Holishkes

4.70 from 10 votes

Just in time for Simchat Torah, Holishkes are enjoyed during the holiday to celebrate Torah scrolls... with little stuffed cabbage sc-rolls to represent them.

This is the version we make at home. I use one of my favorite Persian stew bases and delicious dolmeh filling to create these holishkes. The combination of flavors is so wonderful, you'll make all your holishkes like this from now on!

Prep Time35

Cook Time2

Total Time2 35

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Jewish, Persian, polish

Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher

Servings:

Calories: 670kcal

Author: Candice Walker

Ingredients

1 lb. ground lamb beef, turkey, or chicken
2 tbsp oil canola or other flavorless oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
¼ tsp ground turmeric
¾ cup basmati rice
¾ cup water
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 head of green cabbage
16 oz. tomato sauce
3 oz. tomato paste
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses sub. with 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp vinegar during Passover
1 cup water can fill tomato sauce can half way
1 yellow onion thinly sliced
5 prunes optional

Instructions

Fill a very large stockpot (that fits the cabbage) half full with water and bring to a rapid boil.
In the meantime, make deep cuts around the core of the large cabbage in a cone shape so you can remove the core.
Then, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Cook the union until translucent. Season with turmeric.
Turn the heat to low and add the washed rice and 3/4 cup of water. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed, then remove it from the heat by adding it to a large bowl.
While the rice cools, add the cabbage to the boiling water. Boil for 1-2 minutes, then remove 1-2 layers of leaves. Place the cabbage back into the water and repeat until you have 8 large, untorn leaves.
Remove the rest of the cabbage from the water and set it aside to use in another recipe or shred it and place it in the bottom of the dutch oven in this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 300F.
Add the ground lamb, salt, and pepper to the bowl of rice. Mix the contents well. This is the filling. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
Split the filling into 8 portions. Stuff each large cabbage leaf with one filling portion by forming it into a log, placing it in the center of the leaf, and rolling it very tightly along the spine, closing both sides by tucking them in with your fingers like a burrito or egg roll. The spine should be vertical in the center of roll.
Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, water, and prunes to your large dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the cabbage rolls in one layer, open seam side down. Top with the finely sliced onion.
Cover and bake for 2 hours. Reheats well, too!

Video

Notes

You can make this recipe in a slow cooker. Simply cover and turn on high for 2 1/2-3 hours. Reheats well in the slow cooker, too!

Buying store-bought pomegranate molasses is usually less expensive than making your own.

Nutrition