Golubtsi (Vegetarian Ukrainian Cabbage Rolls)

Golubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls) are a staple of Ukrainian and Eastern European cooking. This satisfying vegetarian version features mushrooms and white beans. (This recipe is part of my From the Motherland series, where I pay homage to my Ukrainian heritage.)

Stuffed cabbage rolls are one of the most traditional and recognizable dishes in all of Eastern European cooking. A peasant cuisine classic, it was undoubtedly designed to stretch a small amount of meat – with help from rice and cabbage – to feed many hungry mouths.

Holubtsi in Ukrainian (and golubtsi/golubtsy in Russian), cabbage rolls were a staple for my family when I was growing up in Ukraine. While I loved the savory, juicy, long-simmered filling, I refused to eat the cabbage leaves themselves and would always quietly push them over onto one of my parents’ plates. Something about the silky, limp texture really didn’t jive with me at the time.

For about a decade, I all but forgot about this laborious – and what I considered to be old-school and unnecessary-to-me – dish. Until, that is, my partner’s Polish aunt served us their version (gołąbki) for lunch. I know it’s a cliché, but I really was “immediately transported” to an earlier chapter of my life and at last came around to appreciating the magic of this dish.

Since then, I’ve learned to make the nostalgic recipe myself – but plant-based, of course. The vegetarian cabbage rolls below are the result of counsel from my Ukrainian mom and from Rene’s Polish grandmother, as well as my own meatless cooking know-how.

What Are Traditional Golubtsi

Stuffed cabbage rolls are a staple of Eastern and Northern European cuisines. They go by many names – holubtsi in Ukrainian, golubtsi in Russian, gołąbki in Polish, I could go on – but are all basically the same thing. (The name means “little pigeons”, by the way.) Soft cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of ground meat and rice, simmered in tomato sauce.

Every region, family, and cook has their own slightly different recipe and there is no one authentic version.

What’s In These Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

For a long time, I believed that making a good version of golubtsy without meat was impossible, since the traditional filling is mostly meat. But with a little experimentation, I came up with a super delicious and satisfying vegan version. The majority of this filling is white rice with sauteed carrots and onions, which are pretty standard for this dish.

Then I went rogue: adding sautéed mushrooms for their chewy texture and savory taste, mashed white beans for protein and to “glue” the filling together, and a splash of soy sauce to compensate for the lost umami. These ingredients are absolutely not “authentic”, but they do make for a super flavorful filling.

How to Make Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prep the Cabbage

One of the most challenging parts of the entire process is coring the cabbage before boiling it. This step is necessary to help the cabbage cook through and to separate the leaves without tearing them.

To start, remove any outer leaves that look wilted or bruised, and discard them. Then trim off the root end of the cabbage to make the base more flat. Using a small knife, cut around and down into the core (about a third of the way through the cabbage) to remove the cone-shaped core. You may need to scrape the opening to get the whole core out.

Step 2: Boil the Cabbage

There are various methods for softening cabbage leaves for rolling (including microwaving, freezing, and steaming). I find the boiling method the most practical. Put the cored cabbage into a large pot, fill with water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer it for about 10 minutes. Then drain the water and set the cabbage aside to cool.

Step 3: Par-Cook the Rice

In a small pot, combine rice with water and salt, and simmer until the water is absorbed. You’ll use less water here than usual since the point is to end up with rice that still has a bite to it. The rice will finish cooking when the cabbage rolls are simmering in tomato sauce later.

Step 4: Start the Filling

In a large skillet, saute the carrots, onions, and mushrooms until they’re soft and pasty, about 12 minutes. Then add the garlic and soy sauce, and cook for a few seconds longer. 

Step 5: Finish the Filling

Mash the white beans with a fork to break them up; they will help glue the filling together. Add the beans and rice to the vegetables, and stir to incorporate. Set aside to cool.

Step 6: Make the Sauce

Sizzle tomato paste in oil for a few minutes to cook out its raw taste. Then season with sugar and salt, and dilute the paste with 3 cups water. Stir to dissolve and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat off.

Step 7: Form the Cabbage Rolls

Gently peel a leaf from the cabbage and place on a work surface. Trim down the thick core of the leaf to make it more flat. Place a heap of the filling on the bottom of the leaf. Then fold the leaf over the filling, fold over the sides, and roll up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. (They’ll probably be a similar size to egg rolls.)

Note: The interior cabbage leaves may be too crunchy/small to roll. Use these to line the bottom of the pot and save the rest for a soup, stir fry, etc.

Step 8: Simmer the Cabbage Rolls

Arrange a few remaining cabbage leaves (the ones that are torn/too small) at the base of a large pot. Arrange the rolls on top, seam-side down. Pour the tomato sauce over the rolls. They should be covered almost but not quite to the top; add more water if needed. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.

How to Serve Golubtsi

Stuffed cabbage is a complete meal on its own – although it’s not uncommon to serve it with mashed potatoes, too. Serve the rolls garnished with dill and alongside sour cream (or vegan sour cream – Kite Hill makes a great one).

More Ukrainian Recipes…

• Potato Varenyky
• Kompot (Homemade Fruit Drink)
• Roasted Eggplant Caviar (“Ikra”)
• Vinegret (Beet Salad)