Name: Georgian Cabbage Tolma
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 1 large white cabbage (about 1,600 g whole); use about 850 g softened leaves and reserve small leaves and trimmings to line the pot; 500 g 85% lean ground beef; 300 g ground pork, about 85% lean; 140 g long-grain white rice, uncooked, rinsed and drained; 140 g yellow onion, finely minced; 8 g garlic, finely minced; 20 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 20 g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped; 8 g fine salt; 1.5 g ground black pepper; 60 ml cold water; 25 ml neutral oil; 150 g yellow onion, finely minced; 10 g garlic, finely minced; 500 g plain tomato passata; 25 g tomato paste; 350 ml water, plus hot water if needed; 15 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 3 g fine salt; 1 g ground black pepper

Georgian cabbage tolma rolls simmer in tomato sauce in a heavy pot.

Yieldabout 24 rolls

Serving basis4 rolls per person; 6 servings

DifficultyModerate

Dietary classificationmeat-containing; no major declarable allergen as listed

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The dish

About Georgian Cabbage Tolma

კომბოსტოს ტოლმა · 6 servings · Moderate · 2 hours 15 minutes

Georgian tolma is made in more than one form. Here the filling is wrapped in cabbage rather than grape leaves, then gently cooked in a tomato-based liquid. The leaves soften first so they bend without splitting; trimming the thick ribs makes the rolls easier to close.

The filling combines ground beef and pork with uncooked long-grain rice, onion, garlic, parsley and fresh coriander leaves. A small measure of water goes into the mixture, and the rolls simmer slowly so the rice can cook inside the meat. Keep them snug in the pot, but do not compress the filling.

Tomato passata and paste give the cooking sauce body and a mild acidity. The exact shape and seasoning vary among home recipes; this measured version is a practical cabbage tolma, not a claim that one formula is universal. Serve the rolls with some of their sauce while hot.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

კომბოსტოს ტოლმა · 6 servings · Moderate · 2 hours 15 minutes

Cabbage and filling

1large white cabbage (about 1,600 g whole); use about 850 g softened leaves and reserve small leaves and trimmings to line the pot
500 g85% lean ground beef
300 gground pork, about 85% lean
140 glong-grain white rice, uncooked, rinsed and drained
140 gyellow onion, finely minced
8 ggarlic, finely minced
20 gflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
20 gfresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
8 gfine salt
1.5 gground black pepper
60 mlcold water

Tomato sauce

25 mlneutral oil
150 gyellow onion, finely minced
10 ggarlic, finely minced
500 gplain tomato passata
25 gtomato paste
350 mlwater, plus hot water if needed
15 gflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
3 gfine salt
1 gground black pepper

Method

Rinse the rice until the water is mostly clear; drain well.
Cut out the cabbage core. Lower the head into simmering water, core-side down. As the outside leaves soften, peel them away with tongs. Continue until you have 24–28 pliable leaves, usually 5–8 minutes total. Cool until handleable and shave down thick ribs without cutting through.
Mix the beef, pork, rice, filling onion, 8 g garlic, parsley, coriander leaves, 8 g salt, 1.5 g pepper and 60 ml water until evenly combined.
Put 45–50 g filling near the base of each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll snugly, leaving space for the rice to expand.
Heat the oil in the heavy pot. Soften the sauce onion for 5 minutes. Add the sauce garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Stir in passata, 350 ml water, parsley, 3 g salt and 1 g pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Line the pot with small leaves and trimmings. Set the rolls seam-side down in snug layers. Pour the sauce around them; it should reach most of the way up. Add a little hot water if needed. Cover the rolls with a heatproof plate, cover the pot and simmer very gently for 55 minutes.
Check a central roll with a thermometer: the thickest part of its meat filling must reach 71 °C / 160 °F, and the rice must be tender. If needed, simmer in 5-minute increments. Rest covered off the heat for 5 minutes; serve hot with the sauce.

Excerpt

Soft cabbage leaves enclose a beef, pork and rice filling, then simmer slowly in a bright tomato sauce.

Practical guidance

If an outer leaf tears, overlap it with a second leaf. Trim thick ribs carefully so the leaf remains whole. Keep the simmer low; vigorous boiling can loosen the rolls and reduce the sauce too quickly. Add hot water in small amounts if the pot becomes dry.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the room is above 32 °C / 90 °F. Store at or below 4 °C / 40 °F for 3–4 days. Reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F.

Blanch and cool the cabbage leaves up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate them promptly at 4 °C or colder, separate from raw meat. Wrap and cook the rolls on the day of serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 4 rolls with about 150 g sauce
Energy: approximately 490 kcal
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Protein: 29 g
Fat: 24 g
Fibre: 6 g
Sodium: approximately 950 mg

Allergens and food safety

No major declarable allergen is present in the listed ingredients. Check packaged tomato products for cross-contact statements. Keep raw meat and its utensils away from ready-to-eat food. Wash hands and equipment after handling raw meat. Use a clean food thermometer; colour alone cannot confirm doneness.

To serve

The finished rolls should hold their shape, with tender cabbage, fully cooked rice and a moist meat filling; serve them hot with tomato sauce.
A gentle covered simmer under a heatproof plate keeps the rolls closed while the filling cooks through.