Halupki (Stuffed Cabbage)

This stuffed cabbage recipe, known as halupki on the Ukrainian side of my family, is made with beef, pork, and rice encased in cabbage and drizzled with a thin, sweet tomato sauce. My grandma Eugenia taught me how to make this comfort food classic. Every family has their own twist on this traditional dish. Enjoy with mashed potatoes just as we always do in my family!

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr
• Total Time: 2 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 468 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• water to cover
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ½ pounds ground pork
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 ½ cups cooked white rice
• 1 (28 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 head cabbage, cored
• 2 ⅔ tablespoons white sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Place cabbage in a stockpot; pour over enough water to cover. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn cabbage every 2-3 minutes; transfer any leaves that separate from cabbage into a strainer to drain and cool. Continue to boil until all the leaves have cooked, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of cabbage cooking water. Cut out the tough, thick center ribs of any large cabbage leaves with a sharp knife.

Step 3

Mix ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice, eggs, onion, fresh parsley, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until combined. Lay 1 cabbage leaf on a flat surface; place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling at the base of a cabbage leaf. Overlap with the bottom of the leaf; fold in side edges and roll up. Repeat with remaining large cabbage leaves and filling.

Step 4

Cut any leftover cabbage leaves into pieces and place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Layer stuffed cabbage rolls on top.

Step 5

Combine tomato sauce, reserved cabbage water, white vinegar, and white sugar in a bowl; pour mixture over cabbage rolls. Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil.

Step 6

Bake in the preheated oven until filling is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 2 1/2 hours. Baste stuffed cabbage rolls every hour.