Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls {Polish-style Gołąbki}

Savory, spicy-sweet, and deeply satisfying, these Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls {Polish-style Gołąbki} are an easy-to-make meal that delivers old-world comfort in every bite.

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The first time I ever had stuffed cabbage rolls was at my friend Julie’s house. We were seven or eight, and up until that time in my life, I’d done a pretty good job of avoiding cooked cabbage altogether.

So there I was, sitting at the dinner table with Julie and her family, staring down at the small, tightly-wrapped packet on my plate and wondering how I could get away with eating just the insides and leaving the slick green wrapper.

I could feel Julie’s mother eyes on me, waiting for me to take a bite. “The inside is meat and rice,” she told me. Then, reading my mind (or more likely, my face), “It’s OK if you don’t eat the cabbage.”

Mrs B was pretty and kind, with a slight, soft Polish accent that made her sound like an angel. She reassured me that it was perfectly fine if I didn’t eat the cabbage; that she wouldn’t mind a bit. I think I even remember her saying that one of her children didn’t like it much either. 

But back in those days, manners dictated that when you were a visitor in someone’s home, you ate what was set in front of you. My mom would have never let me hear the end of it if she found out I’d skipped the cabbage. Besides, I would have done anything to make Julie’s mom happy.

I turned my fork on its side and cut off a corner of the cabbage roll, pushing it to the side of the plate before spearing it. Holding the little chunk of cabbage roll in front of my open mouth, I braced myself – ready smile no matter how awful it tasted. 

Don’t make a face. Don’t make a face. Don’t make a face. 

I willed the fork into my mouth and closed my lips around it, my tongue doing involuntary gymnastics as it tried to avoid the slippery triangle of cabbage. Finally, unable to put it off any longer, I bit down to chew.

In that moment, all I wanted to do was to eat that bite of cabbage without gagging. Maybe even push out a polite smile for Mrs B. 

What I got was a wonderful surprise! Instead of being unpleasantly slippery and tasting of old shoe insoles as I had expected, the cabbage I bit into was full of savory-sweet flavor that melted in my mouth. Fused with the meaty inside goodness, it was – Oh my gosh! Delicious! 

I ate my whole cabbage roll that night, and even asked for seconds. Later, as we helped Mrs B clear the table after dinner, I remember feeling warm and full, and something else I didn’t fully understand at the time: I felt nourished. 

nourish

[ nur-ish, nuhr- ]

to sustain
to cherish
to strengthen

Cabbage rolls were one of the first new-to-me recipes I deliberately learned to make when I moved out on my own. I don’t remember now where I got the bones for what has evolved into one of my all-time favorite recipes, nor do I know if what I make today bears even a passing resemblance to Mrs B’s cabbage rolls. What I do know is, my stuffed cabbage rolls have become a time-tested family tradition, and every time I make them, I think of Julie’s mom. 

Traditional stuffed cabbage rolls (or gołąbki, which means “little pigeons”) are the epitome of Polish comfort food. While no two recipes are exactly alike, Polish-style cabbage rolls are generally made of minced or ground meat (usually beef and pork) mixed with chopped onions and rice or barley, which is then rolled in a cabbage leaf, covered with a savory-sweet tomato-based sauce, and cooked until tender. 

Although they do take a little time to prepare, cabbage rolls are very easy to make. They can be prepared well ahead of time, and they make wonderful leftovers, too. 

There are other ways to cook cabbage rolls (e.g., baking, InstaPot, etc.) but using a slow cooker is by far my favorite method. 

How to Prepare Cabbage Leaves for Rolling

For this recipe, you need to use large, whole cabbage leaves.

Cabbage leaves are relatively inflexible and will crack and tear if you try to peel them off the cabbage head like lettuce. Preparing the cabbage leaves is easy, but it does take a little time and care. 

How to soften and remove cabbage leaves without tearing them 

There are a couple of way to soften them cabbage leaves. My preferred method of removing the cabbage leaves from the head is to blanch them in boiling water.

1. Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Using a paring knife, remove the cabbage’s core.
3. Using large, sturdy tongs, carefully lower the cabbage into the pot, core side down.
4. Boil for a few minutes. Use tongs to check leaves at core. You will see when they begin to soften and loosen. 
5. Use tongs to remove the cabbage from the water to a large plate or cutting board. Check the leaves: the outside layers should peel away from the cabbage easily.
6. Peel away leaves that come off easily. . 
7. Return the cabbage and repeat the process; adding the cabbage to the water and then removing it to peel away more leaves. (You may need to cut the core deeper as well.)
8. Be gentle as you do not want to rip the leaves. This can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes, depending on the size of your cabbage head.
9. Continue repeating the process until you have removed all of the cabbage leaves (or until they become too small to use for rolling). 
10. When you have removed all the cabbage leaves you want for rolling, return the individual leaves to the boiling water for one minute, until they are tender and flexible. Set aside.
11. Pull or chop any remaining cabbage leaves from head. You will use these to line the slow cooker. 

Alternate Method: You can also soften the leaves by freezing a whole, cored cabbage head the day before, and then allowing it to defrost before carefully peeling the leaves away. 

How to thin stem end of cabbage leaves for rolling

This step is totally optional, but I like to use a paring knife to thin the stem end just a bit before I assemble the cabbage rolls. It makes rolling them a little easier, and the rolls turn out more uniform. 

You only need to do this step for leaves that you plan to use to make the rolls. You do not need to thin the stems of the leaves you use to line the slow cooker. 

How to Roll a Cabbage Roll

Basically, cabbage rolls are rolled exactly like a burrito, with one important difference: you need to leave room in cabbage roll for the rice to expand as it cooks. For this reason, do not roll them too tightly.  

• A – Place about 1/3 cup filling on the stem end of a single cabbage leaf. 
• B – Roll the stem end up over the filling.
• C – Fold both sides into the middle.
• D – Complete rolling, with the final flap end resting down.

Ingredient Notes: Adjusting Flavors to Your Own Tastes

Ground Meat Choices

Traditionally, stuffed cabbage rolls are made with a combination of ground beef and pork, or just ground beef. However, Mr B and I have made a shift away from ground beef in the past few years, and often substitute ground turkey in recipes that call for it. (The cabbage rolls pictured here were all made with ground turkey.)

Whatever ground meat you choose to use in your cabbage rolls, it is critical to this recipe that it has enough fat in it. For best results, choose ground meat that is between 80% and 92% lean. If you use ground meat that is too lean, your cabbage rolls will turn out very dry. 

• For this recipe, you can use ground beef, ground turkey, or a 50/50 combination of beef/turkey, beef/pork, or turkey/pork. 
• Use ground meat that is 80% to 92% lean. 
• DO NOT use ground chicken for this recipe: it too lean. 

In my opinion, 85-87% lean is optimal. This results in a moist, tender cabbage roll, with no apparent residual fat. 

Tabasco 

You can adjust the heat of the sauce by changing the amount of Tabasco you use. 

• 1/4 teaspoon = Very Mild [Barely noticeable]
• 1/2 teaspoon = Mild to Medium [A little spicy, but not hot.] 
• 1 teaspoon or more = Nicely Spicy [Don’t get carried away: you don’t want to cover up the other, more subtle flavors.] 

Sugar

I personally like my cabbage roll sauce to have a decidedly sweet note; however, if you prefer yours less so, you can adjust the sugar accordingly.

• 1/4 cup = Barely sweet
• 1/3 cup = Mildly sweet
• 1/2 cup = Yep, these are sweet!

Mr B doesn’t like them as sweet as I do, and we have agreed that 1/3 cup sugar is a perfect compromise. 

DO NOT omit the sugar entirely; you need to use enough to offset the tomato sauce’s acidity. 

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

How to Fix a Torn Cabbage Leaf

Inevitably, you are going to have a few torn leaves. If one of the leaves you are using for a roll is torn, use a piece of another leaf to cover the hole from the inside of the roll. Once the cabbage is formed, the counter-pressure from the filling will secure it.

When the cabbage rolls are cooked, you will never know the tear was even there!

What to Serve with Cabbage Rolls

When we have cabbage rolls at home, our first choice for a side dish is almost always mashed potatoes. However, many other side dishes pair well with them, including spaetzle, red potatoes, barley, and salads made with hearty greens. 

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