolls feature tender cabbage leaves stuffed with a flavorful mixture of ground beef, rice, and herbs, all baked in a savory tomato-based sauce. Whether you grew up eating them at family gatherings like I did, or are discovering them for the first time, my Mom’s cabbage roll recipe will bring comfort and flavor to your table.
Why Make These Cabbage Rolls?
- Rich in Flavor and Tradition These cabbage rolls (halupki) offer a taste of tradition, combining the savory richness of ground beef, enveloped in tender cabbage leaves with the tangy bite of sauerkraut, all slow cooked in a tomato base.
- Perfect for Meal Prep This family recipe makes a large batch, perfect for feeding a crowd or freezing for easy, homemade meals later.
- A Nutritious Comfort Food Packed with protein, fiber, and essential vitamins, cabbage rolls are a wholesome, filling dish that satisfies both your hunger and your nutritional needs.
Ingredients
While these substitutions can offer some flexibility, this is my mom’s treasured cabbage roll recipe, and I truly believe it’s best enjoyed just the way she make it!
- Green Cabbage: Substitute with Savoy cabbage for a softer texture.
- Ground Beef (80/20): Swap with ground pork, turkey, or a mix of beef and pork for a different flavor profile.
- V-8 Juice: Use tomato juice, tomato soup, or a combination of tomato sauce and water.
- Cooked Rice: Easily use Minute Rice, or replace with quinoa or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Sauerkraut: Feel free to leave out.
How to Make Cabbage Rolls (Halupki)
- Boil a large pot of water. Remove a portion of the core from each cabbage. Reduce heat to medium-high and place one cabbage into the pot. As the leaves soften and fall off, transfer them to a paper towel-lined platter. Do the same with the second head of cabbage.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cooled rice, minced onion, beaten eggs, and chopped parsley. Mix gently until just combined.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Once all usable cabbage leaves are removed, trim the thick stem of each leaf to create a uniform surface for rolling.
- Line the bottom of a roasting pan with torn cabbage leaves.
- To fill, place a whole cabbage leaf on a flat surface, stem side toward you. Add a portion of the meat mixture, roll tightly, and tuck the edges.
- Place seam-side down in the roasting pan. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture.
- Cover the rolls with sauerkraut, celery and carrots.
- Pour V-8 juice over the rolls until they are almost submerged.
- Shake a half cup of water in an empty juice bottle and add to the pan.
- Cover the pan with a lid and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-45 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 325°F (165°C) and bake for an additional 1-1.5 hours, checking periodically to ensure there is enough liquid.
How to Serve and Store Cabbage Rolls Halupki
- Serve cabbage rolls with homemade mashed potatoes, crusty bread, or buttered noodles to soak up the rich sauce.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Place cooled cabbage rolls in a single layer in a freezer-safe container. Cover with sauce and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm in the oven at 325°F (165°C) until heated through.
More Cabbage Recipes to Love
- Ground Lamb Cabbage Rolls
- Spicy Cabbage and Rice Soup
- German Braised Red Cabbage
- Haluski Cabbage and Noodles
Cabbage Rolls (Halupki)
- Total Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
Description
Cabbage Rolls (Halupki), also known as Galumpki, or even Pigs in a Blanket, are a classic dish with roots in Eastern European cuisine. These hearty rolls feature tender cabbage leaves stuffed with a flavorful mixture of ground beef, rice, and herbs, all baked in a savory tomato-based sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 medium-sized heads of green cabbage
- 3 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 96 ounces V-8 juice
- 1 cup cooked rice, cooled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more for the water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 white onion, minced
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
- 16 ounces sauerkraut, slightly rinsed and drained
- 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped, plus leaves
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly cut
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water. Remove a portion of the core from each cabbage. Reduce heat to medium-high and place one cabbage into the pot. As the leaves soften and fall off, transfer them to a paper towel-lined platter.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cooled rice, minced onion, beaten eggs, and chopped parsley. Mix gently until just combined.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Once all usable cabbage leaves are removed, trim the thick stem of each leaf to create a uniform surface for rolling.
- Line the bottom of a roasting pan with torn cabbage leaves.
- To fill, place a whole cabbage leaf on a flat surface, stem side toward you. Add a portion of the meat mixture, roll tightly, and tuck the edges.
- Place seam-side down in the roasting pan. Repeat with remaining leaves and meat mixture.
- Cover the rolls with sauerkraut, celery, and carrots. Pour V-8 juice over the rolls until they are almost submerged.
- Shake a half cup of water in an empty juice bottle and add to the pan.
- Cover the pan with a lid and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-45 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 325°F (165°C) and bake for an additional 1-1.5 hours, checking periodically to ensure there is enough liquid.
- Serve with creamy homemade mashed potatoes and crusty bread.
- ENJOY!
Notes
- Remove a fair amount of the cabbage core prior to steaming.
- Be sure to salt the water for the cabbage.
- Remove the cabbage leaves as the leaves pull away from the head of cabbage.
- Allow the steamed cabbage leaves to drain on paper towels.
- Cut the hard part of the cabbage leaf off for ease of filling and rolling.
- Adjust the amount of salt in the meat mixture to your liking. I like to use a touch more salt.
- Once filled, roll the cabbage leaf all the way to the end and tuck in the sides.
- Check the liquid levels as the cabbage rolls are baking. Add more V-8 juice, as needed.
- Bake time can vary depending on the cabbage.
- This recipe will yield approximately 18-20 cabbage rolls.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Moderate
- Cuisine: Polish, American, Serbian
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4 Comments
I swear that there were days growing up when every mom in town made halupki at the same time. ❤
[…] So go on ahead a grab a big head of cabbage and the rest of the ingredients. Only five ingredients total. Let’s get our Haluski on! BONUS. This recipe is super easy to prepare and will take just about 25 minutes. This makes a lot, so be prepared for leftovers. That’s a really good thing! If you love ethnic food, check out my recipe for Halupki (Cabbage Rolls). […]
[…] though I grew up both Serbian and Polish, I must admit that Cabbage Rolls were not my jam as a child. In fact, my Mother would make mine special without the cabbage. Of […]
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