Discovering Halupki: Eastern Europe’s Stuffed Cabbage Delight

Prep the Cabbage: To start, remove the core from the cabbage. Subsequently, place the entire head of cabbage in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. As soon as the outer leaves begin to soften, gently peel them off, ensuring they remain whole. You should aim for about 12-15 leaves. Once done, set them aside to cool.

Prepare the Filling: Moving on, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, half of the chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir them together until you achieve a uniform mixture.

Stuff the Cabbage Leaves: On a flat surface, spread out a cabbage leaf. In the center, place a spoonful of the meat and rice mixture. Fold in the sides first, and then proceed to roll up the cabbage, ensuring the filling is securely tucked in.

Sauté Onions: Before you place the rolls, in a large pot or Dutch oven, warm up the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add in the remaining chopped onions and sauté until they achieve a translucent hue.

Layer and Cook: Following that, arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls seam-side down in the pot. Pour the tomato sauce and water over the rolls, ensuring they are submerged.

Simmer: Turn up the heat to bring the pot to a boil. As soon as it starts boiling, dial down the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the halupki simmer for about 1 to 1.5 hours. By the end of this period, the cabbage should be tender, and the meat inside should be thoroughly cooked.

Serve: To conclude, transfer the cooked halupki to a serving dish. Drizzle them with some sauce from the pot, and if desired, sprinkle with chopped parsley.