Halupki Recipe (Slovak Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe)

My Ukrainian grandmother would make halupki, or Polish stuffed cabbage by stuffing steamed cabbage leaves with a mixture of meat, rice, diced green peppers and onions. They were then stewed in tomatoes and topped with sauerkraut. When we walked into the house and caught a whiff of the cabbage rolls cooking in the oven, we knew that we were in for a delicious meal. 

Are stuffed cabbage rolls also called Halupki?

It was probably until I was a teenager that I learned that Halupki was also called stuffed cabbage rolls. Ukrainian cabbage rolls are on in the same as stuffed cabbage. There are many different names for the delicious pockets of meat and rice but no matter what you call them, enjoy them. 

How to make Slovak stuffed cabbage rolls 

1. Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
3. Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
4. Place ⅓ to ½ cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf.
5. Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down.
6. In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes.
7. Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a dutch oven.
8. Place the cabbage rolls in the dutch oven, in a single layer and top with ½ of the sauerkraut and ½ the tomato mixture.
9. Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
10. 10. Cover and simmer on the stovetop for 3-4 hours.

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Halupki Recipe

Sarah Mock

My Ukrainian grandmother would make halupki by stuffing steamed cabbage leaves with a mixture of meat, rice, diced green peppers and onions. They were then stewed in tomatoes and topped with sauerkraut.

4.70 from 10 votes

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Prep time for the recipePrep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 4 hours hrs

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 4 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

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Course Beef Recipes

Cuisine Ukrainian

Makes 18 rolls

Per Serving 211 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 pounds ground beef
• ▢ 1 head of cabbage
• ▢ ½ cup uncooked white rice
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 onion (finely diced)
• ▢ ½ green pepper (finely diced)
• ▢ ¼ cup grated carrot
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 14 ounces tomato sauce
• ▢ 14 ounces tomato soup (undiluted)
• ▢ 28 ounces diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 lb sauerkraut

Instructions

 

How to make stuffed cabbage rolls:

• Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
• Place ⅓ to ½ cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf.
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes.
• Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a dutch oven.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the dutch oven, in a single layer and top with ½ of the sauerkraut and ½ the tomato mixture.
• Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
• 10. Cover and simmer on the stovetop for 3-4 hours.

Crockpot halupki instructions:

• Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
• Place ⅓ to ½ cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down. 
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes. 
• Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a large crock pot/slow cooker.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the crock pot, in a single layer and top with ½ of the sauerkraut and ½ the tomato mixture.
• Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
• Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

Oven halupki rolls instructions:

• Heat the oven to 375.
• Steam the cabbage leaves and remove them from the core of the cabbage as directed above.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, eggs, finely diced onions, finely diced green pepper, grated carrot, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Remove the firm vein of the cabbage leaf.
• Place ⅓ to ½ cup of meat mixture in the center of each steamed cabbage leaf.
• Fold the sides of the leaf over the meat mixture and roll the cabbage leaf, leaving the seam down. 
• In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce, tomato soup and the diced tomatoes. 
• Spoon some of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a dutch oven.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the dutch oven in a single layer and top with ½ of the sauerkraut and ½ the tomato mixture.
• Add a second layer of stuffed cabbage rolls and a second layer of sauerkraut and tomato mixture.
• Cover and cook at 375 for 4 hours.

Video

Notes

How do you remove cabbage leaves without tearing?

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a heavy pinch of salt to to the water.
2. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the outside of a head of cabbage and insert a skewer or fork into the core.
3. Dunk the cabbage in the simmering/boiling salted water for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
4. Remove from the simmering water and place on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet. 
5. Use a small paring knife to slice the stem of the leaf away from the core of the cabbage.
6. Remove the loosened cabbage leaf from the rest of the head.
7. Repeat with each layer of the cabbage.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1rollCalories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 17gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 452mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.