Welcome to a recipe that captures the heart of Eastern European comfort food with a brilliant, time-saving twist! Meet Lazy Golubtsy, or 'lenivye golubtsy,' the deconstructed cousin of the classic stuffed cabbage rolls. This dish offers all the savory, heartwarming flavors of the original—tender cabbage, seasoned ground meat, and soft rice simmered in a rich tomato sauce—but without the intricate work of rolling individual cabbage leaves. It's the perfect weeknight dinner for when you're craving something wholesome and delicious but are short on time. Let's dive into this simple yet incredibly satisfying meal!
Quick lazy golubtsy in a pot
Ingredients for Lazy Golubtsy
- 500 g ground meat
- 150 g rice
- 250 g cabbage
- 85 g carrot
- 110 g onion
- 500 ml broth
- 150 g tomato puree
- 3-4 bay leaves
- salt, sugar, pepper, vegetable oil
How to Make Quick Lazy Golubtsy
Clean the head of cabbage from the outer leaves and cut it in half. Remove the core. Coarsely chop the cabbage and place it in a blender bowl. By the way, you can use Napa cabbage instead of regular white cabbage, and it will also be delicious.
Placing cabbage into the blender bowl
Peel the carrots, chop them coarsely, and add them to the blender with the cabbage. Adding carrots is optional; I put them in for color.
Peel the onion and cut off the root end. Quarter the onions and add them to the other vegetables.
Chop the vegetables for the lazy golubtsy (a deconstructed version of traditional cabbage rolls) with a few pulses. You don’t need to turn them into a puree; the mixture should resemble grated vegetables.
Adding carrots
Adding onion
Chopping vegetables in the blender
Place the chilled ground meat in a bowl. This can be ground beef, pork, or chicken with a little fat to make the lazy golubtsy tender and juicy.
Rinse the rice and cover it with cold water, using a ratio of 2 cups of cold water to 1 cup of rice. Bring the rice to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover with a lid. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes, then remove from the stove and let it cool slightly. Use round-grain rice for this recipe, as it holds its shape well.
Add the chopped vegetables and the slightly cooled rice to the ground meat.
Season the lazy golubtsy mixture — salt to taste and pepper with freshly ground black pepper. Mix the ground meat with rice and vegetables thoroughly so that all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Placing ground meat in a bowl
Adding vegetables and slightly cooled rice to the ground meat
Seasoning and mixing the ingredients
Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan. With wet hands, form oval-shaped golubtsy. Quickly pan-fry them on both sides in the preheated oil, then transfer them to a greased roasting pan or a heavy-bottomed pot.
Pan-fry the golubtsy and transfer to a greased roasting pan or a heavy-bottomed pot
Arrange the quick lazy golubtsy in layers in the pot. Mix hot meat or chicken broth with tomato puree. Pour the mixture into the pot and place it on the stove.
Layering the lazy golubtsy and adding the broth and tomato puree mixture
Add a few bay leaves to the pot. If you like spicy food, add a little chili. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover with a lid and simmer the lazy golubtsy on low heat for about 35-40 minutes.
Bring the lazy golubtsy to a boil over high heat and simmer on low heat for 35-40 minutes. Done!
And there you have it—a pot full of delicious and comforting Lazy Golubtsy, ready to be enjoyed! This dish is traditionally served warm, often with a generous dollop of smetana (sour cream) and a sprinkle of fresh dill or parsley, which beautifully complements the rich tomato sauce. It's a fantastic meal that tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep. We hope this simplified take on a classic brings warmth and joy to your dinner table. Enjoy every bite!
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