Gołąbki is a traditional savory Polish dish, usually found stuffed with pork, beef, onions, rice, and a variety of spices. Frequently served in a silky tomato sauce, the dish is popular for special occasions and everyday dinners alike. One of my personal favorite dishes, many sweet memories were made at Babcia's house cooking and eating mountains of gołąbki. Try this recipe out and see for yourself!
Ingredients:
- 1 whole cabbage (approximately 3-4 pounds)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef chuck
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 3 cups rice, cooked
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 cups beef stock
- 6 oz tomato paste
- Parsley for garnish
Directions:
- First, remove the core from your cabbage. To do this, make angled cuts around the core's edges with a sharp kitchen knife, pulling the core out like a plug.
- Place the cabbage in a deep pot. Next, prepare enough boiling water to cover the whole cabbage. Once the boiling water is prepared, pour the water over the cabbage and cover the pot with a lid, allowing it to boil for 2-3 minutes.
- After 2-3 minutes have passed, reduce the heat to low and leave the pot for a few minutes to allow the leaves to soften. Once leaves are softened enough to be pulled off individually, take the cabbage out of the pot and begin to separate the leaves carefully.
- On each leaf, trim the thick center stem at the bottom of each leaf without cutting all the way through. Set the leaves aside.
- In a large bowl, prepare the stuffing by mixing together the cooked rice, pork, beef, salt, pepper, onion, garlic, and egg.
- Next, gather any torn cabbage or small cabbage pieces, using them to line the bottom of a 4-5 quart pot.
- Stuff the cabbage leaves with about 2 spoonfuls of stuffing, rolling them closed and tucking the ends in.
- Arrange the cabbage rolls in layers on top of the cabbage lining in the large pot.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the beef stock and the tomato paste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the beef stock mixture into the pot containing the cabbage, allowing the pot to simmer over low heat for 2-3 hours.
- Once done, serve on a platter (consider our traditional, hand-painted Polish stoneware!) and garnish with parsley.
NOTE: Serve your dish with a side of boiled potatoes!
Your cabbage should come out soft, your filling cooked, and your appetites satisfied! We wish you the best of luck on your Polish cooking journey, and we encourage you to visit our blog for more Polish recipes and articles!