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    Home / Appetizer / Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls

    Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls

    Ukrainian cabbage roll recipe (holubtsi): tender cabbage leaves wrapped around savory pork and rice, simmered in tomato sauce — a prairie Canadian classic.

    ⏱ 15 minPrep time
    🔥 30 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 AppetizerCategory
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    Holubtsi, as Ukrainian cabbage rolls are traditionally called, came to the prairies with the waves of Ukrainian settlers in the early 1900s. Cabbage was one of the few things that kept through the long prairie winter in a root cellar, so it became the heart of many a hearty meal. Making cabbage rolls was — and still is — a family affair, with everyone gathered around the kitchen table rolling.

    These rolls are generosity you can eat: soft, sweet cabbage wrapped around a savory pork and rice filling, all simmered gently in rich tomato sauce until it all melts together. They are made for feeding a crowd, taste even better the next day, and freeze like a dream.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the whole cabbage head, and blanch for 5 minutes, then peel off the softened outer leaves one by one and set them aside.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the pork, beef, rice, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, and mix until well blended.
    3. Trim the thick rib from the base of each cabbage leaf, then place a generous spoonful of filling near the stem end of each leaf.
    4. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling and roll it up tightly like a burrito.
    5. Spread a little tomato sauce in the bottom of a large Dutch oven, arrange the rolls snugly seam-side down, and pour the remaining sauce over top.
    6. Dot the rolls with butter, add the bay leaf, cover, and bake at 350°F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the rolls are tender and the sauce is thick.
    7. Let the rolls rest for 10 minutes before serving, with extra sauce spooned over top.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Freezing the cabbage head overnight (then thawing) makes the leaves soft enough to roll without blanching. The rolls taste even better reheated the next day, and they freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.

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    Recipe details

    Prep15 min
    Cook30 min
    Servings4
    CategoryAppetizer
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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