Slow-Baked Gołąbki in Tangy Tomato Sauce with Fluffy Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Hearty Polish cabbage rolls, meticulously prepared with blanched cabbage leaves wrapped around a seasoned mixture of ground beef, pork, and rice. Slow-baked in a rich, tangy tomato sauce until tender, and served with velvety buttermilk mashed potatoes.

• Prep: 1 hr 15 min
• Cook: 2 hr 45 min
• Total: 4 hr
• Servings: 7
• Cuisine: Polish
• Difficulty: Hard

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• High-Fiber

Tags

• comfort food
• classic
• savory
• rich
• bake
• crowd-pleaser
• sweet
• tangy

Ingredients

• 1 green cabbage (large (about 3 pounds))
• 1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup white rice (uncooked, rinsed)
• 1 yellow onion (large, finely diced)
• 4 clove garlic (minced)
• 2 can crushed tomatoes
• 0.5 cup tomato paste
• 2 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoon salt (divided)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground, divided)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
• 3 pound Russet potatoes (peeled, quartered)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 0.5 cup whole milk (warmed)
• 0.5 cup unsalted butter (melted)

Instructions

1. Prepare the cabbage: Carefully remove the core from the green cabbage. In a very large pot of boiling salted water, blanch the cabbage for 10-15 minutes, or until the outer leaves are pliable. Carefully peel off 14-16 large, whole leaves. If inner leaves are still stiff, blanch for a few more minutes. With a paring knife, shave down the thickest part of the central rib of each leaf. Chop any remaining cabbage scraps and set aside.
2. Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, rinsed white rice, 1 finely diced yellow onion, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
3. Assemble the gołąbki: Lay a prepared cabbage leaf flat. Place about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of filling at the stem end. Fold in the sides of the leaf, then roll it tightly away from you, forming a neat cylinder. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
4. Prepare the sauce: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 minced cloves of garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Add 2 bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Layer and bake: Spread a thin layer of sauce and the chopped cabbage scraps (if using) on the bottom of the Dutch oven. Arrange the gołąbki snugly in layers over the sauce and scraps. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolls, ensuring they are mostly submerged. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil.
6. Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the cabbage is very tender and the filling is cooked through. You can carefully turn the rolls once during cooking if desired for even cooking. Remove bay leaves before serving.
7. Prepare mashed potatoes: While gołąbki bake, place peeled and quartered Russet potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until very tender. Drain well.
8. Return potatoes to the hot, empty pot. Mash thoroughly. Add buttermilk, warmed whole milk, and melted unsalted butter. Mix until creamy and smooth. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
9. Serve gołąbki hot, with a generous portion of the tomato sauce from the pot and a side of fluffy buttermilk mashed potatoes.

Notes

To simplify, some recipes use canned tomato soup for the sauce. However, this homemade tomato sauce provides a richer, more authentic flavor profile for this classic dish. Freezes well.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 750
• Protein: 42.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.5 g
• Fat: 36.3 g
• Fiber: 8.1 g
• Sodium: 1490 mg
• Saturated Fat: 14.8 g
• Sugar: 14.2 g
• Cholesterol: 128 mg