Dairy-Free Russian Cabbage Rolls (Golubtsi)

Ingredients

• 1 large head Cabbage
• 1 lb Ground beef
• 0.5 cup Rice
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 medium Carrots
• 28 oz Tomato sauce
• 1 cup Beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Fresh dill

Instructions

1. 1Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. Carefully place the 1 large head Cabbage into the boiling water and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the outer leaves are softened and can be gently peeled away without tearing. Using tongs, carefully remove the cabbage from the water and let it cool on a cutting board for about 10 minutes, or until it is cool enough to handle comfortably. Carefully peel off the softened outer leaves, keeping them whole, and set them aside.
2. 2While the cabbage cools, finely chop the 1 medium Onion and finely grate or finely chop the 1 medium Carrots. In a large bowl, combine the 1 lb Ground beef, 0.5 cup Rice, the finely chopped 1 medium Onion, the finely grated 1 medium Carrots, 1 teaspoon Salt, and 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly with your hands until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. 3Lay one prepared cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place approximately 1/4 cup of the ground beef mixture near the stem end of the leaf. Fold the sides of the cabbage leaf inward over the filling, then tightly roll the leaf up from the stem end towards the tip, creating a neat, compact package.
4. 4Repeat the rolling process from step 3 with the remaining cabbage leaves and ground beef mixture until all the filling is used. You should have several cabbage rolls.
5. 5Place a 6-quart or larger heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Add the 2 tablespoons Olive oil to the pot and heat it over medium heat, which is approximately 350°F (175°C), until the oil appears shimmering.
6. 6Carefully arrange the prepared cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in a single layer in the heated pot. If necessary, you can stack them slightly, but try to keep them from being too crowded. Pour the 28 oz Tomato sauce and 1 cup Beef broth over the cabbage rolls, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid.
7. 7Increase the heat to medium-high (400-425°F or 200-220°C) and bring the liquid in the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly with a lid, and let the cabbage rolls simmer for 45-60 minutes. The rolls are done when the cabbage leaves are tender when pierced with a fork and the internal temperature of the beef mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) when checked with a meat thermometer.
8. 8Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the 2 tablespoons Fresh dill into the sauce. Let the cabbage rolls rest, covered, in the sauce for 5-10 minutes before serving; this resting period allows the flavors to meld together.

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