Ukrainian Meat Filled Cabbage Rolls

4.6
(70)

Delicious cabbage rolls with a creamy sauce. In Ukrainian kitchens, cabbage leaves are often used as cases for soft fillings. These rolls are a little different because the leaves are filled with a meat stuffing and not primarily a cereal mixture. This makes them more like holiday fare. For a different flavor, use tomato juice instead of chicken broth. See the note at the bottom of the recipe for pressure cooking instructions.

close up view of Ukrainian Meat Filled Cabbage Rolls garnished with fresh dill, on a blue plate
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Prep Time:
40 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
1 hr 40 mins
Servings:
8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • ¾ pound ground pork

  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 head savoy cabbage, cored

  • 2 cups chicken stock, or as needed

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Directions

  1. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sautée onion in butter until tender. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. When the onion is cool enough to handle, mix together with ground pork, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper until well blended.

  2. Place head of cabbage in a large pot, and add enough water to cover cabbage halfway. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 2 minutes. As the outer leaves become translucent and soft, remove them one at a time by peeling them off with a wooden spoon. Trim off the thick ribs at the leaf stem.

  3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, and line the bottom with outer cabbage leaves.

  4. Lay a few more leaves on a clean work surface. Place a large spoonful of the pork mixture at the base of each leaf. Roll up towards the top. Repeat until filling is used up. Arrange the finished rolls over the leaves in the dish, and pour in just enough chicken stock to cover the rolls. Place extra cabbage leaves over the top.

  5. Cover, and bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. When finished, drain off cooking liquid from the dish into a small saucepan. Whisk together sour cream and flour. Gradually stir the sour cream into the broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until heated, about 5 minutes.

  6. To serve, arrange cabbage rolls on a platter, cover with sauce and sprinkle with dill.

Cook’s Note

This recipe goes perfectly with homemade noodles or millet kasha.

To use a pressure cooker, arrange rolls as for oven baking, but cook for 20 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

223 Calories
15g Fat
12g Carbs
12g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 223
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 68mg 23%
Sodium 860mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 14%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 12g 24%
Vitamin C 37mg 41%
Calcium 95mg 7%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 458mg 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

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