Ingredients
- Ground Turkey: I like to use 93% lean ground turkey. Turkey breast or chicken will also work well.
- Cabbage: my favorite variety to use is Napa cabbage. Regular cabbage will also work well, but it will require a few additional minutes of cooking/steaming time.
- Rice: go with a fluffy, long grain variety for best results and a fluffier filling.
- Carrots, Onion & Garlic: for making the filling and the sauce.
- Tomato Sauce: the more delicious the tomato puree, the better the sauce! Go with a good-quality, Italian tomato puree.
- Fresh Dill & Parsley: these fresh herbs add tons of authentic Ukrainian flavor to the dish!
Two Methods for Cooking Cabbage Leaves
Before shaping the cabbage rolls, or holuptsi as they’re called in Ukraine, we need to cook the cabbage leaves. There are a few different methods you can use.
- Microwave: while I don’t usually like to microwave my food, this is a very easy method! Wrap the cabbage tightly with 2 layers of plastic food wrap. Microwave for 10 minutes for a large cabbage, 8 minutes for small ones. Let the wrapped cabbage rest at room temperature another 20 minutes, or until you’re ready to shape the rolls.
- Stovetop Method: fill a large, tall pot with water and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, carefully cut out the hard, fibrous core from the center of the cabbage. Drop the cabbage into the boil water. As the leaves start to soften and cook, about 1 minute per layer, gently remove them with tongs and set onto a tray lined with paper towels.
Making the Tomato Carrot Sauce
With the rice and the cabbage cooking away, it’s the perfect time to get started on the onion and carrot mixture. We’ll use this mixture for both the filling and the sauce. The carrots add a special sweetness to these turkey cabbage rolls that makes them extra special!
- Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add in the butter, then the onion and carrots. Sauté the mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender.
- Add in the garlic and all the spices next: salt, pepper, coriander, cumin and paprika. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- At this point, you’ll want to remove half of the mixture into a large mixing bowl and save it for the filling.
- To the remaining half of the mixture, add in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, and sour cream. Whisk in the sour cream until it’s well combined. Simmer this sauce over medium-low heat for 7 to 9 minutes.
- Season the sauce to taste with additional pepper and salt. Sprinkle in a few tablespoons of fresh dill and parsley. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl, stir together, then add the slurry to the sauce. Cook the sauce for another minute, until it’s nicely thickened, then remove it from the heat.
Making the Turkey & Rice Filling
Allow the cooked rice and the onion and carrot mixture to cool to room temperature, then make the filling for the rolls.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rice, the onion and carrot mixture, and the ground turkey. Season the filling with salt, pepper, fresh dill and fresh parsley.
- Use your hand to combine everything together, forming a uniform mixture.
How to Make Turkey Cabbage Rolls
Once you have the filling done, the cabbage is cooked, and the sauce is ready, it’s time to make some turkey cabbage rolls!
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Pour approximately two-thirds of the prepared sauce into the bottom of a rectangular casserole dish.
- If you microwaved the cabbage, this is a great time to dissemble it. Turn the cabbage upside down and use sharp knife to cut the leaves away from the core. Turn the cabbage face side up, then gently peel the leaves away.
- Trim away any hard edges from each cabbage leaf. For each roll, add approximately ½ cup of turkey rice filling on one end, where the cabbage meets the core. Fold the sides of the leaf over the filling, the gently but tightly roll the leaf as you would an egg roll.
- Watch my video for step-by-step video instructions to see how I shape the rolls. Place the shaped rolls seam side down into casserole, into the sauce.
- Once you have all the rolls done, spoon the remaining sauce over the top of the rolls. Cover the casserole tightly with foil.
Cooking Instructions
Bake the turkey cabbage rolls in a preheated oven set to 375F/190C for 1 hour. Remove the foil after one hour and turn on the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes, to give the rolls some extra color on top.
The rolls will be super-hot when you take them out of the oven! Allow them to cool for 20 to 30 minutes before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions for Turkey Cabbage Rolls
Before serving, garnish the turkey cabbage rolls with a sprinkle of fresh dill, fresh parsley, and ground black pepper.
For an authentic Ukrainian experience, serve the cabbage rolls with pickles, marinated tomatoes, sour cream, and toasted bread on the side.
Need to reheat these the next day? Cut each cabbage roll in half lengthwise. Preheat a large frying pan with a little bit of butter. Fry the rolls with the filling facing down until it’s golden, then turn over and fry the other side. Add some water to the pan to reconstitute the sauce.
