Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls Recipe (Polish Golumpkis)

Polish stuffed cabbage rolls are filled with rice and beef, and simmered all day in a slow cooker with a tomato and sour cream sauce. You'll need a can of tomato soup for this one. It just isn't the same without it.

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If you’re craving a taste of old-fashioned comfort, this slow cooker golumpki recipe is the one to try! These delicious cabbage rolls are a true vintage recipe, filled with tender beef, rice, and savory seasonings, all wrapped in soft cabbage leaves and simmered in a rich tomato sauce. It’s the kind of hearty, satisfying comfort food that warms both your heart and your kitchen. Stick around—I’ll show you how to make this family-favorite dish step by step!

First published December 2010. Last updated January 6, 2024 for better user experience and more tips.

Finished cabbage roll being spooned out of the slow cooker.

Table of Contents

Thank you for the goodness you bring to our tables.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
🥬 How do you blanch cabbage?
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
💭 Insider tips: things to know
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat golumpki
👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

Thank you for the goodness you bring to our tables.

...Relatively easy but not too simple. Things I can serve to my snooty friends without being too ostentatious for family. Thank you for the goodness you bring to our tables.

William J. Yurgen

🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite

Cabbage rolls are impressive enough for a special dinner but easy enough for a family meal.
This is a classic comfort food dish that the whole family will love. Serve for leisurely weekend dinners.
Be sure to read the section on how to blanche cabbage so that your cabbage rolls go together easily.

Homemade galumpkis (golumpkis, stuffed cabbage, or cabbage rolls depending on where you are from) are so easy to make in a crock pot!

Tender leaves of steamed cabbage are rolled around a tomato-y rice and beef mixture, then covered in a creamy tomato sauce and slow cooked to perfection.

Since it's a slow cooker recipe it's perfect for busy weeknights. Just assemble the night before and let cook all the next day!

Easy on the budget and family friendly!

🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page

🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.

Steam the whole head of cabbage in a large covered pot of boiling water, removing leaves as they become soft.

Cook the ground beef and onions until cooked all the way through, then add in all the other ingredients to the ground meat mixture.

Fill the steamed cabbage leaves with the meat mixture and roll.

Place cabbage rolls to the bottom of the slow cooker and top with sauce.

🥬 How do you blanch cabbage?

You'll need to blanch the cabbage for these slow cooker cabbage rolls so that the leaves are soft and pliable.

First, you'll want to choose a cabbage that is relatively loose rather than solid and tight.
Next cut the heart out where the stem was. and cut up into the cabbage in a circle - like removing a cork or a plug.
Bring about 3 inches of salted water to a boil in a large (tall) pot.\
Place the cabbage in the boiling water with the cut side down. Cover.
Boil for 5 minutes or so.
Run the cabbage leaves under cool water and lay them out, ready to be filled and rolled.

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

Ground turkey or ground pork can be used in place of ground beef.
For a vegetarian version, use cooked lentils or quinoa in place of the ground beef.
Add 2 cups of your favorite chopped veggies to the beef mixture (e.g. mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers).
If you want a sweeter sauce add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the tomato soup.
A dash of Worcestershire sauce added to the beef mixture will give a deep rich flavor.

💭 Insider tips: things to know

To help with rolling the cabbage leaves cut a "v" out of the bottom of the leaf where it's thick.
Add a little water or V8 juice to the bottom of the crock pot to prevent sticking and burning.
When rolling the cabbage leaves wrap them like a burrito and tuck the leaves under to prevent them from unraveling.
Garnish plates with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a beautiful color.
When rolling the cabbage leaves wrap them like a burrito and tuck the leaves under to prevent them from unraveling.
Cabbage rolls can be assembled up to 3 days ahead of time and cooked when desired.
Make this into an easy 30 minute cabbage roll casserole by chopping the cabbage up and mixing in the remaining ingredients - bake in a 13x9 in pan at 375F for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Marye's Tip o' the day

To make in the oven put the stuffed cabbage rolls in a casserole dish and cover with the sauce as directed in recipe. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350F.

🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat golumpki

Leftover golumpki (cabbage rolls) can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or in a covered pot on the stove until warm all the way through.

Overhead view of cabbage rolls on a serving platter.

🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up

V-8 juice or spicy V-8 juice is one of the best ways to add even more flavor to this delicious dish. Use instead of water in the slow cooker.

zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive

👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs

Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!

What is the best type of cabbage for cabbage rolls?

A savoy or green cabbage is the best cabbage to use.

Why are my cabbage rolls tough?

One reason your cabbage rolls may not have turned out as expected is because they were under or overcooked. Another possibility is that you didn't add enough filling. The rolls should be tightly packed but not so full that they can't roll closed.

How do you soften cabbage leaves to roll?

The easiest way to soften cabbage leaves is to place them in boiling water and remove them from the head of cabbage as they soften.

Do you put eggs in cabbage rolls?

There is no need to add eggs to this recipe. The rice and beef mixture will hold everything together.

Cut cabbage rolls on a plate showing the filling.

⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -

This recipe is a little labor intensive but you can assemble it up to 3 days ahead of time. You can even break the steps up - cook the beef and rice one day and assemble the cabbage rolls the next.

🍽️ Perfect pairings: what to serve with

Easy 30 minute dinner rolls are perfect with this old fashioned dinner!

Overhead view of southern cucumber salad for the feature image.

Southern cucumber salad adds a zesty flavor and crunch to dinner.

Overhead view of bundt cake for feature image.

Moist and delicious apple spice bundt cake is the perfect ending to this hearty meal!

And here are 46 more great ideas for what to serve with cabbage rolls!

🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose

Chop everything up and add milk to make a soup or chop everything up for a casserole.
Fill steamed bell peppers with leftover cabbage rolls and bake.

📞 Wrapping it up: the last word

This easy, Polish comfort food is a family favorite! The baked version of the recipe was given to my mom by her best friend way back in the early 1930s. And, if you are of Polish descent, is it Galumpki or Golumpki?

Mom used to put cabbage rolls in a big Dutch oven and cook in a slow oven for several hours... that is until she got her first crockpot. 🙂

This is slow cooked for about six to eight hours to reach yummy perfection. The sauce is tangy and sweet, the cabbage is delicate and tender, and the rice and beef mixture is... unbelievably good.

Make it stretch further by using more rice and less meat. You can also add chopped mushrooms to help stretch it more.

Making this cabbage roll recipe doesn't take that long at all and the house will smell amazing.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Easy Cabbage Rolls (Galumpkis) Recipe

4.54 from 13 votes

Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe

Course Main Dish - Ground Beef

Cuisine American - Vintage,German/Eastern European,Polish

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 8

Total Time: 8 20

Servings: servings

Calories:536

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

▢ 1 cabbage, remove core
▢ 2 cups rice, cooked
▢ 1 ½ pounds ground beef
▢ 1 onion, chopped fine - optional
▢ 32.25 ounces Campbells condensed tomato soup, 3 10.75-ounce cans
▢ ¼ cup sour cream, more if desired
▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
▢ salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place the cabbage head core side down in a pot with about 3 inches water.
Cover and steam over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Check the cabbage, the top few leaves should be very transparent and pliable. Peel them off.
Continue to steam the cabbage and peel off the outer leaves as they get done. The leaves should be VERY pliable. You may be able to use all of the leaves, although the cabbage rolls will get smaller in size.
Chop up any remaining cabbage.
Saute the beef and onion until thoroughly cooked.
Mix the rice and ground beef mixture. Add about ¼ cup condensed tomato soup, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Prepare the crock pot by spraying with cooking spray. Pour about ½ cup of tomato soup on the bottom of the crock pot. Spread the chopped cabbage over it.
Place a heaping spoonful of the meat mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf.
Fold in the ends and roll up.
Place seam side down in the crock pot.
Repeat until you have a layer of cabbage rolls in the bottom.
Pour more tomato soup (about ½ cup) over the first layer and add a second layer of cabbage rolls over it.
Continue until the cabbage leaves are all used up.
Pour about ⅓ cup water or V-8 juice in the crockpot.
Mix the remaining tomato soup and the sour cream and pour over the top.
Slow cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve with more sour cream if desired.

Notes

Storage:

Leftover cabbage rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It's best not to freeze them.

Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or in a covered pot on the stove until warm all the way through.

Tips:

Expert Tip: To make in the oven put the stuffed cabbage rolls in a casserole dish and cover with the sauce as directed in recipe. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350F.

To help with rolling the cabbage leaves cut a "v" out of the bottom of the leaf where it's thick.
Add a little water or V8 juice to the bottom of the crock pot to prevent sticking and burning.
When rolling the cabbage leaves wrap them like a burrito and tuck the leaves under to prevent them from unraveling.
Garnish plates with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a beautiful color.
When rolling the cabbage leaves wrap them like a burrito and tuck the leaves under to prevent them from unraveling.
Cabbage rolls can be assembled up to 3 days ahead of time and cooked when desired.
Make this into an easy 30 minute cabbage roll casserole by chopping the cabbage up and mixing in the remaining ingredients - bake in a 13x9 in pan at 375F for 20 minutes or until heated through.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

Comments

4.54 from 13 votes (8 ratings without comment)