Galumpki (Polish Stuffed Cabbage)

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Martha's mother's recipe is the best.

Servings:
8

Martha’s mother’s galumpki recipe is a Kostyra family favorite. Martha learned to make this Polish stuffed cabbage dish from watching her mother, Big Martha, who had learned it from her mother. Cabbage leaves are filled with a mix of ground beef and ground pork along with rice, onions, garlic, green bell peppers, and celery, and layered in a Dutch oven. A simple tomato sauce is poured over the top and they cook on the stovetop in about an hour. Right before serving, the sauce is enriched with sour cream finishing this hearty favorite in delicious style.

polish stuffed cabbage
Credit:

decorvow

Directions

  1. Core cabbage and cook briefly in boiling water; remove outer leaves:

    Using a paring knife, remove center core of cabbage. In a large nonreactive stockpot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add cabbage and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until outer leaves are bright green and tender. Lift cabbage from water, and remove outer leaves.

  2. Cook cabbage until remaining leaves are tender; remove center vein from leaves:

    Return cabbage to boiling water, and repeat brief cooking and removal of leaves until all leaves are cooked. Reserve 2 cups cabbage cooking water. Trim thick center vein from bottom of each leaf. Reserve four large outer leaves to line bottom of pan.

  3. Cook onions and garlic:

    In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until golden and tender, about 8 minutes.

  4. Mix filling:

    In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, rice, beef, pork, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, green pepper, and celery. Stir to combine.

  5. Stuff cabbage leaves:

    Add about 1/3 cup rice filling to one cabbage leaf. Fold sides of cabbage over filling, and, starting with the stem end, roll the cabbage up. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.

  6. Line Dutch oven with reserved outer leaves:

    Line a 5-quart Dutch oven with reserved outside leaves. Transfer stuffed cabbage leaves to Dutch oven.

  7. Make tomato sauce and add to pot; sprinkle apple over:

    In a large bowl, combine tomato puree and the reserved 2 cups of cabbage cooking water. Pour some of the tomato sauce over cabbage to almost cover. Sprinkle apple over top of cabbage leaves.

  8. Cook:

    Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a gentle simmer; cover. Cook for 1 hour or until cabbage is very tender, adding additional tomato sauce as needed.

  9. Add sour cream to sauce and serve:

    Place sour cream in a small bowl, and ladle in about 3/4 cup of tomato sauce from the cooked stuffed cabbage rolls. Whisk to combine. Add sour cream mixture back to Dutch oven, and stir to combine. Serve with additional sour cream.

Other Stuffed Vegetable Recipes to Try:

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