The fir eats / Diana Chistruga
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Alina in Foodland | 2022-12-02 13:47:45 |  962,133 Views |
Traditional Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls! Original Holubtsi Recipe
Cabbage leaves stuffed with meat rice and vegetables are common in Eastern Europe and the Balkans and are also found in Asian and African cuisines. As recipes adapt to societal and cultural needs and to what is available in the area many versions of these rolls contain only meat others are strictly vegetarian and still others are a combination of the two. The Ukrainian version of stuffed cabbage known as holubtsi also has many variations but in general the filling is always enriched with grains and flavored with vegetables. Our take on these “little pigeons” the literal translation of the name is a meatless variation ideal as a side dish for richer meat recipes but also as a main course in vegetarian families who find this dish perfect with a side dish of potatoes or rice.
We use cabbage leaves like most traditional recipes but beetroot or spinach leaves – and even grape leaves – are also used in Ukrainian versions of this dish. The cooking liquid also varies by region and family and can include broth tomato juice and sour cream. For our filling we chose a potato-buckwheat mixture that is really nutritious and filling. Despite its name buckwheat is not related to wheat and is actually gluten-free making this recipe suitable for those with gluten restrictions in their diet.
Although this dish is a bit time consuming the beauty is that it yields generous portions that make great leftovers and can also be frozen for a future lunch or dinner. Serve with a salad potato pancakes or crusty bread. Use the pan juices to serve the rolls or use a simple tomato sauce or more sour cream to serve. Or mix the pan juices with extra sour cream and spoon over the cabbage rolls.
