The cabbage becomes tender, the filling stays satisfyingly hearty, and the tomato sauce finds its way into every little fold.
Bring the baking dish straight to the table and let everyone help themselves.
Good food taste even better when it’s shared with others.
About MATR Mince
Five organic ingredients are bound together through fermentation. When they’ve gone through that process they develop the deep umami flavour, juicy bite and texture that defines MATR.
In this recipe, we fry MATR Mince with a little olive oil before mixing it with rice, onion and garlic. It brings a rich, savoury flavour to the filling and holds its texture as the cabbage rolls bake in tomato sauce.
The result is lovely warm cabbage rolls, also known as golumpki.
How to make golumpki with MATR
Prepare the cabbage leaves:
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a few tablespoons of salt.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the core out of the savoy cabbage and discard it.
- Lower the cabbage into the boiling water and cook for approximately 10 minutes. This helps soften the leaves so they're easier to roll around the filling.
- Carefully remove the cabbage from the water and set it aside, cut side facing upwards, until it's cool enough to handle.
- Gently separate the leaves, taking care not to tear them.
Prepare the MATR and rice filling:
- Peel and finely dice the white onion. Finely chop the garlic.
- Heat a little olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for approximately 2 minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent.
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Transfer the onion and garlic to a large bowl with the 200 g of cooked rice.
- Add a little more olive oil to the same saucepan and fry the MATR Mince until it develops a golden surface. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer the cooked MATR Mince to the bowl with the rice, onion and garlic. Mix everything together until the filling is evenly combined.
Make the tomato sauce:
- Add the crushed tomatoes to the same saucepan.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of dried oregano.
- Strip the leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme and add them to the tomatoes.
- Let the sauce simmer over a medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then remove from the heat. Start with one can of tomatoes. Use the second if you need more sauce to cover the cabbage rolls properly.
Assemble the golumpki:
- Preheat your oven to 175°C. Choose a glass or ceramic baking dish large enough to hold the cabbage rolls in a single layer.
- Place one softened cabbage leaf on a chopping board with the thick central rib pointing towards you.
- Use a sharp knife to trim away the thickest part of the rib at the base of the leaf. Gently flatten the remaining rib with the palm of your hand to make the leaf easier to fold.
- Spoon some of the MATR and rice filling into the centre of the cabbage leaf. Gently press the filling together so it holds its shape.
- Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in both sides. Roll the leaf forwards to enclose the filling, much like wrapping a burrito. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
Bake the golumpki:
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of your baking dish.
- Arrange the cabbage rolls in the dish, placing them with the folded side facing down so they stay closed during baking. Add some extra sauce at the bottom of the dish.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 60 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the filling is thoroughly heated.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Spoon a little extra tomato sauce over each cabbage roll and bring the dish to the table. And then dinner is served.
Tips for making even better golumpki
Choose leaves that are large enough to wrap. The outer leaves of a savoy cabbage usually give you more room to work with. Save any smaller leaves for the final rolls, using a little less filling in each.
Keep the sauce slightly more wet than you'd normally make it. The tomato sauce will thicken during an hour in the oven. If it already looks very thick before baking, stir in a small splash of water. You want enough moisture for the cabbage to become tender without the sauce drying out.
Cover the dish for the first part of baking. If the cabbage leaves start drying out before they're tender, cover the dish with foil for the first 40-45 minutes. Remove the foil towards the end to let the sauce reduce slightly. This is particularly useful if your cabbage leaves are quite thick.
Let the rolls rest before lifting them out. Give your golumpki 10 minutes after they come out of the oven. The filling will settle, making the rolls easier to transfer to plates without breaking apart.
What to serve with golumpki
If you're planning a bigger dinner, a few simple sides can make your dinner table even more inviting.
Here are some of our favourite combinations for the golumpki.
Classic sides:
- Creamy mashed potatoes with a little butter
- Warm rye bread for soaking up the tomato sauce
- Cucumber salad with sour cream and fresh dill
- Boiled potatoes with parsley
Moderns sides:
- Pickled beetroot with horseradish
- A crisp apple and celeriac salad
- Roasted carrots with caraway seeds
- A simple fennel salad with lemon
Why make golumpki with MATR?
A traditional Golumpki consists of very few ingredients. However, it is still an incredibly tasty dish.
In this golumpki recipe we use MATR. Fermentation gives MATR Mince its deep umami flavour and satisfying texture. Frying it before mixing it with the rice adds another layer of savoury flavour to the golumpki filling.
So next time you make golumpki, why not try to make it even better? Just add MATR.
Ready to cook something that MATRs?
This delicious golumpki recipe is a great way of trying to cook with MATR for the first time.
But you might also want to try other MATR recipes. If that the case, then look through our recipe collection. Who knows? Maybe you discover a brand new favourite recipe to cook.
Need to get your hands on our fermented greens first? Find out where to buy MATR and discover a retailer near you.
Frequently asked questions
What is golumpki?
Golumpki is a name used for stuffed cabbage rolls, commonly associated with Polish cooking. The dish is also known as gołąbki. Cabbage leaves are softened, wrapped around a filling and cooked in a sauce. Many traditional versions use meat and rice, but there are plenty of variations.
How do you make golumpki?
Start by boiling the cabbage until the leaves are soft enough to fold. Prepare the filling by frying onion, garlic and MATR Mince, then mixing them with cooked rice. Make a tomato sauce with crushed tomatoes, oregano and thyme. Place some filling in the centre of each cabbage leaf, fold in the sides and roll it up. Arrange the cabbage rolls in a baking dish with tomato sauce and bake at 175°C for approximately 60 minutes.
Can you make golumpki without meat?
Yes. This recipe uses MATR Mince instead of meat, combining it with rice, onion and garlic to create a savoury filling.
What kind of cabbage is best for golumpki?
This recipe uses savoy cabbage. Its leaves are relatively flexible, making them suitable for wrapping around the filling once they've been softened in boiling water.
How do you stop golumpki from falling apart?
Start with cabbage leaves that have been softened properly in boiling water. Trim the thickest part of each leaf's central rib, add a manageable amount of filling and fold the bottom and sides over the mixture before rolling. Place the finished rolls seam-side down in the baking dish to help them hold their shape while they bake.
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