Baba's cabbage rolls (Holupci)

Baba’s Cabbage Rolls, known as Holupci, are a treasured family recipe featuring tender cabbage leaves stuffed with a flavorful mix of seasoned ground meat and rice. Slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce, these hearty rolls are a comforting and satisfying dish rooted in Eastern European tradition. Perfect for family dinners or festive gatherings, Baba’s Holupci bring warmth and nostalgia to the table with every bite.

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Course: Buffet, Main Course, Potluck

Cuisine: Canadian, Ukranian

Keyword: Baba’s cabbage rolls, Cabbage rolls recipe, Eastern European cabbage rolls, Eastern European stuffed cabbage rolls with meat and rice, Holupci recipe, How to make Baba’s traditional Holupci cabbage rolls, Stuffed cabbage rolls

Servings: people

Ingredients

1 medium cabbage

Filling:

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
2 cups rice cooked
1 28oz can chopped tomatoes
1 large onion diced
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Topping:

Tomato juice or V8 juice
bacon as much as you want, soft cooked

Instructions

Filling:

Brown meat and discard fat. Mix in all other ingredients.

Cabbage:

Immerse cabbage in boiling water and peel off leaves one at a time as they become limp.
Cool and remove the tough leaf vein.
Fill the leaves, roll and place in baking dish lined with tomato juice.
Pour more tomato juice over rolls, top with diced bacon, cover.
Bake 250 degrees F for 3 hours.
Check once or twice that the tomato juice isn't blackening, adding more juice as necessary.