In the Slavic home, the cabbage roll (golubtsi) is very well known. Not only do we eat them around the humble family dinner table, but we make huge amounts of cute little rolls to be served at church events and weddings. Just like Borsch, there are many variations of the cabbage roll.
Today, I would like to introduce the cousin of the cabbage roll. It is for times when you crave the taste of golubtsi, but don't have the time or desire for the task. These are affectionately called "lazy cabbage rolls". They may be much quicker to prepare, but they certainly don't lack in flavor. This recipe is so convenient, healthy and most importantly, tastes great too.
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon butter or oil
1-2 onions, finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
1 celery stalk, minced
3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded or chopped in food processor (about ½ of a small/medium cabbage head)
1 lb ground meat, (ground pork, chicken, turkey, beef, etc.)
1 cup cooked long grain rice (or ⅓ cup of uncooked rice that you need to cook before starting the recipe)
1 egg
1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce (or puree a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
salt, ground black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil in a skillet. Add onions, carrot and celery. Season with salt and ground black pepper. 
Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, until the vegetables are tender. 
Add the shredded cabbage, pour in about ½ cup of water and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the cabbage is softened too. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, cooked vegetables and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Form the meat mixture into oval patties, about ¼ cup each, placing them into a 13x9 inch glass baking dish.
In the same skillet you were using to cook the vegetables, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter or oil and add the minced garlic, sautéing for only about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomato sauce and another ½ cup of water. Season with salt and ground black pepper. You can also add some herbs or spices. Bring the tomato sauce to a boil.
I love adding a bit of garlic to the sauce to make it more flavorful. If I'm using homemade sauce, it's already very flavorful and has garlic in it, so I skip adding more garlic, but add the water and heat it up. Heating up the sauce takes only a minute, but will really speed up the cooking process. Since I already used the skillet to cook the veggies, it's not going to be an extra skillet to wash, so I like to do this. If you don't heat up the sauce, bake the cabbage rolls in the oven longer.
Pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 min, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.
Another variation of making lazy cabbage rolls is shallow frying in a skillet.
Heat about 1 Tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dredge the oval patties in flour and add to pan, cooking for about 3 min per side, until lightly golden. 
Cook the cabbage rolls is batches and place them into a medium sized pot. Pour in the tomato sauce and water. 
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 min, or until meat is cooked through and tender.
Serve with sour cream and fresh herbs, like dill or parsley. 
Lazy Cabbage Rolls - Ленивые Голубцы
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 mins
- Yield: 12-14 cabbage rolls 1x
- Category: Entree
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon butter or oil
- 1-2 onions, finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely grated
- 1 celery stalk, minced
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded or chopped in food processor (about ½ of a small/medium cabbage head)
- 1 lb ground meat, (ground pork, chicken, turkey, beef, etc.)
- 1 cup cooked long grain rice (or ⅓ cup of uncooked rice that you need to cook before starting the recipe)
- 1 egg
- 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce (or puree a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes)
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt, ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Melt 1 Tablespoon of butter or oil in a skillet. Add onions, carrot and celery. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, until the vegetables are tender. Add the shredded cabbage, pour in about ½ cup of water and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the cabbage is softened too. Cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, cooked rice, cooked vegetables, egg and 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Form the meat mixture into oval patties, about ¼ cup each, placing them into a 13x9 inch glass baking dish.
- In the same skillet you were using to cook the vegetables, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of butter or oil and add the minced garlic, sautéing for only about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomato sauce and another ½ cup of water. Season with salt and ground black pepper. You can also add some herbs or spices. Bring the tomato sauce to a boil.
- I love adding a bit of garlic to the sauce to make it more flavorful. If I'm using homemade sauce, it's already very flavorful and has garlic in it, so I skip adding more garlic, but add the water and heat it up. Heating up the sauce takes only a minute, but will really speed up the cooking process. Since I already used the skillet to cook the veggies, it's not going to be an extra skillet to wash, so I like to do this. If you don't heat up the sauce, bake the cabbage rolls in the oven longer.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 35 min, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.
- Another variation of making lazy cabbage rolls is shallow frying in a skillet.
- Heat about 1 Tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dredge the oval patties in flour and add to pan, cooking for about 3 min per side, until lightly golden.
Love your recipes! Waiting for this to come out of the oven but I've noticed that the egg was missing from description. Small matter but might help someone. Thank you!
Thank you for letting me know, Anna!
I usually don’t bother leaving comments but oh my goodness! These are so delicious and easy to make. My husband loves the og golubtsi but I really don’t and especially don’t like making them but this is so easy to follow and do and it’s genuinely delicious. I don’t avoid the cabbage in this recipe 😂. Thank you for sharing! Will always be a staple!
Which option is tastier oven or skillet/ stove??
They taste very similar, Olena. It's more a matter of time - the oven method is more hand off but takes longer, the stovetop option is faster, but you need to watch it more closely.
I didn't know you had that recipe. My kids liked that but the cabbage cooking and rolling was alot of work for my big and busy family!
So when we found the "lazy" I think would be better to say easier cabbage rolls my kids loved it. I actually have them in the oven right now as I right it!
Can't wait to try your recipe!
So glad you gave this recipe a try, Nataliya. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Olya, this was amazing! I doubled the recipe and will be sharing with my sister :).
I'm so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Yana. Thank you for taking the time to write and for sharing it with your sister.
Hi Olga
How much rice do you add?
1 cup cooked long grain rice (or 1/3 cup of uncooked rice that you need to cook before starting the recipe)
OMG, this is an incredible recipe, the ease to make it and the flavors make this a go to favorite now.
I'm so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Roxanne:). Thanks for taking the time to write.
Hi Olga!
I absolutely love this recipe - it is a lifesaver, as I am not a big fan of rolling little cabbage rolls! 🙂 Tell me, how freezer-friendly are they, and do you have any instructions for freezing/thawing them?
Thank you!!!
Hi Luba!
Yes, you can freeze these. Place the cooked cabbage rolls in an airtight container or freezer ziplock bag. To thaw, simply defrost them and reheat.
Could I use cooked buckwheat instead of the rice for this recipe
Yes, absolutely, Connie.
Best cabbage rolls ever!!!! They melted in my mouth! My husband and picky kids hate cabbage but they gobbled these rolls down!!! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
That's the best compliment! So happy you and your family enjoyed the Cabbage Rolls, Yuliya.
We made these last night and liked them. I almost forgot to add the egg, though. It's in the list of ingredients but not mentioned in the recipe text.
When you click print the list of ingredients and instructions change on the printed copy.