"Holoubci" Stuffed Cabbage Rolls - Jarka's Healing Kitchen

“Holoubci” is how this dish is called in the Czech Republic or baked stuffed cabbage rolls in many variations well known all over Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe and much of Western Asia, Northern China, as well as parts of North Africa. In Europe they are usually served on special occasions or big family dinners.

You will need one head of cabbage, ground grass fed beef, or pastured pork, spices and lectin-free strained tomato sauce. Prepping takes a little bit of effort, but the result is worth it!

Ingredients

One head of white cabbage
2 onions
1 Pomi Tomato sauce (lectin-free strained tomatoes)
8-10 pcs of allspice
4 bay leaves
10 pcs of whole black pepper
salt
Avocado oil

Meat mixture:

1 lb of ground pork or beef or a mix of both
1 medium onion
1 tbsp sweet paprika
salt and pepper

Directions

Remove the cabbage core. Place the cabbage in a pot of boiling water just enough to cover the entire cabbage. Turn the heat down to low boil. Remove the leaves as they separate. Set aside on a paper towel to dry and cool.
Combine the meat with finely chopped onion, salt, pepper, and sweet paprika.
Make a little cut in the cabbage hard part (rib) so the leaf is easier to work with. Take two leaves and layer them together. Use only the bigger leaves and leave 1/4 of the cabbage on the side.
Make little rolls with meat and fill in the cabbage leaves.
Wrap the meat by folding the wider part of the leaf first over the meat from both sides and then fold in on the sides (like you would wrap a gift).
In a baking dish, sauté two chopped onions on avocado oil and add the remaining 1/4 of the cabbage thinly sliced. Add salt, allspice, whole black pepper, bay leaves, and tomato sauce. Mix.
Add the stuffed cabbage, cover, and bake on 400°F for 40 minutes.

This meal is usually served with pasta or rice, but to make it lectin-free, gluten-free and paleo compliant I served it with cooked yuca and some steamed asparagus.