Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

The problem with stuffed cabbage rolls is they take forever to make. By the time you blanch the leaves, roll them up, and get everything simmering, the night’s basically gone.

This is the version I cook on repeat. No rolling and no waiting around. Everything with these unstuffed cabbage rolls goes in one pot and simmers together until the cabbage softens into the beef, rice, and tomatoes. Same flavor, less work.

I’ve kept it savory too. No sugar, no raisins, just a hearty, saucy dinner that fits right into a weeknight routine.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time at the table.
• Easy to change up with different proteins, grains, or spices depending on what’s in the pantry.
• Can go savory, like this version, or take on a sweeter Polish-style twist with brown sugar or raisins.
• All the flavor of traditional stuffed cabbage rolls without the rolling and extra steps.

Ingredients

This unstuffed cabbage rolls recipe uses simple, everyday ingredients.

• Ground beef – rich and hearty, just like traditional cabbage rolls.
• Onion and garlic – the base aromatics.
• Cabbage – tender, slightly sweet, and the bulk of the dish.
• Canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce – the saucy layer that pulls it together.
• Beef broth – deepens the flavor while everything simmers.
• Paprika, oregano, thyme – savory seasoning.
• Salt and pepper – the basics.
• White rice – cooks right in the pot and soaks up the sauce.
• Fresh parsley – just for garnish.

How to Make Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (brown the beef)
  Get your Dutch oven hot and cook the ground beef, breaking it up as it browns.
• Step Two (add the aromatics)
  Stir in the onion and let it soften for about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook just long enough to smell it.
• Step Three (build the base)
  Toss in the chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, broth, paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Give it a stir and bring everything to a simmer.
• Step Four (let the cabbage soften)
  Cover the pot and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the cabbage is tender.
• Step Five (cook the rice)
  Push the cabbage aside, stir in the uncooked rice, cover again, and let it simmer on low until the rice is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and give it another five minutes if needed.
• Step Six (finish it off)
  Check the seasoning, then let the pot rest a few minutes so the rice can soak up the last of the liquid.
• Step Seven (optional garnish)
  A sprinkle of parsley on top makes it look fresh, but that part’s up to you.

Recipe Tips

I rarely make this the exact same way twice, and that’s part of the fun.

• Ground turkey or chicken work fine when I don’t feel like beef.
• Napa or savoy cabbage give it a softer texture and a little sweetness.
• Brown rice, quinoa, or bulgur can stand in for white rice, but they’ll need more liquid and more time.
• Fresh tomatoes with a spoonful of paste or even marinara sauce work if that’s what’s in the pantry.
• Sometimes I’ll stir in smoked paprika, a splash of Worcestershire, or fresh dill at the end for extra flavor.
• You’ll also hear people call this deconstructed cabbage rolls or inside out cabbage rolls. With a couple of these tweaks, it really is one of the best shortcuts to stuffed cabbage flavor.
• If you’re interested in a traditional cabbage roll recipe, try my sweet and sour cabbage rolls. They’re a fun take on the Polish versions I grew up eating.

How to Store and Reheat

This unstuffed cabbage rolls recipe makes great leftovers, and it holds up well whether you reheat it the next day or freeze it for later.

• Fridge: Keep any extras covered in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until hot.
• Freezer: Cool completely, portion into containers, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Texture tip: The rice keeps soaking up liquid as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat to loosen it back up.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I make unstuffed cabbage rolls ahead of time?
  Yes, though I don’t fully cook everything in advance. I’ll brown the beef and chop the cabbage the day before, then finish the simmer and rice cooking when I’m ready to serve. It saves time without losing the fresh-cooked texture.
• What makes this different from deconstructed or inside out cabbage rolls?
  They’re really just different names for the same idea – all the flavor of stuffed cabbage without the rolling. This recipe keeps it savory and in one pot, which makes it easy to pull off on a weeknight and why I like to think of it as the best shortcut version.
• How do I keep the rice from overcooking in unstuffed cabbage rolls?
  The trick is adding it toward the middle of the simmer, not at the very start. That way it cooks through in the broth and tomato sauce but doesn’t turn mushy. If it needs more time, I let it go in five-minute increments, tasting as I go.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re wondering what to eat with cabbage rolls, these sides work every time:

• Creamy Cauliflower Salad – old-fashioned with a twist.
• Beet Salad with Feta – fresh and tangy.
• No-Knead Onion Rolls – soft and savory.
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes – classic and creamy.

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Print

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

Unstuffed cabbage rolls simmer in one pot with beef, rice, cabbage, and tomatoes for a hearty, savory dinner. Sometimes called deconstructed or inside out cabbage rolls, this recipe is the easiest way to enjoy the flavors of the classic without all the rolling.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Polish-American

Keyword best unstuffed cabbage rolls, deconstructed cabbage rolls, inside out cabbage rolls, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls, unstuffed cabbage rolls recipe, unstuffed cabbage with rice

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 365kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons For ingredient accuracy.
• Knife To chop cabbage and onion.
• Dutch Oven Large enough to hold cabbage, beef, rice and broth
• wooden spoon or spatula. For beaking up the beef and stirring.

Ingredients

• 1 lbs (454 g) ground beef (93% lean)
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (~1 lb / 500 g) head of cabbage chopped into bite-sized pieces (4-5 cups / 300-400 g))
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g) diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 can (8 oz 227 g) tomato sauce
• 1½ cups (355 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tsps (4 g) paprika
• 1 tsp (1 g) ground oregano
• 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup (190 g) uncooked white rice
• fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon until it's browned and no longer pink.
  1 lbs (454 g) ground beef (93% lean)
• Add the diced onion to the pot with the beef. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.
  1 medium yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
• Stir in the chopped cabbage, diced tomatoes with their juice, tomato sauce, beef broth, paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  1 (~1 lb / 500 g) head of cabbage, 1 can (14.5 oz / 410 g) diced tomatoes, 1 can (8 oz 227 g) tomato sauce, 1½ cups (355 ml) low-sodium beef broth, 2 tsps (4 g) paprika, 1 tsp (1 g) ground oregano, 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme, salt and pepper
• Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender.
• Push the cabbage to one side of the pot and stir in the uncooked rice, cover and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes more, until rice is cooked through. (Taste the rice and make sure it's tender.)
  1 cup (190 g) uncooked white rice
• Once the rice is cooked and the cabbage is tender, remove pot from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Let it stand for a few minutes to allow any remaining liquid to be absorbed.
• Garnish each serving with fresh parsley.
  fresh parsley

Notes

• Ground turkey or chicken can be used instead of beef.
• Napa or savoy cabbage create a softer, slightly sweeter result.
• Brown rice, quinoa, or bulgur work in place of white rice, though you’ll need to add more liquid and increase the cooking time.
• Fresh tomatoes with a spoonful of paste, or marinara sauce, can replace the canned tomatoes and sauce.
• Smoked paprika, Worcestershire, or fresh dill added at the end will boost flavor.
• Cool completely before freezing. Store in containers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, adding broth if the rice has absorbed too much liquid.

 

If you’re making this 0ne pot unstuffed cabbage rolls recipe, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 350g | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 620mg | Potassium: 890mg | Fiber: 4.4g | Sugar: 6.3g | Vitamin A: 33.1IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 5mg

Have you made these Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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The post Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls appeared first on Noble Pig.

But my inspiration for these nachos came from my current year-long culinary travelogue with Sargento cheese. You can read about my journey (in my first post) here. I have been assigned to explore two of the top flavor trends of 2013, one of them being fermented foods. 

Now, all sauerkraut is not created equal. Much of the stuff you find on shelves in the grocery store is just packed in vinegar, not fermented at all. When speaking of store-bought fermented sauerkraut, look for it in the refrigerated section (by the pickles). Bubbies brand is one I know for sure is fermented (not all in the refrigerated section are…confusing I know). 

But why go out of your way to get the fermented sauerkraut?

There have been lots of studies about the health benefits of eating fermented foods. Research has shown fermented foods are rich in enzymes, can improve digestive health and have a great capacity for nutrient absorption. If you are going to eat sauerkraut, it might as well be the good stuff.

And let’s not forget to mention sauerkraut is rich in Vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium, fiber and niacin. Medical and health experts recommend eating several servings of cruciferous vegetables each week to reduce the risk of cancer of the colon. Sauerkraut, like cabbage, is cruciferous. Overall, sauerkraut is good for you and it’s a great low-cal topping for nachos.

At first I wasn’t sure what cheese I wanted to pair with this dish. A strongly flavored cheese would fight too much with these flavors.

As I thought about it more, I knew I wanted a cheese with a good backbone. Something slightly complex, but mild at the same time. A bubbly cheese that browns nicely, like on pizza. The mozzarella ended up being the perfect choice. It met all of my requirements.

Normally nachos are served with some type of sauce, the usual suspects being salsa or guacamole. But, I wanted to mimic those childhood kielbasa sandwiches served with deli mustard.

I put together a Cracked Pepper-Dijon Cream that tasted amazing on these nachos. Honestly it was the perfect finishing touch.

The post Sauerkraut and Kielbasa Nachos with Cracked Pepper-Dijon Cream appeared first on Noble Pig.

Dill Pickle Soup

Friends! This Dill Pickle Soup recipe has swept the nation. Thank you to all who have made, shared and loved this recipe. This Dill Pickle Soup is absolutely one of the best tasting soups you’ll come across. It does help if you are a pickle lover, but in case you’re not, this soup recipe might finally change your mind (it’s that good). This pickle soup recipe was even made on THE CHEW and the chefs loved it. I was utterly flabbergasted when I saw this soup being made on TV.

Oh my goodness, again, THIS. PICKLE. SOUP. I’m completely enamored by it. I just can’t stop eating it. It’s the perfect amount of sour and savory pickle flavor and the thickness of the soup is just right. I’m in love with it. And it’s the kind of love where you want to eat that thing for dinner and breakfast. I know you get me.

If you’ve been following here long enough, you’ll know I’m dill pickle obsessed anyway. Hopefully, by now, you’ve also tried my Dill Pickle Dip, Dill Pickle Butter (you have to), and my Dill Pickle Popcorn. They are all so delicious you just might turn into a pickle-loving fiend if you make them all.

This bowl of soup is comfort food to the max! It really is one of the most delicious tasting soups, as strange as it sounds. If you’ve had it…you know. And let’s not forget it’s the perfect easy dinner idea.

Polish Dill Pickle Soup

I’m not really sure where my adoration of dill pickles hails from. I grew up in a Polish home, where lots of traditional polish food was made. Therefore, pickles were a staple and a soup like dill pickle soup was not something out of the ordinary. I do know my Mom ate an entire jar of dill pickles one hot, August, night and proceeded to go into labor, with me.

Additionally, my dad and I used to eat copious amounts of dill pickle sandwiches just because we loved them so much. He would have adored this soup. Don’t worry Dad I’ve eaten enough for both of us.

This is also a quick and easy meal, taking no longer than 30 minutes to make. Many have asked if they can make this dill pickle soup in a slow cooker, but it doesn’t really work, since you need to get it boiling. Plus, it’s ready so quickly, it’s already a time saver.

Recipe Tips

• For example, if you slice your carrots into coins, chop each coin into 6 pieces instead of the usual four.
• Overall, I think you’re going to find the overall preparation of this recipe very easy and straightforward.
• The Old Bay seasoning is key and distinctive to this soup, just like with my creamy cauliflower salad.
• Use the pickle brine from my quick homemade dill pickles if you like.

What should I serve with dill pickle soup? This soup stands on its own, but a small side never hurts. My salt and vinegar smashed potatoes add a sharp, briny edge that fits right in.

More Dill Pickle Recipes Worth Trying

If you’re into bold, briny flavor, here are a few more dill pickle recipes I’ve created for the dill pickle lovers.

• Oven Fried Dill Pickles
• Fried Pickles – Deep Fried
• Low Carb Air Fryer Dill Pickles 
• Pickle de Gallo – Dill Pickle Salsa
• Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
• Dill Pickle Bacon Bloody Mary
• Dill Pickle Hot Pastrami Pizza
• Fried Dill Pickle Dip
• Dill Pickle Margarita

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Print Dill Pickle Soup This recipe has swept the nation! A tangy, delicious and over-the-top version of Dill Pickle Soup. It will become a staple in your household. Course Main Course Cuisine American Keyword Dill Pickle Soup, Pickle Soup Recipe, Polish Dill Pickle Soup Prep Time 10 minutes minutes Cook Time 30 minutes minutes Total Time 40 minutes minutes Servings 8 people Calories 297kcal Author Cathy Pollak Ingredients 5-1/2 cups chicken broth 1-3/4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 cups chopped carrots, smaller dice 1 cup chopped dill pickles (smaller dice ~ about 3 large whole dills) 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup sour cream 1/4 cup water 2 cups dill pickle juice* 1-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional garnishes: sliced dill pickles, fresh dill and black pepper Instructions In a large pot, combine broth, potatoes, carrots and butter. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add pickles and continue to boil. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sour cream and water, making a paste. Vigorously whisk sour cream mixture (2 Tablespoons at a time) into soup. (This will also break up some of your potatoes which is okay. You might see some initial little balls of flour form, but between the whisking and boiling all will disappear. Don't panic.) Add pickle juice, Old Bay, salt (*see below), pepper and cayenne. Cook 5 more minutes and remove from heat. Serve immediately. Video Notes *All pickle juice is not created equal. Some is saltier than others. Taste your soup after adding the pickle juice and final seasonings. It's possible you will not need any salt or would prefer more or less. Nutrition Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.2g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 537.6mg | Potassium: 104.3mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2.7g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 1.8mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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The post Dill Pickle Soup + VIDEO appeared first on Noble Pig.

I think every Eastern European country has its version of stuffed cabbage rolls.  I grew up on my grandmother’s version which was not sweet and sour…just sweet.  Being Polish, we called them, Golabki, pronounced
ga-WUMP-kee.  It means, little pigeons in Polish, a reference to their size and shape.  My kids call them Gad-wonkas just to irritate me…it works.

Anyway, I have always loved my grandmother’s cabbage rolls but my friend has been after me to try her sweet and sour rendition.

OMG, can I just tell you…I love them. Love them! I mean I always love a good ‘twang in my food and this recipe just has a nice ‘twangy note.  I love the contrast of the sweet and sour, it goes so perfectly together with the meat.

Here’s what’s interesting, in my grandmother’s version, and this version too, tomato soup is used as the sauce base.  We have tried many others ways to achieve the same flavor and every time go back to the soup. It just works perfectly. And makes it easy.

I hope you enjoy this version, it rocks.

Sweet & Sour Cabbage Rolls

1 large head cabbage
1 cup long grain white rice, uncooked
1-1/2 – 2 pounds ground beef
2 large eggs
Coarse salt and pepper
1 cup golden raisins
1 jar jar sauerkraut
4 cans tomato soup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 soup cans of water

Bring a large stock pot (12 quart) of water to boil.  Place whole head of cabbage in boiling water to blanche and separate leaves, set aside separated leaves.

In another small saucepan, bring water to a boil.  Pour in rice and boil for 5 minutes. Rinse and drain.  Mix rice with ground beef, eggs, raisins and salt and pepper.  Roll mixture in cabbage leaves.

Spread a thin layer of one can of soup and one cup water in a large baking pan.  Layer cabbage rolls and cover with drained sauerkraut.  Evenly sprinkle with brown sugar and lemon juice. (you can make it sweeter and more sour by adding more sugar and juice from the sauerkraut jar). Top with the rest of the tomato soup, mixed with water.  Cover and bake at 325^o for two hours.

MORE POLISH FOOD RECIPES TO MAKE

• Sauerkraut – Kapusta
• Polish Pickle Soup
• Babka
• Poppy Seed Roll  – Makowiec
• Pierogi
• Sauerkraut and Kielbasa Nachos
• Rugelach
• Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

The post Sweet & Sour Cabbage Rolls appeared first on Noble Pig.

Babka (cake) is a big part of my childhood memories. If you don’t know what babka is, I guess the best way to describe it is a very spongy, brioche-like yeast cake. It’s sweet and usually has a fruit filling such as golden raisins.  It’s a very dense cake and the dough can be very finicky and easily over-mixed.

My grandmother and my mother always had a babka marathon leading up to Easter Sunday.  A recipe only makes a few loaves and it seemed 10 or 12 were always needed for family, friends and church bake sales.

Babka is definitely not for the novice baker.  It helps to make it a few times with someone who is used to working with the dough.  It’s one of those doughs that benefits from a familiar touch of knowing when to stop mixing or to add more flour.

My mom had been using the same babka recipe for years. The babka is fantastic. It’s the perfect texture and sweetness and just really stood out as an excellent example of what a good Polish babka could be. There are so many versions of babka out there depending on your culture and even religion. But this recipe is outstanding. If you’ve eaten as many babka’s as I have, you just know. Take it from a babka expert…this is so good.

Babka

Yeast dough:
1 cup whole milk
2 packages dry yeast
1-1/2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon sugar

Scald milk, remove from heat and cool.  When cool, add yeast, flour and sugar.  Mix well and set aside.

Next part of dough:
1-1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup butter
12 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6-1/2 cups flour
1 cup golden raisins

Scald milk with butter. Set aside to cool.  In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until light and fluffy (use a kitchen aid mixer with a whisk attachment if you can).  Add salt and vanilla.  Add flour, 1 cup at a time, alternately with cooled milk-butter mixture (switch to dough hook).  After you have added 4 cups of flour, add the cooled milk-yeast mixture from earlier.  Add raisins.  Set a handful of dough aside for the topping.

Let the dough rise until double in size.  Punch down and put in 2 or 3 greased loaf pans (depending on size).  Add crumbled topping (recipe below) and rise again until double.  Bake at 350^o for about 25-30 minutes.

Topping:
Handful of dough
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Hopefully many of you have been making babka and this recipe will give you something new to try.

MORE POLISH FOOD RECIPES TO MAKE

• Sauerkraut – Kapusta
• Polish Pickle Soup
• Poppy Seed Roll  – Makowiec
• Golabki _ Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
• Sauerkraut and Kielbasa Nachos
• Rugelach
• Pierogi

The post Babka appeared first on Noble Pig.

Poppy Seed Roll

If you’re not Polish, a word like makowiec (Ma-KOH-viets) won’t mean very much. But if you are Polish, and grew up in a Polish or Eastern European household like myself, the word makowiec arouses a hunger for which there is no other substitution. A dessert table in my childhood would not have been complete without this roll taking center stage.

This coffee cake has a very distinctive taste that I absolutely love and crave. The poppy seed filling is a paste that is available in the baking or ethnic aisle of your grocery store.

Poppy seed roll was always around during holiday times. A friend of my parents, Frank Majcher, a baker who worked for one of the large bakeries in downtown Los Angeles, made about the best poppy seed roll I have ever tasted. When Frank passed away many, many years ago, I thought I would never taste another poppy seed roll that even compared to ones Frank used to turn out.

After reading many recipes and putting my own spin on them, I have created what I think is the best poppy seed roll out there. The taste takes me right back to my childhood and I never wait until the holidays to make this very special dish.

We can never get enough of this at our home. It’s addicting.

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt and eggs. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups warm milk, butter and yeast mixture. With the paddle attachment, beat until smooth. The dough will be very dense and sticky.

Scrape dough into a clean, greased bowl. Sprinkle the top with a little flour and cover. Let stand in a warm place for2 hours or until double in size. Punch down and turn out onto a floured surface. Divide dough in thirds and shape each into a rectangle using a rolling pin into about a 1/8″ thickness. The rectangle will be fairly large.

Rub a teaspoon of vegetable oil (or more) onto the surface of the dough, making sure to get to all the edges. Sprinkle the dough with sugar. Spread one can of poppy seed filling onto each dough rectangle. This can be tedious to spread, taking maybe 10-15 minutes for each roll. Sprinkle filling with 1 cup chopped walnuts. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, turning ends under so filling will not leak out.

Place the jelly-rolls on parchment, silicone or a greased pan, cover and let rise again until double in size. Two rolls will fit on one pan.

Heat oven to 350^o F. Brush tops of rolls with additional melted butter. Bake 40-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool completely. You can dust with confectioner’s sugar or make a glaze (confectioner’s sugar and milk) to drizzle over them, if desired.

The rolls also freeze really well and taste fantastic!!

MORE POLISH FOOD RECIPES TO MAKE

• Sauerkraut – Kapusta
• Polish Pickle Soup
• Babka
• Pierogi
• Golabki _ Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
• Sauerkraut and Kielbasa Nachos
• Rugelach

Poppy Seed Roll (Makowiec)

1 package active dry yeast
2 cups warm milk, divided
8 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling on dough
1 teaspoon salt
5 eggs
8 Tablespoons butter, melted plus more for brushing on dough
Vegetable oil
3 (11 ounce) cans poppy seed filling
3 cups walnuts, finely chopped, divided

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm milk. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, salt and eggs. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups warm milk, butter and yeast mixture. With the paddle attachment, beat until smooth. The dough will be very dense and sticky.

Scrape dough into a clean, greased bowl. Sprinkle the top with a little flour and cover. Let stand in a warm place for2 hours or until double in size. Punch down and turn out onto a floured surface. Divide dough in thirds and shape each into a rectangle using a rolling pin into about a 1/8″ thickness. The rectangle will be fairly large.

Rub a teaspoon of vegetable oil (or more) onto the surface of the dough, making sure to get to all the edges. Sprinkle the dough with sugar. Spread one can of poppy seed filling onto each dough rectangle. This can be tedious to spread, taking maybe 10-15 minutes for each roll. Sprinkle filling with 1 cup walnuts. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, turning ends under so filling will not leak out.

Place the jelly-rolls on parchment, silicone or a greased pan, cover and let rise again until double in size. Two rolls will fit on one pan.

Heat oven to 350^o F. Brush tops of rolls with additional melted butter. Bake 40-60 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool completely. You can dust with confectioner’s sugar or make a glaze (confectioner’s sugar and milk)to drizzle over them, if desired.

The post Poppy Seed Roll (Makowiec) appeared first on Noble Pig.

Sauerkraut – Kapusta

I know my Dad was smiling down from heaven the other day as he watching me make his prized Sauerkraut.

However, sauerkraut is not what we called this dish, being Polish, we referred to it as kapusta (kah-POOS-tah), a word meaning cabbage.  It just sounds wrong.

Anyway, I grew up on this stuff.  Just the aromatics alone take me back to my childhood kitchen.  I can still see the pot my grandmother cooked it in and my Dad standing there, waiting to inform her if it was sour enough or needed more salt.  It’s a good memory but one that leaves me a bit emotional.

I made this the day while making pierogi, let’s just say it was quite the kitchen marathon.  This is one of those dishes that gets better every day it sits in the refrigerator.  It also freezes very well.

The flavor is incredible and tastes nothing like the sauerkraut we put on our hot dogs.  It’s nothing short of amazing.

You should try it.

To make kapusta, you start by making a stock.  You will need 3-1/2 pounds of pork neck bones; they will have some meat on them.  These are easily found at the grocery store or from your butcher.  Just ask, if they don’t have them right then, it will not be a problem getting them by the next day.

Place them in a roasting pan, on a rack (sprayed with PAM) and place them in a 350 degree oven for one hour, turning them over after thirty minutes.

Here is what they look like when done cooking.

In a large, heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven), place the roasted neck bones, one large, yellow onion, quartered, and a 3/4 pound ham hock.  Fill with enough water to cover the ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for three hours.  When done, strain the stock, reserving separately the neck bones and the ham hock. Pour the liquid back into the pot and spoon off any fat accumulated on top.  Reserve this fat, you might need a little later.

Remove meat from the pork, neck bones.  It will pull off and shred so easily.  Set aside.

I use a mixture of fresh and jarred sauerkraut in this recipe.  It really gives it a good flavor.

Chop I head of green cabbage and open two 24 ounce jars of store-bought sauerkraut.  Drain the jarred sauerkraut, reserving the juice.

Bring the stock back to a boil, adding the cabbage, the jarred sauerkraut and the meat from the pork neck bones.  Let simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

The inside skin of the ham hock you reserved from the stock has a layer of fat.  With a knife, remove that fat and begin to fry it up in a nonstick pan.

To the same pan, add 2 large chopped onions and one 8 ounce package of sliced mushrooms.  As you cook this there might not be enough fat in the pan to cook the onions and the mushrooms so slowly add the fat you skimmed off the top of the stock that you reserved.  Use only as much as you need, this will really give it flavor.  Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the mushroom-onion mixture to the simmering sauerkraut.  Continue to simmer the sauerkraut until the onions almost melt in your mouth, about an hour to an hour and a half.  Leave the lid 3/4 on top, allowing for some release of steam.  As it cooks, periodically taste and decide if it is sour enough for you.  If it is not, add back the sauerkraut juice you reserved from the jars to make it as sour as you like.  Also, you will need to salt and pepper it to your liking.

This makes a big pot and can feed a crowd with leftovers.  It freezes well, so enjoy.

Smacznego (smatch-nE-go)!  The Polish equivalent of bon Appetit.

MORE POLISH FOOD RECIPES TO MAKE

• Poppy Seed Roll (Makowiec)
• Polish Pickle Soup
• Babka
• Pierogi
• Golabki  – Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
• Sauerkraut and Kielbasa Nachos
• Rugelach

Sauerkraut (Kapusta)

3-1/2 pounds pork, neck bones
3 large onions, divided
3/4 pound smoked or regular hamhock
1 head of green cabbage, shredded
2 twenty-four ounce jars sauerkraut
1 eight ounce package sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

To make kapusta, you are going to start by making a stock.  You will need 3-1/2 pounds of pork neck bones, they will have some meat on them.  These are easily found at the grocery store or from your butcher.  Just ask, if they don’t have them right then, it will not be a problem getting them by the next day.

Place them in a roasting pan, on a rack (sprayed with PAM) and place them in a 350 degree oven for one hour, turning them over after thirty minutes.

In a large, heavy pot (I used my Dutch oven), place the roasted neck bones, one large, yellow onion, quartered, and a 3/4 pound hamhock.  Fill with enough water to cover the ingredients.  Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for three hours.  When done, strain the stock, reserving separately the neck bones and the hamhock. Pour the liquid back into the pot and spoon off any fat accumulated on top.  Reserve this fat, you might need a little later.

Remove meat from the pork neck bones.  It will pull off and shred so easily.  Set aside.

I use a mixture of fresh and jarred sauerkraut in this recipe.  It really gives it a good flavor.

Chop I head of green cabbage and open two 24 ounce jars of store-bought sauerkraut.  Drain the jarred sauerkraut, reserving the juice.

Bring the stock back to a boil, adding the cabbage, the jarred sauerkraut and the meat from the pork neck bones.  Let simmer while you prepare other ingredients.

The inside skin of the hamhock you reserved from the stock has a layer of fat.  With a knife, remove that fat and begin to fry it up in a nonstick pan.

To the same pan, add 2 large chopped onions and one 8 ounce package of sliced mushrooms.  As you cook this there might not be enough fat in the pan to cook the onions and the mushrooms so slowly add the fat you skimmed off the top of the stock that you reserved.  Use only as much as you need, this will really give it flavor.  Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

Add the mushroom-onion mixture to the simmering sauerkraut.  Continue to simmer the sauerkraut until the onions almost melt in your mouth, about an hour to an hour and a half.  Leave the lid 3/4 on top, allowing for some release of steam.  As it cooks, periodically taste and decide if it is sour enough for you.  If it is not, add back the sauerkraut juice you reserved from the jars to make it as sour as you like.  Also, you will need to salt and pepper it to your liking.

This makes a big pot and can feed a crowd with leftovers.  It freezes well, so enjoy.

The post Sauerkraut appeared first on Noble Pig.

Polish Comfort Food

What are pierogi? Essentially, they’re the Polish version of filled dumplings, ours come smothered in butter, crispy-fried bacon, and sautéed onions, a real treat usually reserved for holidays.

In my family, when these hit the buffet line, you grab as many as you want because they vanish in minutes. If you’re lucky, they’ll reappear next year. As a second-generation Polish-American, I decided it was high time to master the art of pierogi making. Until now, I just relished eating them, but as the years pass, family traditions become crucial.

Being my mother’s only daughter, I’ve been named to carry on the pierogi-making legacy. Watching my grandmother and mother argue over flour proportions during the holidays was a sight, but somehow, they always worked it out. Learning this craft keeps alive a tradition that has shaped my family life.

Commercial pierogi are sad imitations of the homemade kind. Making them is no joke—it’s hard work and a day-long project. But make a lot; they freeze well, and you’ll regret not having more. For me, making pierogi was a commitment to the past while embracing the future. Amid life’s changes, pierogi-making has remained a constant, a reassuring thing in a world where time seems to slip away.

Pierogi Joke

Since we are pierogi-ing it up, I am reminded of a joke…

“There was a man lying upstairs in his bed, very close to death. He could smell the aroma coming from the downstairs kitchen where his wife was making pierogi. He couldn’t believe after 50 years of marriage she still loved him so much she would be making pierogi for what was most likely his final meal. He somehow got out of bed and crawled down the stairs to the kitchen. As he reached for the platter on the table filled with the freshly made pierogi, his wife slapped his hands away and said, ‘Hey, get away, those are for your funeral.’ Gasp.

How to Make Pierogi…Grandma’s Way…

There is a printable recipe with ingredients and all of the instructions at the end of this post.

I took the best pictures I possibly could.  My mother is not used to someone snapping photos at every step of cooking.  I didn’t even bother with auxiliary lighting, I think she would have had a few heart palpitations if I did.  At one point I told her to stop working while I adjusted the white balance on my camera.  Ummm, yeah, that didn’t happen.  At all.

Among the myriad pierogi fillings, our top pick is a blend of potato, cheese, and onion. Here’s the catch—it has to be prepared a day in advance and needs to be ice-cold, no compromises. The quantity of pierogi you whip up hinges on the filling you prepare. We crafted around 70 pierogi and still found ourselves with some leftover filling.

Step 1 – Making the Filling

• For this many pierogi, peel and quarter 6 pounds of potatoes and bring to a boil.
• While the potatoes are cooking grate extra-sharp cheddar cheese (do not substitute) and sauté one large, chopped onion.
• When the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, drain and quickly return to the pot over the heat to remove any remaining water.
• Begin mashing with a potato masher, adding sautéed onion and cheese.
• Incorporate well and mash the potato mixture down hard until flattened.
• Let cool and place in the refrigerator overnight.

A single batch of dough yields approximately 22-23 pierogi, the exact count will be influenced by your cookie cutter’s size. I opted for a 3-1/4″ round cookie cutter, finding that this larger size simplifies the filling process, especially if you’re a novice.

Note: Attempting to double or triple this dough recipe isn’t advisable—it doesn’t yield the right results. We went with three distinct batches for our pierogi-making adventure. In other words, we made the dough recipe three times.

Step 2 – Making the Dough

• Take a medium-sized bowl, measure unbleached, all-purpose flour using the scoop and sweep method, and sprinkle table salt on top. Create a well, adding the egg and full-fat sour cream.

Step 3 – Blending the Dough

• Use two knives to blend the egg and sour cream into the flour.

Step 4 – Bringing the Dough Together

• Gradually introduce lukewarm water.
• Add only a small amount at a time while consistently cutting the egg into the flour. (My mom is quite particular and meticulous about this step—she proceeds slowly, ensuring every bit of flour is fully incorporated with the wet ingredients. So, take your time at this stage.)

Step 5 – Gathering the Dough

• After all the ingredients are combined, the dough won’t be overly smooth and might be somewhat sticky.
• Use your hands to gather it into a ball.

This is how it should appear once you’ve gathered the dough.

Step 6 – Resting the Dough

Step 7 – Cutting the Dough Circles

• After preparing all your dough batches, take either the entire dough ball or a portion and roll it out to a thickness of 1/16″. (If not using the whole ball, place the unused portion back under the bowl.)
• To prevent sticking, use flour on the rolling pin and work surface.
• The available workspace will determine how much you can roll out at once.
• The dough’s thickness is crucial for excellent pierogi, pay close attention.
• Cut out circles as close to the dough edge as possible and place them on a clean dish towel, keeping them flat as you cut them out. In other words, avoid flipping them over.
• Any leftover dough scraps after cutting can be formed into a ball and set aside under a bowl for later use.

Tip: Keep the circles covered as they dry out easily.

Step 8 – Forming the Pierogi

• Retrieve only a portion of the filling from the large refrigerated bowl to keep it cold.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto each dough circle. To do this, pick up each circle, flipping it over into your hand—the edge on this side is better for sealing.
• Stretch the dough as you press in the filling with a spoon, adding more if needed.
• Bring the dough together and crimp the edges with your fingers. (Be cautious, as any filling on your fingers or on the edges where you’re sealing can prevent the dough from closing.)
• Also, avoid creating small holes or leaving any edges unsealed, as they will come apart during cooking.

Step 9 – Boiling the Pierogi 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Once boiling, place twelve pierogi at a time into the water.
• When they float to the top, give them an extra minute, then use a slotted spoon to remove, allowing excess water to drain off.
• Expect to lose a few that haven’t been sealed properly (early snacks). If it’s happening frequently, double-check and reseal your remaining pierogi before cooking.

Step 10 – Sautéing the Pierogi

Take them directly from the water and place them into a frying pan with a gob of melted butter over low heat.  Here you are basically just coating them well with butter so they do not stick to each other.  At this point you can cool them and freeze them in Ziplock bags if you like.

• Take the boiled pierogi directly from the water and transfer them to a frying pan with a generous amount of melted butter over low heat.
• The goal here is to coat them thoroughly with butter to prevent sticking.
• At this stage, you can let them cool and freeze them in Ziploc bags if you prefer.

Step 11 – Serving the Pierogi

• If you are going to serve them (not freeze them), line them up like soldiers in a 9 x 13 pan and keep them warm in the oven.

Step 12 – Making Pierogi Topping

• In a spacious frying pan, crisp up one pound of bacon until it’s just right.
• Remove the bacon, leaving some of the fat to sauté a large, chopped yellow onion.
• Once the onion is done, reintroduce the crispy bacon to the pan and give it all a good mix.

Step 13 – Serving and Reheating Pierogi

• Sprinkle the bacon-onion mixture generously over your pierogi and serve them warm.
• For reheating, place a dozen at a time in a large frying pan over low heat and cover. It’s essentially steaming, but it’s okay to make them a little crispy too.

Here they are with my Mom’s amazing sauerkraut in the background.  Yum.

Making these are truly a labor of love and so worth it.

More Polish Food Recipes To Make

• Sauerkraut – Kapusta
• Polish Pickle Soup
• Babka
• Poppy Seed Roll  – Makowiec
• Golabki _ Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls
• Sauerkraut and Kielbasa Nachos
• Rugelach

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Print

Pierogi

Crafting the ultimate Polish comfort food, homemade pierogi, is definitely a labor of love. From perfecting the dough to nailing the cheesy potato and onion filling, get ready to enjoy the authentic recipe that's been a staple in my Polish family for years.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Polish

Keyword Pierogi, Polish Pierogi

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 day day 40 minutes minutes

Servings 70 Pierogi

Calories 255kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls
• cookie cutter 3.25"
• rolling pin

Ingredients

Pierogi Filling:

This amount of filling, fills approximately 70 pierogis, with some filling leftover.

• 6 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese (grate yourself, do not substitute)

Pierogi Dough:

Do not double this recipe. Each batch of dough makes approximately 22-23 pierogis. So repeat 3x for the amount of filling.

• 2-1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. table salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsps. full-fat sour cream
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• butter

Pierogi Topping:

• 1 lbs. bacon, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Pierogi Filling: (Make the day before, it needs to chill overnight.)

• Peel and quarter potatoes and bring to a boil in a large pot. While potatoes are cooking, grate cheese and sauté onion. When the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, drain and quickly return to the pot over the heat to remove any remaining water. Begin mashing with a potato masher, adding sautéed onion and cheese. Incorporate well and mash the potato mixture down into a hard-pack in a large bowl until flattened on the top. Let cool and place in the refrigerator overnight.
  6 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and quartered, 1 large yellow onion, chopped, 3/4 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese (grate yourself, do not substitute)

Pierogi Dough:

• In a medium sized bowl, measure unbleached, all-purpose flour using the scoop and sweep method  and sprinkle table salt on top. Make a well adding egg sour cream.
  2-1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. table salt, 1 large egg, 3 tbsps. full-fat sour cream
• With two knives, incorporate the egg and sour cream into the flour. Slowly add in approximately lukewarm water. (Add only a small amount at a time as you continue to cut the egg into the flour.) (My Mom is very particular and meticulous about this step. She goes slowly and makes sure every bit of flour is incorporated with the wet ingredients, so take your time here.) Once all the ingredients have been mixed, the dough will not be very smooth and possibly quite sticky. Use your hands to bring it together into a ball. Let the dough stand covered with an inverted bowl for approximately 1/2 hour before using. (Don't skip this, the dough needs to rest.)
  3/4 cup lukewarm water
• Once you have made all your dough batches take either all of a dough ball, or a portion of the dough, and roll it out until it is 1/16" thick. (Using flour will help you keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and rolling surface. Your available work surface will obviously dictate how much you can roll out at any one time. Thickness of the dough is very important for good pierogi.) Cut out circles as close to the dough edge as possible and place them on a clean dish towel, placing them flat, just as you cut them out of the dough. In other words, do not flip them over. Keep the circles covered with a dish towel as they dry out easily. (Leftover dough scraps after cutter can be put together into a ball and placed under a bowl to use at the end.)
• Remove only some of the filling from the large bowl in the refrigerator so that you can keep it cold. Place about 2 Tablespoons of filling into the dough circle.  Do this by picking up each circle and flipping it over into your hand. The edge on this side is better to seal. Place filling inside. (The dough stretches well as you press the filling in with a spoon.) Add more filling if necessary. Bring the dough together and crimp the edges with your fingers. (Be aware that if you have any filling on your fingers or on the edges of the dough, where you are trying to seal the edges, the dough will not close.) Also, be mindful not to make any small holes in the dough or leave any edges unsealed as they will come apart during cooking.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once water is boiling, place twelve pierogi at a time in the water. When they float to the surface, give them about one more minute and remove them from the water using a slotted spoon so the water can drain off. (It is common to lose a few at this point that have not been sealed properly (early snacks)). If it is happening a lot, reseal your other pierogi before dropping them into the water.
• Take them directly from the water and place them into a frying pan with a gob of melted butter over low heat. (Here you are basically just coating them well with butter so they do not stick to each other. (At this point you can cool them and freeze them in Ziploc bags if you like.)
  butter
• If you are going to serve them, I like to line them up like soldiers in a 9 x 13 pan and keep them warm in a 200 degree F. oven (covered).

Pierogi Topping:

• In a large frying pan, fry bacon until crispy, remove, leaving some of the fat to sauté onion.  When the onion is done, add the crispy bacon back to the pan and mix together.
  1 lbs. bacon, chopped, 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• Sprinkle the bacon-onion mixture over your pierogi and serve warm.
• If you need to rewarm them the next day, place a dozen at a time in a large frying pan over low heat and cover. You are basically steaming them, but it's okay to make them a little crispy too. Serve with sour cream if you like.
  sour cream (optional)

Notes

Recipe Tip:

Make sure to read through the whole recipe first! I suggest printing this recipe and reading each step, looking at the pictures and the steps under it while making. The post itself has more suggestions so it's worthwhile to read and understand before making.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Serving: 85g | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg

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The post Pierogi appeared first on Noble Pig.