Halupki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

🥬 Halupki Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
📝 Ingredients:
For the cabbage:
1 large green cabbage
For the filling:
500 g (1 lb) ground beef (or mix beef & pork)
1 cup cooked white rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
For the sauce:
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste (optional, for richness)
1 tbsp sugar (balances acidity)
1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Prepare the cabbage
   Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
   Carefully remove the core from the cabbage.
   Place the whole cabbage in boiling water for a few minutes until leaves soften.
   Peel off softened leaves one by one.
   Trim the thick stem from each leaf to make rolling easier.
2. Make the filling
   In a bowl, combine:
   Ground meat
   Cooked rice
   Onion, garlic
   Egg, parsley
   Salt, pepper, paprika
   Mix until well combined.
3. Roll the cabbage
   Place about 2–3 tablespoons of filling on each leaf.
   Fold in the sides and roll tightly like a burrito.
   Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
4. Prepare the sauce
   In a bowl, mix:
   Tomato sauce
   Crushed tomatoes
   Tomato paste
   Sugar
   Lemon juice or vinegar
   Salt & pepper
5. Assemble
   Spread a little sauce on the bottom of a large pot or baking dish.
   Arrange cabbage rolls seam-side down.
   Pour remaining sauce over the top.
6. Cook
   Stovetop method:
   Cover and simmer on low for 1½–2 hours.
   Oven method:
   Cover with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 1½–2 hours.