Holubtsi: Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/20/23
Tested by
Kayla Hoang
Photo of Kayla Hoang
Tested by Kayla Hoang
Kayla Hoang is a freelance recipe developer, writer, and baker whose Bangladeshi and Vietnamese roots influence all she does. Her life revolves around food and she can almost always be found waiting by the oven for a fresh batch of cookies.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Holubtsi: Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 18 rolls

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. Because recipes adapt to societal and cultural needs and to what's available in the area, many versions of these rolls have just meat, others are strictly vegetarian, and 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 grain 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 to richer meaty recipes but also as a main in vegetarian families that might find this dish perfect with a side of potatoes or rice.

We use cabbage leaves, as do most traditional recipes, but beet, lettuce, or spinach leaves—and even grape leaves—are also used in Ukraine when making 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, really hearty and nutritious. Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is actually gluten free, which makes this recipe suitable for people with gluten restrictions in their diets.

Although the dish requires some time investment, the beauty is that it yields generous portions that make great leftovers and that can be frozen too for a future lunch or dinner. Serve alongside a salad, potato pancake, or crusty bread. Use the pan juices to serve the rolls or use a simple tomato sauce or more sour cream to serve. Alternatively, mix the pan juices with additional sour cream and ladle it over the cabbage rolls.

"While it is a labor of love, the process for this recipe is incredibly straightforward and super-enjoyable to cook through. Don’t skip the steps of rinsing the buckwheat in boiling water or draining the potatoes of their starchy liquid. It makes all the difference here!" —Kayla Hoang

Holubtsi: Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt, as needed

  • 1 head green cabbage, about 4 pounds

  • 4 large uncooked potatoes, peeled and finely grated

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream, divided

  • 1/2 cup buckwheat, rinsed twice with boiling water and drained

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Holubtsi: Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil.

    pot with boiling water

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Remove and discard the core from cabbage. Put the cabbage in the boiling water, cored side up. Cover and cook until tender enough to pull off individual leaves, about 15 minutes.

    cabbage in a pot with water

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Carefully remove cabbage head from water and allow it to cool until it's easy to handle. Remove 18 whole leaves. Use a paring knife to cut away thick center stems from each leaf, without cutting all the way through.

    Use a paring knife to cut away thick center stem from each cabbage leaf

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Finely chop remaining cabbage and place it at the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.

    cabbage in a dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Drain potatoes in a mesh strainer or cheesecloth, twisting or pressing to remove as much moisture as possible.

    grated potatoes in sieve

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the lemon juice so they don't turn brown. Set aside.

    grated potatoes in a bowl with lemon juice

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  8. In a small skillet, sauté the onion in butter until tender.

    onions cooking in a skillet

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  9. Add onion mixture to the potatoes, combining well.

    potatoes and onions in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  10. Add 1/2 cup of sour cream and the buckwheat to potato mixture, combining thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    sour cream and buckwheat added to the potato mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  11. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F.

    Place about 1/2 cup of filling on each cabbage leaf. Roll once away from you to encase the filling.

    cabbage rolled around the stuffing

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  12. Flip right side of leaf to the middle, then flip left side. You will have something that looks like an envelope. Keep rolling again until you have a neat little roll.

    stuffing inside a rolled up cabbage leaf

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  13. Place cabbage rolls, seam side down on top of chopped cabbage in the casserole dish or Dutch oven, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.

    Holubtsi: Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  14. Dollop the remaining 1 cup of sour cream evenly over the holubtsi. Cover and bake until the buckwheat filling is tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours

    Holubtsi: Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage in a Dutch oven

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Can I Cook the Rolls in a Slow Cooker?

An easy variation makes a hands-off dish. Follow all the method steps before baking but place the chopped cabbage at the bottom of a greased slow cooker:

  • Place the formed rolls on top of the chopped cabbage, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Mix the remaining 1 cup of sour cream with 2 cups of vegetable broth or stock and add this liquid on top of the rolls.
  • Set the slow cooker on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 3 to 4, or until the filling is tender. If needed, add more broth to the pot to keep the rolls moistened at all times.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
400 Calories
15g Fat
61g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 400
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol 44mg 15%
Sodium 3545mg 154%
Total Carbohydrate 61g 22%
Dietary Fiber 9g 32%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 100mg 499%
Calcium 196mg 15%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 1588mg 34%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)