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These traditional Ukrainian cabbage rolls feature ground meat, rice, veggies, and a succulent tomato-based sauce. They’re so delicious — just like grandma used to make!

Plated Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls.

Let’s talk cabbage rolls… it seems that each Eastern European country has their own variation of this dish (not to mention the countless variations between cooks!). An “authentic” cabbage roll recipe is a hot matter of debate, so where did these rolls actually come from? They are generally believed to have originated in the ancient Middle East (like Turkey or Israel), then spread to countries like Romania, Poland, Ukraine, and Russia.

I’ve tasted and tested so many different versions of stuffed cabbage rolls over the years, but this particular recipe wins every time. It comes courtesy of my grandma, who always made them on the weekends or during the holidays. Her recipe was a traditional version of Ukrainian cabbage rolls, also known as “halupki” or “golubtsi/holubtsi.” My grandma passed the recipe down through the generations, and it ultimately landed in my hands — so today, I’m passing the recipe down to you! These cabbage rolls are a staple for all our family gatherings.

Looking for a vegetarian option? Make our vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls for a flavorful meat-less option!

Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls Video

How To Make Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls

Perhaps the most intimidating part of making cabbage rolls is the rolling! Fear not, as this process is actually quite easy, and the sturdiness of the cabbage leaves makes rolling a breeze.

  • Cook the rice and veggies: Cook the rice in a pot of salted water. Sauté the carrots and onions in an oiled pan until they are tender.
  • Mix up the filling: Mix together the cooled rice, veggies, ground meat, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
  • Boil and peel the cabbage: Place the whole head of cabbage in a large pot of boiling water and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Remove the cabbage from the water, then carefully peel off the leaves. Slice each leaf in half to remove the hard spine.
  • Assemble the cabbage rolls: Fill each cabbage leaf with a heaping spoonful of the filling, then roll them up into a cone shape and press the tops in. Place the cabbage rolls in a cast iron pot or Dutch oven (this one is my favorite!). Pack the rolls tightly together and make sure the seam side is facing down.
  • Make the sauce: In a preheated skillet with oil, sauté the onion rings until they are golden brown. Mix in the sour cream and tomato sauce.
  • Bake the cabbage rolls: Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls, then bake them at 375°F for 45 minutes. Serve the rolls warm.
Cabbage boiling at a pot
Filling for the cabbage roll
Cabbage leaves in a bowl

Tips from the Kitchen

These Ukrainian stuffed cabbage rolls will be your new favorite low-carb meal. Follow these tips to achieve the best flavor and texture!

  • Use a BIG cabbage. The bigger the head of cabbage is, the larger the leaves are — which means they’ll be easier to fill and roll.
  • Soften up the cabbage leaves. In order to roll the leaves without tearing and produce perfectly tender rolls, the leaves must be soft. Boil the head of cabbage for 2-3 minutes, or freeze it for a few days and thaw it when you’re ready to make the rolls.
  • Mix up the meat. Use a mixture of ground beef or ground pork for the best flavor, or use ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter version.
  • Overlap the small leaves. Once the leaves get too small to stuff individually, take two small ones and overlap them before filling and rolling. Or, place the small leaves into the pot for extra veggie treats!
  • Avoid overfilling. A large spoonful of filling is the sweet spot. Any more, and the filling will leak out of the rolls.

Ways to Serve

Cabbage rolls are incredibly delicious with just sour cream and fresh dill; however, they also pair well with a vegetable side dish. To keep things simple, make our classic garden salad. If you want an Eastern European-inspired salad, go with a beet vinaigrette salad. You may not feel like making an entire salad, and that’s okay — marinated mushrooms or asparagus with bacon are excellent single-veggie options. Finish the meal off with a favorite Eastern-European dessert: plombir ice cream!

Natalya with Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls.

Storage & Reheating

Cabbage rolls are one of those dishes that almost guarantee leftovers. We like to make a large batch and have some on hand for the rest of the week.

  • Storage: Storeleftover cabbage rolls for up to a week in the dutch oven you baked them in or an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Reheating: Reheat the rolls in the microwave or on a skillet over medium-low heat.

Hot tip: I don’t recommend freezing cabbage rolls because the texture of the cabbage will change. If you must, allow the rolls to cool completely, then place them into a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to three months.

More Stuffed Veggie Recipes

Recipe

Cabbage Rolls on a plate

Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls

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Servings
15 servings
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin
These traditional Ukrainian cabbage rolls feature ground meat, rice, veggies, and a succulent tomato-based sauce. They're so delicious — just like grandma used to make!

Ingredients

Cabbage Rolls

  • 1/2 lb white rice
  • 2 large carrots grated
  • 2 medium onions diced
  • 1 lb ground meat chicken and beef is a great combo
  • 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp pepper adjust to taste
  • 1 large cabbage head
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Cabbage Rolls Sauce

  • 1 large onion cut in half rings
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
US Units – Metric

Instructions

  • Cook the rice in a pot of salted water. Sauté the grated carrots and diced onions with olive oil. Allow the rice, carrots, and onions to cool.
    Ingredients for cabbage rolls
  • In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat, rice, carrots, onions, salt, and pepper.
    Filling for the cabbage roll
  • Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large deep pot, then add the whole cabbage head. Boil it for 2-3 minutes, then remove it and peel off the cabbage leaves until they become too small. Try to keep the leaves from breaking. Allow the leaves to cool.
    Cabbage boiling at a pot
  • Cut out the hard part of the cabbage leaves by slicing each piece in half and removing the middle spine.
    Cabbage leaves in a bowl
  • Hold a cabbage leaf in the palm of your hand, add a heaping spoonful of the filling to the center, and roll the cabbage leaf up into a cone shape.
    Hand with cabbage leaf, another and with cabbage roll
  • Poke the top of the roll down into the filling. Repeat until all the cabbage leaves are used up.
    Rolled yo cabbage roll in process
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the cabbage rolls into a ceramic pot in layers, spaced tightly together.
  • To make the sauce, heat a skillet on medium-high heat with a bit of oil, then add the onion rings and sauté until they are golden brown. Add the sour cream and tomato sauce to the pan and mix to combine.
    Onion sour cream and tomato sauce in a pan
  • Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls, then bake them for 45 minutes.
    Sauce over the cabbage rolls
  • Serve the cabbage rolls warm with a dollop of sour cream and fresh herbs. Enjoy!
    Cabbage Rolls in a bowl
Nutrition Facts
Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 179 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 34mg11%
Sodium 91mg4%
Potassium 374mg11%
Carbohydrates 19g6%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 1549IU31%
Vitamin C 24mg29%
Calcium 54mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Updated November 11, 2024

About Author

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Natalya founded Momsdish to demonstrate that placing a homemade meal on the table is not hard at all. Natalya makes cooking easier and approachable, by simplifying the ingredients, while still producing the same great taste.