Cabbage Rolls: A Beloved Family Recipe
Today we’re sharing a recipe that’s close to the heart. This particular stuffed cabbage roll recipe—called galumpkis in our family—comes straight from Natalie’s Polish grandma, who made these often and always, always had these cabbage rolls on the table on Easter Sunday. She and Natalie’s mom would double the recipe, which meant the family would be eating Polish cabbage rolls for days and no one ever complained (except when the cabbage rolls were finally gone.) Straight from her recipe card–unchanged, not modernized, upgraded or otherwise fussed with. Just the very best, classic cabbage rolls we’ve ever had. Yeah, there’s ketchup in that ingredients list, and yes, we absolutely stand by it. Why? Because you don’t mess with perfection. And, between us, ketchup is an underrated ingredient! Particularly if you buy a nicer brand, ketchup is a terrific “secret” ingredient. It’s loaded with spices, has a hint of sweetness and usually a good little zing to it, too. Major bang-for-buck. We call the galumpkis in our family.
Everything You’ll Need to Make the Best Polish Cabbage Rolls
Hearty, tomato cabbage rolls stuffed with a mix of pork sausage and beef are pure Polish comfort food. Like all of the best comfort food in the world, they’re not fancy and the ingredient list is as humble and familiar as the dish itself. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Green cabbage
Ground beef
Pork sausage
White onion
Garlic
White rice
Tomato paste
Ketchup
Bacon
How to Make Cabbage Rolls
Cabbage rolls aren’t the absolute simplest thing ever, but they’re not super hard to make and once you’ve got the hang of them, you’ll be cranking them out like a pro! It’s also easy to double this recipe if you’re feeding a big crowd or hoping for leftovers. Cabbage rolls are great leftover—their rich, savory, meaty goodness just intensifies as they sit. Here’s how to make the very best cabbage rolls of all:
Boil the cabbage! Yep, boil it whole! You need the leaves to be nice and pliable.
Make the pork and beef mixture that’ll fill stuffed cabbage rolls! Cook the meats until they’re done with onions and garlic, then add the rice and tomato paste.
Prep the cabbage leaves by peeling them carefully off the head.
Wrap the meat filling in the cabbage leaves! Nice and tight, and lay them in the baking dish.
Brush each roll with ketchup and top them with bacon.
Bake!
Tools You’ll Need
Just Like Grandma Used to Make
We hope this traditional Polish stuffed cabbage roll recipe finds its way into your heart. It’s greatly beloved in Natalie’s home, and we’re so excited to share it with you today. When you make it, let us know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
