Lenivye Golubtsy — Lazy Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

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Welcome to a recipe that captures all the comforting flavors of classic Eastern European stuffed cabbage rolls, but with a fraction of the work! "Lenivye Golubtsy," or Lazy Cabbage Rolls, are a clever and beloved twist on the traditional dish. Instead of carefully wrapping filling in cabbage leaves, we simply chop the cabbage and mix it right in with the ground meat and rice. The mixture is then formed into hearty patties and simmered in a delicious, tangy tomato sauce. It's the ultimate comfort food—hearty, savory, and incredibly satisfying. Perfect for a family dinner, this dish is a testament to smart, delicious home cooking.

A serving of lazy cabbage rolls in a white bowl, garnished with fresh herbs and chili pepper slices.

Lazy Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

Cooking: 40 minutes
Quantity: 5 Servings
Per serving
Calories: 295 kcal
Proteins: 18 g
Fats: 14 g
Carbohydrates: 16 g

Ingredients for Lazy Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

  • 400 g homemade ground meat mix
  • 250 g white cabbage
  • 150 g cooked rice
  • 1 teaspoon sweet ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • salt to taste
  • vegetable oil

For the Sauce

  • 200 g tomatoes
  • 150 ml water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

How to Make Lazy Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Sauce

A bowl of fresh ground meat, a key ingredient for lazy cabbage rolls.

Any type of ground meat or chicken, not too fatty, is suitable for making lazy cabbage rolls.

Hands finely shredding white cabbage on a cutting board.

Shred the white cabbage into very thin strips, no thicker than 2 millimeters.

Adding cooked rice to a bowl with ground meat and shredded cabbage.

Add cold cooked rice to the ground meat and cabbage.


For making lenivye golubtsy (a deconstructed version of traditional cabbage rolls, shaped like meatballs or patties), any type of ground meat or chicken that isn’t too fatty will work. This recipe uses a homemade ground mix of pork and beef. If your ground meat is frozen, take it out of the freezer in advance and leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours, or transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight.

Shred the white cabbage into very thin strips, no thicker than 2 millimeters. Sprinkle the cabbage with salt and massage it with your hands until it softens and releases some juice. Add the softened cabbage to the ground meat.

Add cold cooked rice to the meat and cabbage mixture. You can use leftover rice porridge from the day before, even if it was cooked with milk, as long as it’s not sweet. Alternatively, cook the rice fresh: use 100g of round-grain rice and 150ml of cold water. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes over low heat. Turn off the heat and let it sit in the pot for another 10 minutes. Let it cool.

Spices, including paprika and dill, being added to the meat and cabbage mixture.

Add sweet ground paprika and dried dill.

Hands thoroughly mixing the ground meat, cabbage, rice, and spices in a bowl.

Mix the ground meat mixture well until it is uniform.

Shaped oval patties of the lazy cabbage roll mixture on a wooden cutting board.

Form oval cabbage roll patties and place them on a cutting board.


Add salt to taste. Add sweet ground paprika and dried dill. Any of your favorite spices for meatballs will work well; use whatever seasonings you have on hand.

Mix the mixture thoroughly until it becomes uniform. At this stage, you can place the bowl with the mixture in the refrigerator to chill while you preheat the oven and prepare the sauce.

Grease your palms with refined vegetable oil. Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts, about 100g per cabbage roll. Form oval-shaped cabbage roll patties and place them on a cutting board.

Lazy cabbage roll patties arranged in a black skillet, ready for the sauce.

Place the lazy cabbage rolls a short distance apart from each other.

Pouring fresh tomato sauce over the uncooked lazy cabbage rolls in a skillet.

Pour the sauce into the skillet with the cabbage rolls.

A skillet with lazy cabbage rolls in tomato sauce being placed into an oven.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven. Cook for 35 minutes.


Pour a tablespoon of odorless vegetable oil into a braising pan or a thick-bottomed skillet. Place the lazy cabbage rolls in the pan, leaving a small space between them.

Prepare the sauce. Cut the tomatoes and remove the stems. Chop the tomatoes finely and place them in a blender. Add water, salt, and sugar. Blend the ingredients until smooth. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the cabbage rolls.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for 35 minutes. During this time, the sauce should reduce by about half.

A close-up of cooked lazy cabbage rolls in tomato sauce, garnished with fresh parsley and chili rings.

Sprinkle with hot pepper, sliced into thin rings, parsley, onion, or any other favorite herbs.

Serve the lazy cabbage rolls in tomato sauce hot or warm. Garnish with thinly sliced hot pepper rings, parsley, onion, or any other favorite fresh herbs.

And there you have it—a pan full of warm, juicy Lazy Cabbage Rolls, ready to be enjoyed! This dish is wonderful served hot, traditionally with a dollop of smetana (a popular Eastern European sour cream) and a sprinkle of fresh dill or parsley to brighten the flavors. It's a fantastic standalone meal, but also pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to soak up every last bit of the delicious tomato sauce. We hope this recipe brings a taste of cozy, Eastern European comfort to your kitchen. Enjoy your meal, or as they say, Priyatnogo appetita!