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Meat, European

Gołąbki in tomato sauce with mashed potatoes

Gołąbki are cabbage leaves rolled around a filling of ground pork and rice, simmered in tomato sauce. This Polish recipe serves 4 in 1 hour 40 minutes, at a medium difficulty level, for €3 per serving. The trick is blanching the cabbage leaf by leaf and letting everything simmer long enough to soften through.

Tonight, gołąbki, cabbage leaves rolled and stuffed with meat and rice, simmered in tomato sauce, with homemade mashed potatoes.

Gołąbki in tomato sauce with mashed potatoes
Total time
1 h 40
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Tender cabbage wraps around a soft pork and rice filling that finishes cooking slowly in a slightly tangy tomato sauce. Since the rice is only half cooked before rolling, it soaks up the sauce as it simmers and turns out tender, not the dry grains you might expect. Mashed potatoes with butter and warm milk round things out and make the whole meal feel generous.

This is a Sunday dinner or a cold weeknight dish, the kind you make when you have a bit of time on your hands. Kids usually love the little cabbage parcels as much as the mash, and leftovers the next day often taste even better once the sauce has had time to settle in. Mon Chou brings you this simple version, true to the comforting spirit of the dish.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Savoy cabbage 1
  • Onion 1
  • Potatoes 1 kg

Butcher

  • Ground pork 500 g

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 100 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 30 cl
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Milk 15 cl
  • Butter 50 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Core the cabbage and dunk it in boiling water, peeling off the leaves as they soften and trimming the thick rib. 15 min

    Run a knife flat over the center rib to flatten it.

  2. Half cook the rice, then mix it with the ground pork and the browned onion, with salt and pepper. 8 min

    The rice will finish cooking inside the cabbage, so don't cook it all the way through.

  3. Place a spoonful of filling on each leaf, fold in the sides and roll it up tightly.

    Place the seam side down in the pot so the roll doesn't come undone.

  4. Arrange the rolls in the pot, cover with the tomatoes and broth, add the bay leaves and let simmer covered. 1 h

    Set an upside down plate on the rolls so they stay submerged.

  5. Cook the potatoes, mash them with the hot milk and butter, then serve alongside the gołąbki. 20 min

    Warm the milk before adding it, the mash will be smoother.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a loosely packed savoy cabbage, its outer leaves peel off more easily without tearing.
  • Don't oversalt the filling, the tomato sauce and broth already add plenty of flavor during the long simmer.
  • If a leaf tears, double it up, the outside of the roll needs to stay intact so the filling doesn't leak out.

The variations

  • Swap the ground pork for ground beef or a mix of both, for a stronger flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with chopped mushrooms and lentils cooked alongside the rice.
  • To save time, roll the cabbage leaves the day before and only simmer them in sauce on the day you serve.

What to serve it with

  • A spoonful of sour cream at the table
  • A vinegared cucumber salad
  • Bread to mop up the tomato sauce

Storage

Gołąbki keep for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They freeze well, sauce included, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a covered pot or oven so the cabbage doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make gołąbki ahead of time?

Yes, you can roll the cabbage leaves the day before and keep them in the fridge. Then just simmer them in the sauce on the day you want to serve, which makes the meal much quicker to finish.

Can you freeze gołąbki?

Yes, they freeze very well once cooked, sauce included. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat gently in a pot before serving.

What can replace savoy cabbage?

White cabbage or napa cabbage both work, as long as the leaves are large and pliable enough to roll. Blanch them the same way to soften them first.

Why only half cook the rice?

The rice finishes cooking inside the cabbage as it simmers, soaking up the tomato sauce. Fully cooked rice would turn mushy and sticky by the time the dish is ready to serve.

How long does it take to make gołąbki, stuffed cabbage rolls in tomato sauce, with mashed potatoes?

Count 1 h 40 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in gołąbki, stuffed cabbage rolls in tomato sauce, with mashed potatoes?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does gołąbki, stuffed cabbage rolls in tomato sauce, with mashed potatoes cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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