Traditional Ukrainian (Ureignian) Cuisine - Vegan Holubtsi (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Cabbage Rolls are made by rolling cabbage leaves with fillings from various ingredients. In Ukraine, these stuffed cabbage rolls are known as Holubtsi, which literally means “little pigeon,” the country's favorite comfort food. Today, in honor of the Ukrainian culture and its people, as they defend their loved ones' right for freedom, we present this comfort food filled with love and hope for peace.

We will use a whole large cabbage. Remove the core. After the water has come to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and carefully place the whole cabbage into the pot. Boil for about three minutes. Turn the cabbage over and continue to boil for another two to three minutes.

Now we cook the vegetables for the stuffing. First, pre-heat the pan on medium heat. We will dry fry 150 grams of sliced mushrooms without any oil. Next is the celery. We use medium-low heat and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Add 100 grams of minced celery. The carrots have been reduced to half of the original quantity, and there is a change in color, meaning that it is now cooked through.

Now we will continue and prepare the tomato-based sauce for this delicious dish.

We will now prepare the stuffing for the cabbage rolls. In a large bowl, add in 460 grams of vegan OmniPork mince and 230 grams of vegan Beyond Meat Burger Patties. Mix briefly. Add in the fried minced celery, fried minced carrots, and cooked rice; you can also use other cooked grains. Add the fried mushrooms. Add 10 grams of fresh parsley, one teaspoon of granulated black pepper, and one teaspoon of salt. Mix thoroughly. Now the stuffing is ready. Let’s start wrapping the cabbage rolls. We use around 40 to 60 grams of stuffing for each roll.

Layer the stuffed cabbage rolls on the bottom of an oven-safe pan or roasting pan. Pour in the tomato-based sauce we made earlier. Spread the sauce evenly to cover all the cabbage rolls. Then bake for 40 to 45 minutes.Top with vegan sour cream and garnish with fresh parsley. The Vegan Ukrainian Holubtsi is ready to enjoy.