Halupki (Stuffed Cabbage)

Halupki, also known as stuffed cabbage on the Russian/Ukranian side of my family, is a dish made of rice, beef, and pork encased in cabbage drizzled with a thin, sweet tomato sauce. My grandma Eugenia is 98 and she taught me how to make this comfort food classic. Every family has their own twist on this traditional dish. I hope you enjoy these 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
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 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
• 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

Cover roasting pan with aluminum foil.

Step 3

Place the cabbage in a stockpot with enough water to cover.

Step 4

Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to the water and cabbage.

Step 5

Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn cabbage every 2-3 minutes and remove leaves that separate from cabbage and place in a strainer to cool. Boil until all the leaves have cooked, about 15 minutes.

Step 6

Reserve 12 oz. of cabbage water.

Step 7

Trim thick center vein off of bottom of each cabbage leaf.

Step 8

In a large bowl thoroughly mix together, ground beef, ground pork, rice, chopped onion, fresh parsley, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Step 9

Lightly pack a small amount of meat mixture and place in the center of the cabbage leaf.

Step 10

Fold sides over the filling and start at the stem and roll the cabbage up until the meat is encased. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

Step 11

Cut the leftover leaves into pieces and place into the bottom of a roasting pan.

Step 12

Layer the stuffed cabbage rolls over the cut leaves.

Step 13

In a bowl, mix the tomato sauce, reserved cabbage water, white vinegar, and white sugar.

Step 14

Pour the tomato sauce mixture over the cabbage rolls.

Step 15

Bake in preheated oven until the ground beef mixture is no longer pink in the center, about 2 1/2 hours. Baste stuffed cabbage rolls every hour.