Stuffed cabbage leaves, also known as holishkes or prokes, may just be the ultimate comfort food. A slowly cooked, savory cold-weather dish, stuffed cabbage is a classic, and many families seem to have their own way of making it.
Today, I’m sharing a traditional Jewish stuffed cabbage recipe that’s a favorite for my family.
Stuffed cabbage is one of those nostalgic dishes that brings back memories of family, tradition, and comfort. While I didn’t grow up with a Jewish “bubbe” to teach me her version, I’ve spent years diving into the dish’s history and testing recipes from Polish and Israeli friends, classic cookbook authors like Joan Nathan, and even 2nd Avenue Deli.
I’ve made it sweet with raisins and preserves, tangy with sauerkraut and tomato, and everything in between.
My favorite take? A savory, well-seasoned filling with a slightly tart sauce. It’s less sweet than some versions, but packed with flavor. This is the version my husband loves, and the one readers return to again and again.
Everyone’s bubbe has her own way, and that’s the beauty of Jewish cooking. Below, I’m sharing my version, along with a step-by-step video and all my tips and tricks.
Perfect for cozy fall and winter meals, this dish is naturally gluten-free (when using certified GF products), high in protein, and full of fiber. For a quicker take, check out my Unstuffed Cabbage recipe.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
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- Cabbage – I prefer to use green cabbage for this recipe. 1 large head of cabbage is typically enough, but you may want to grab a second just in case.
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- Protein – I like to use a mixture of ground beef and ground chicken, but you can choose one or the other, if preferred. Feel free to use ground pork if not following a kosher diet. I recommend using fairly lean meat to avoid soggy stuffed cabbage rolls.
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- Rice – Use long-grain, white, or brown rice. Just make sure it’s cooked ahead of time.
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- Onion and Garlic – This adds a sweet, pungent, slightly savory flavor. I recommend using white or yellow onions and whole garlic cloves, not pre-minced varieties.
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- Herbs and Spices – Fresh dill, paprika, allspice, kosher salt, and pepper add a savory, warm flavor with bright, herbaceous notes that create a well-balanced bite.
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- Large Egg – This acts as a binder, holding the filling together.
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- Sauerkraut – I often have homemade sauerkraut on hand, but any store-bought option will also work.
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- Tomatoes – A combination of tomato sauce, diced or crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste forms the base of the filling, creating the savory, slightly acidic taste we want in a stuffed cabbage roll recipe.
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- Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best, but bottled varieties also work if you don’t have lemons on hand.
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- Brown Sugar – This helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. I find that two tablespoons is plenty, but you can add more if you prefer a sweeter taste.
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- Stock – I use chicken stock for a slightly more savory flavor, but water will also work, if preferred.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Holishkes)
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- Soften the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage, and immerse it in a large pot of boiling water until the leaves are soft and pliable. Then, drain the cabbage in a colander and set it aside to cool.
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- Prepare the filling. Mix all the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Then, adjust the seasonings if needed.
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- Roll. Place whole cabbage leaves on a cutting board, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Use a paring knife to shave the tough, thick part of the stem. Then, place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling, depending on the size of each leaf, in the center of the cabbage. Fold the base of the leaf up, covering the filing. Then, fold the edge inward and tuck the loose leaf inward, creating a pocket. Repeat, rolling all the leaves.
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- Heat. In a small saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, diced or crushed tomatoes, lemon juice, brown sugar, and spices. Warm over medium heat until bubbling and fragrant. Then, season to taste.
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- Combine. Add sauerkraut and chopped cabbage to the bottom of a pot, and spread the mixture out in an even layer. Pour broth on top, and place half of the stuffed cabbage leaves over the mixture, placing them seam side down. Next, layer the tomato sauce on top, and repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and sauce.
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- Cook. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat to a slow simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the cabbage leaves are tender.
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- Serve. Carefully remove the cabbage from the pot. I like to use tongs for this! Then, spoon some of the sauce on top, add a generous sprinkle of black pepper, and serve hot.
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Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
Ingredients
- 1 large green cabbage (3.5-4 lbs.)
- 1 pound ground beef, ground chicken, or a mixture (I use half and half)
- 1 cup cooked long grain rice, white or brown
- 1/3 cup finely minced onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced dill
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut divided
- 28 ounces tomato sauce, divided (2 cans)
- 14 ounces diced or crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the cabbage clean, then immerse it in a large pot of boiling water and cook it for 4-5 minutes until leaves are soft and pliable, but not overly soft.
- Drain the cabbage in a colander and let it sit until cool enough to handle.
- Alternatively, you can freeze the cabbage overnight (or up to 3 days). Defrost the cabbage for about three hours. This will make the leaves pliable in the same way that parboiling does.
- Prepare your filling. In a bowl, mix together ground meat, cooked rice, minced onion, minced dill, egg, ½ cup sauerkraut (drained of juice), 1/3 cup tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste. I use roughly 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp pepper—kosher meat needs less salt. To test the seasoning of the meat, you can fry up a small portion in a skillet or pop it in the microwave until it’s thoroughly cooked, then taste it. It’s easy to under-season the filling, so err on the side of adding seasoning. Alternatively, if watching your sodium, you can add much less salt during this step, and season the finished dish to taste.Tip: You can make this filling ahead and refrigerate a few hours to overnight; this will allow the flavors to marinate and make it firmer and easier to handle.
- Peel off the large cabbage leaves from the head of cabbage, keeping only the leaves that are whole/intact and big enough to stuff. Chop up the remaining smaller leaves along with the core of the cabbage. Reserve.
- Place your large leaves on a cutting board.
- Take a leaf and pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Shave down the tough, thick part of the stem at the base of each leaf using a paring knife, being careful not to cut through the leaf itself. Repeat process for the remaining leaves.Now it’s time to stuff the leaves. Place a leaf on the cutting board, stem end closest to you. The leaves tend to curl in one direction, so make sure that the curl is facing upward—in other words, it should have a bowl-like shape with edges that curl up, not down.
- Place 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling at the base of the leaf, centered, about 1/2 inch above the edge. Do not over-stuff the leaves; you want a substantial amount of filling, but a good amount of cabbage leaf around the edges makes for easier rolling.
- Fold the base of the leaf up and over the filling until it’s completely covered.
- Fold the left edge of the leaf inward. Leave the right side of the leaf open.
- Continue rolling the leaf until it’s completely rolled up (with the right end still loose/open).
- Tuck the loose end of the leaf inward, pushing it into the filled center of the leaf.
- This will create a neat package that has a better chance of holding together in the pot.
- Continue this process for the remaining leaves. Depending on how many useable leaves your cabbage has, you may find you have some leftover filling. Simply roll that filling into meatballs; you can place them into the pot along with the stuffed leaves, so you don’t waste anything.
- In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the tomato sauce with the diced or crushed tomatoes, lemon juice, brown sugar, tomato paste, paprika, garlic and allspice. Warm up over medium heat until bubbly and fragrant. Taste the sauce; season with salt and pepper and more brown sugar or lemon, if desired.
- Put remaining 1 cup of sauerkraut and the chopped cabbage leaves/core into the bottom of a pot. Spread the mixture out to create an even layer, then pour ½ cup of chicken broth or water over the top of the leaves.
- Place half of the stuffed cabbage leaves on top of the sauerkraut mixture.
- Pour 1/3 of the warmed tomato sauce over the first layer of stuffed cabbage leaves.
- Put another layer of stuffed leaves on top...
- ...and top with the rest of the sauce.
- Heat the pot over medium high and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cover the pot. Let the cabbage leaves cook for 2-2 ½ hours until the thickest parts of the leaves are tender. Check the pot periodically to make sure it’s not boiling too vigorously—this can make the leaves fall apart. A slow, even simmer works best.When finished cooking, remove the stuffed cabbage leaves from the pot carefully with tongs. Top the stuffed cabbage with some of the sauce and a very generous sprinkle of black pepper. Serve hot. Leaves can be refrigerated for 4-5 days or frozen and reheated before serving.
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
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FAQs
I like to serve Jewish stuffed cabbage leaves with a starchy side like olive oil mashed potatoes, classic potato latkes, or smoked paprika potatoes. They’re also great with Borscht or matzo ball soup. Or, for a light meal, I pair them with Israeli salad or a crunchy pickled salad.
Yes, I find that leftover stuffed cabbage leaves keep fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Or, you can also store them in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, reheat in the oven, microwave, or in a large skillet over medium heat.
Hi Tori, Not sure if this is the appropriate place to leave a question but here goes. Until recently I’ve been able to print the entire recipe….pictures (which I love!) and instructions. For some reason only the text prints out. I am able to print out both text and images from other sites so not sure what I’m doing wrong. Would really appreciate it if someone could help me out. Thanks! PS I use google chrome to view and microsoft word to print out.
Hi Lettie– have you tried using your browser’s print function from the page itself, rather than pushing the “Print Recipe” button within the post? Be warned it will print a LOT of pages, but it should also print images for you.
Tori, to me this is a root cellar recipe..what people cooked from their saved food in the wintertime. The sauerkraut sounds right, but lemons were not easy to get..we have always used sour salt (citric acid) which provides the perfect sour taste.
I learned that from my bubby..I’m 85 years old so this goes back a lot of years.
Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Portia! It’s true, citric acid is often used in Ashkenazi families. I have tried it in the past and I like the flavor profile, but it’s not always an easy ingredient to find in grocery stores, so I used lemon here. You are lucky you had a bubbe to learn from!
Love this recipe so far and can’t wait to try it. I’m half polish so this dish is totally nostalgic! One question, am i able to freeze any leftovers? We love cooking big batches and freezing meals for later.
Hi Kimberly, yes this should freeze just fine.
I am thinking of making stuffed cabbage for Passover this year and using quinoa instead of rice. Do you think I can substitute cooked quinoa 1 x 1 for the rice in this recipe?
Hi Adrienne, it’s a great idea. I’ve never tried it but my guess is it will work great. If you test it will you report back and let us know how it goes?
I make stuffed cabbages a lot. But daughter wants my recipe? We’ll I make them without a recipe,I’m a great cook and can do them with out one.. But looked this up and you showed how I wrap them as I do . And I use only ground pork. I also use the rice on Cooked . as it will cook perfect with juices for the 2& 1/2 hours. I also put the sauerkraut between layers. And I also use the cabbage chopped on bottom. Yours look perfect. Just like mine.over the years. I’ve used several tomato products. Tomate sauce, with chopped tomatoes. Sometimes tomato juice and tomato sauce together. What ever I have . Your pictures showing how to remove vein was very good. I find if I get to big of a cabbage they have to much cabbage leaf. So I get medium size. I also do mine in oven in a roaster. So easy. Thank you for showing how to make them . It will be easy for my daughter. ?
Happy to help Laura!
I truly appreciate all of the thought put into this recipe and like others wouldn’t change a thing. This is my second time referring to this web page and would be lost without it. Every single ingredient in their subtlety keeps the palate intrigued and coming back for more. Furthermore, the photos and instructions are incredibly helpful. A Polish auntie suggested barley which is the only embellishment I have made. More than likely it was a stretcher from the depression days. Keep up the great work Tori!!
Thanks for the feedback Peter!
I made this today and it is on the stove right now. I sure hope it lives up to the reviews because it was a lot of work. I tried freezing the cabbage overnight as instructed and let it set out for closer to 4 hours. It was a total pain to separate the leaves. They also were not very pliable so it was difficult to roll them and nearly impossible to tuck in the right end. If I ever make these again, I definitely will boil the cabbage first!
For the frozen cabbage to be pliable, it needs to be be frozen for a few days and then thawed out. It works every time. This is the only way I do it now.
I’m just seconding the previous reply. I freeze the cabbage for a whole week and let it thaw for 2 days (because it’s hard as a rock when I take it out of the freezer). I’ve made this recipe three times now and it’s my go-to cabbage roll recipe. I’m so grateful to Tori Avey for it. The Christmas batch is on the stove right now.
Thanks Janette. Hope you like the new video!
I searched for a recipe for stuffed cabbage that appealed to me, and am I ever glad I came across this website. This recipe is amazing. Absolutely amazing. I did not change a thing, I followed the recipe exactly, was not afraid to use a little more spice such as pepper as the recipe suggested, and the outcome was sublime. I was a little hesitant with lemon juice, dill and sauerkraut however without these three ingredients this recipe would not be anywhere near as good as it was. I was amazed at how well these ingredients made the dash. The feeling was flavorful soft moist and delicious! The sauce was out of this world. This recipe is AMAZING!!!! Very time-consuming in the prep stage but so worth it, and i’m sure the prep time will lessen as I make it more and more. I will never change a thing and this recipe it is absolutely perfect as is. As other readers have mentioned, they are even better the next day which is hard to believe because they’re fabulous on day one. I will continue to make this recipe whenever I make stuffed cabbage. My search is over, I will never, ever use another recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is an absolute 10 out of 10. My mouth is watering thinking of these….time for another batch. Wow. These seriously are that delicious!!!!
Few typos! Ooops! Dash should be dish and Feeling should be filling.. there may be a few more typos but I think everybody gets the message LOL. I loved loved loved this recipe. It was absolutely delicious….I used ground beef and pork combo by the way!!!
I will definitely give this recipe a try. Will probably use turkey. But my Hungarian Bubbie taught me years ago and everything looks the same expect for the sauerkraut and lemon. Unfortunately, I never wrote her recipe down but I see from your pictures that she made it this way with chopping extra cabbage.
I am going to try your version, but my mother, who grew up with many German and Polish friends and neighbors, always called them Golumpkis and put sauerkraut over the top and then poured the sauce over that. I have always loved them with sauerkraut.
This is the BEST recipe for cabbage rolls ever. My husband raises a beautiful vegetable garden, and we raise our own beef so starting in August this recipe is a fall favorite. The secret is in the sauce!
These were so good. The sauerkraut is a nice addition. I also added a little Worcestershire sauce. I think they both add more layers of flavor. I like mine sweet so added more sugar. Next time I’m going to use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. All I had was smoked paprika & that made it even better. I don’t bother using 2 pots. Just more to wash. I just add the sauerkraut & cabbage, then the rolls right into the sauce pot.
I LOVE the idea of freezing the cabbage. I started this 3 days in advance since it has such a long cooking time. Cored & stuck cabbage in freezer. Defrosted & leaves came off perfect. Way easier than cooking. I made the filling 2 days in advance. Then I only had to mix up the sauce & stuff the rolls. Took no time. I did add more water a couple times during cooking because I like more sauce. You can also stuff the cabbage & put in fridge for 2 days. Make up sauce 3 days ahead when you freeze the cabbage. Then just put together & cook. I’ll store some in the freezer to microwave. I’m going to try some more of your recipes. I’ve found so many that look really good. I don’t keep kosher but I like that you use fresh ingredients. I’ve been trying to cut out as many processed foods as I can & cook my own.
i’m Polish & had Jewish bubbe/babcia so i learned to make as girl-i have used seasoned tomato juice w broth & homemade pasta sauce but never added brown sugar,tried it & w sauerkraut too my Italian husband loves it! But what i loved was ur tip about freezing cabbage head!! worked like charm ‘ now i’m making glompkis more often due to that tip. hated boiling waiting peeling away each leaf NOW TIME SAVER FREEZE GRT TIP WORKS THX SMACZNEGO ! zosia
Hello do you put 1 pound of ground beef and 1 pound of ground chicken? Making it 2 pounds?
Hi Deborah, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. The recipe calls for 1 lb of meat, total. So if you’d like to use a combo of beef and chicken you should use 1/2 lb of each.
This is the best stuffed cabbage recipe I have made. My toddler and husband love it! We are a multicultural family and I am so happy I get to introduce my family with recipes like this.
Thank you so much.
I ran right out to buy everything I needed to make this. It sounds sooooooooo good. But is it two 14 oz cans or 1 14 oz can tomato sauce? No I gotta wait to see. But I am so excited to try this with sauerkraut. Yum sandy
Hi Sandy, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. It should be two 14 oz cans.
Thank you for a fabulous recipe using chicken, I’m deathly allergic to mammal meat, that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. This takes me back to my pre allergic days. I’ve mad this with chicken, Turkey and a turkey/duck combo, all excellent.
Tori, You may not have a Jewish grandmother but you nailed it on this recipe.
My ancestry is 100% Hungarian and my Mother made fabulous cabbage rolls.
What’s needed to be authentic is the sauerkraut which most recipes do not include.
And the tomato sauce must be great, which you also nailed. Tomato soup in my estimation is the easy way out but if you go through all the trouble to do this recipe than take the extra step and make the sauce. They did not have tomato soup in a can in Eastern Europe.
I use a meat mixture of ground pork and ground beef, sometimes add the veal which my mother did. I think the pork addition give it a better taste.
Thank you for this. Now I have a written recipe to pass around. Our grandmother’s would approve of this enthusiastically.
Absolutely delicious.
The pictures made it very easy to understand since l am a beginner, and is my first time cooking this dish.
My father made these for us as children and I have 5 grown up children (2 boys and 3 girls) who all make them. Your recipe is the nearest one to my father’s except for the sauerkraut. Have been asked by my daughters to make them for tomorrow lunch. They can make them as stated but Mummy’s taste best. I do mine in the slow crockpot and leave them overnight and they come out perfect. I use lamb and port, or chicken and beef. Will give comment when I have made your recipe.