{"id":"recipe_76f0612cfa","slug":"ukrainian-cabbage-rolls-holubtsi","title":"Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi)","description":"A comforting Eastern European classic featuring tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a savory filling of ground meat and rice, smothered in a tangy tomato and sour cream sauce.","serves":6,"time":{"prepMinutes":45,"cookMinutes":75,"totalMinutes":120,"activeMinutes":60},"ingredients":[{"id":"ingredient-1","original":"1 large head of green cabbage","name":"Cabbage","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"whole head","notes":"green cabbage","group":"Wrapper","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-2","original":"500g ground beef","name":"Ground Beef","quantity":500,"unit":"g","usQuantity":1.1,"usUnit":"lb","form":"ground","notes":"can be mixed with pork","group":"Filling","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-3","original":"200g white rice","name":"White Rice","quantity":200,"unit":"g","usQuantity":"1","usUnit":"cup","form":"uncooked","notes":"long-grain or medium-grain","group":"Filling","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-4","original":"2 medium onions, finely chopped","name":"Onion","quantity":2,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"piece","form":"finely chopped","notes":"yellow or white","group":"Filling & Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-5","original":"1 medium carrot, grated","name":"Carrot","quantity":1,"unit":"piece","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"piece","form":"grated","notes":"","group":"Filling & Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-6","original":"3 garlic cloves, minced","name":"Garlic","quantity":3,"unit":"clove","usQuantity":3,"usUnit":"clove","form":"minced","notes":"","group":"Filling","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-7","original":"150g tomato paste","name":"Tomato Paste","quantity":150,"unit":"g","usQuantity":5.3,"usUnit":"oz","form":"","notes":"","group":"Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-8","original":"200ml sour cream","name":"Sour Cream","quantity":200,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"3/4","usUnit":"cup","form":"","notes":"full fat preferred","group":"Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-9","original":"500ml beef or vegetable broth","name":"Vegetable Broth","quantity":500,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":"2","usUnit":"cup","form":"","notes":"","group":"Sauce","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-10","original":"2 tbsp vegetable oil","name":"Vegetable Oil","quantity":30,"unit":"ml","usQuantity":2,"usUnit":"tbsp","form":"","notes":"for sautéing","group":"Cooking","optional":false},{"id":"ingredient-11","original":"Salt and black pepper to taste","name":"Black Pepper","quantity":1,"unit":"pinch","usQuantity":1,"usUnit":"pinch","form":"","notes":"to taste","group":"Seasoning","optional":false}],"instructions":[{"id":"instruction-1","text":"Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the core from the cabbage and place the whole head in the water. Boil for a few minutes until the outer leaves soften, then peel them off one by one and set aside. Repeat until all usable leaves are removed.","group":"Preparation","title":"Bring a large pot of salted water","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-2","text":"Cook the rice in boiling water for about 10 minutes (it should be parboiled, not fully cooked). Drain and let cool.","group":"Preparation","title":"Cook the rice in boiling water","timerMinutes":10,"sourceTitle":"Preparation"},{"id":"instruction-3","text":"Heat oil in a skillet and sauté half of the onions and all of the grated carrot until softened. In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, parboiled rice, sautéed vegetables, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.","group":"Filling","title":"Heat oil in a skillet and sauté half of the onions and all of the grated carrot","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Filling"},{"id":"instruction-4","text":"Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the base of each cabbage leaf. Fold the sides in and roll tightly. Place the rolls seam-side down in a large baking dish or heavy pot.","group":"Assembly","title":"Place about 2 tablespoons of filling","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Assembly"},{"id":"instruction-5","text":"To make the sauce, sauté the remaining onion, then stir in tomato paste, broth, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls.","group":"Sauce","title":"To make the sauce, sauté the remaining onion","timerMinutes":null,"sourceTitle":"Sauce"},{"id":"instruction-6","text":"Cover the dish with foil or a lid. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 60-75 minutes until the cabbage is tender and the filling is cooked through.","group":"Cooking","title":"Cover the dish with foil or a lid","timerMinutes":75,"sourceTitle":"Cooking"}],"notes":"For the best flavor, use a mix of ground pork and beef. If the cabbage leaves are still stiff after boiling, you can trim the thick central vein with a knife to make rolling easier.","cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Ukrainian"]},"course":["main"],"cookingMethod":["bake","braise","boil","saute"],"equipment":["large pot","skillet","baking dish","grater","mixing bowl"],"diet":["high_protein"],"allergens":["milk"],"difficulty":"medium","yield":{"amount":18,"unit":"roll","note":"Yields approximately 18-20 cabbage rolls depending on leaf size"},"makeAhead":{"instructions":"Holubtsi can be assembled a day in advance and kept in the fridge before baking. They also taste even better the next day when the flavors have melded."},"storage":{"food":{"instructions":"Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.","reheatingNotes":"Reheat in the oven at 325°F (163°C) covered, or in the microwave."}},"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_76f0612cfa%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=d9038d81-9a87-4772-9bba-fbb461d2c34a","imageAlt":"Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi) — recipe cover","aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","sourceUrl":"","tags":["cabbage rolls","holubtsi","ukrainian food","meat and rice","stuffed cabbage","comfort food"],"schemaVersion":1,"sourceTitle":"Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls (Holubtsi)","sourcePublishedAt":"2026-02-04T05:14:46.191Z","sourceUpdatedAt":"2026-02-04T05:14:46.191Z","related":[{"id":"recipe_943b7108be","slug":"buckwheat-porridge-hrechana-kasha","title":"Buckwheat Porridge (Hrechana Kasha)","description":"A nutritious, nutty, and comforting Eastern European staple. This fluffy buckwheat porridge is a healthy, gluten-free dish that is perfect for breakfast or as a hearty side.","serves":2,"time":{"prepMinutes":5,"cookMinutes":20,"totalMinutes":25,"activeMinutes":10},"cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Ukrainian"]},"course":["main","side"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free","high_protein"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_943b7108be%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=7dd38cb8-7bb4-48fd-b6e8-db1d1eed0a49","imageAlt":"Buckwheat Porridge (Hrechana Kasha) — recipe cover","tags":["healthy","gluten-free","grains","comfort food","ukrainian"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":4,"stepCount":5},{"id":"recipe_2de0ebda17","slug":"classic-fried-eggs-yayechnya","title":"Classic Fried Eggs (Yayechnya)","description":"A simple and hearty Eastern European breakfast staple, perfectly fried in butter until the whites are set and the yolks remain golden and runny.","serves":1,"time":{"prepMinutes":1,"cookMinutes":4,"totalMinutes":5,"activeMinutes":5},"cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Ukrainian"]},"course":["main"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian","gluten_free","keto","low_carb"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Frecipe_2de0ebda17%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=0988b3e6-a90f-4431-b861-ac88053e5f08","imageAlt":"Classic Fried Eggs (Yayechnya) — recipe cover","tags":["eggs","breakfast","quick","protein","ukrainian","low carb"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":4,"stepCount":5},{"id":"ovsena_kasa_da34fa4a4b","slug":"creamy-oatmeal-ovsena-kasa","title":"Creamy Oatmeal (Ovsená Kaša)","description":"A comforting and nourishing Eastern European breakfast staple made with rolled oats simmered in milk and water, traditionally served with a knob of butter and honey.","serves":1,"time":{"prepMinutes":2,"cookMinutes":8,"totalMinutes":10,"activeMinutes":8},"cuisine":{"group":"Eastern European","specific":["Slovak"]},"course":["main"],"difficulty":"easy","diet":["vegetarian"],"image":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/ezdish-prod.firebasestorage.app/o/public_recipes%2Fovsena_kasa_da34fa4a4b%2Fcover.jpg?alt=media&token=f129ec12-1f3d-4b53-b747-f42d48dcf3a2","imageAlt":"Creamy Oatmeal (Ovsená Kaša) — recipe cover","tags":["oatmeal","porridge","healthy","warm breakfast","easy breakfast","slovak"],"aiGenerated":true,"publishedAt":"2026-10-10","updatedAt":"2026-10-11","ingredientCount":6,"stepCount":5}]}