Stuffed cabbage is a delicious, hearty dish with many variations depending on region and country. This particular version is Polish in origin with it’s beef-rice filling and tomato-based sauce, but similar dishes can be found throughout Europe. It’s also known as Golabki.

While this isn’t the most difficult recipe to make, it takes a little time and patience to roll each leaf into a tightly packed ball. If you’re pressed for time, you can save some of the time required by boiling the head of cabbage in advance and peeling off the individual leaves as they become flexible enough to roll.

To prepare the cabbage, bring a large pot of water to a boil and remove the entire core from the head, and about 1-2 of the tough outer leaves. Immerse the cabbage in the boiling water until it becomes flexible and tender, about ten minutes or so. Then, carefully pull it out of the pot and let it cool before you can easily peel off each individual leaf.

To assemble the rolls, place one of the cabbage leaves on your work surface and lay out 2 tablespoons of the beef and rice mixture in the center. Wrap each leaf around the filling, starting from the bottom of the leave closest to you and rolling it up. Repeat with the remaining 7 cabbage leaves and filling, making sure to tuck in the edges of each leaf as you roll to prevent them from unrolling while cooking. كرنب محشي