Russian · main

Golubtsi (Голубцы)

Name: Golubtsi (Голубцы)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Russian
Ingredients: 12 white cabbage leaves; 1 lb ground pork and beef; 1 cup cooked rice; 1 onion; 3 cloves garlic; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 1 can (14 oz) canned tomatoes; 1/2 cup sour cream; 2 bay leaves; salt to taste; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 3 tbsp dill

Golubtsi (Голубцы) reads umami 5.3, allium 4.4 and richness 4.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Russian main, about 2 hr. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 5.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 3.0 / 10
Sour & Bright — 4.0 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 4.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.3 · Allium 4.4 · Richness 4.1 · Sourness 3.8 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Salinity 2.9 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Fruity 2.3 · Sweetness 2.3 · Warm Spice 1.6 · Bitterness 1.1 · Earthy 1.0 · Heat 0.9 · Floral 0.8 · Citrus 0.6

What's in it (12)

12 white cabbage leaves
1 lb ground pork and beef
1 cup cooked rice
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 can (14 oz) canned tomatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp dill

Time & effort: about 2 hr (30 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 134.7 kcal, 4.1 g protein, 7.2 g fat, 13.5 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Blanch large cabbage leaves in boiling water until pliable.
Mix ground meat with cooked rice, sautéed onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Place a spoonful of filling on each leaf, roll tightly, and pack seam-down in a heavy pot.
Cover with a sauce of tomato paste, canned tomatoes, and sour cream and braise on low heat for 1-1.5 hours.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Gołąbki (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls) — Polish
Stuffed Pepper (Tolma) — Georgian
Lomo Saltado — Peruvian
Doner Kebab — Turkish
Chicken Paprikash with Sour Cream — Hungarian

Keep reading: what umami, allium, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.