Lenten Holubtsi with Buckwheat and Mushrooms
Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around nutty buckwheat and mushrooms, baked in a tomato sauce.
- Time2 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.40 a head
- Oven180°C (160°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 350kcal
- 48.6gcarbs
- 14.1gof which sugars
- 12.5gfat
- 3.5gsaturates
- 12.1gprotein
- 8.4gfibre
- 2.8gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Boil the whole cabbage in a big pan of water for 10 minutes. Lift out, then peel off 12 soft leaves as they loosen, returning the cabbage to the water when needed. Shave down any thick stalk on each leaf with a knife.
10 min - 2
Toast the buckwheat in a dry pan for 2 minutes. Put it in a bowl, pour over the first 300 ml boiling water, cover and leave for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed.
15 min - 3
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Cook half the onion and the carrots for 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for 8 minutes until all the liquid has gone. Mix into the buckwheat with the garlic, dill, salt and pepper.
13 min - 4
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Put a spoonful of filling at the base of each leaf, fold in the sides and roll up tightly.
- 5
Fry the remaining onion in the last 1 tbsp oil for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée, paprika, passata and the hot stock. Add the bay leaf and simmer for 5 minutes.
5 min - 6
Pack the rolls seam side down in a deep baking dish and pour over the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, until the cabbage is very soft.
50 min - 7
Rest for 10 minutes before serving with the sauce spooned over.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
