Slovakian–Greek Halupki-Spetzofai Stewed Meatballs – This is our absolute favorite New Year’s Day dinner. 🍾🥂 Mom always served some sort of cabbage for good luck the rest of the year, usually in the form of her incredibly delicious homemade vegetable soup. This unique dish won our hearts and tastebuds at first bite though! Not sure eating cabbage ever worked, but it’s a fun tradition to follow! 😃

We at first thought the spelling was “halukis” and that they were only of Greek origin. They’re crazy good giant meatballs roasted in cabbage, green bell peppers, and stewed tomatoes. That’s it! Nothing more – except a little salt and pepper. My sister-in-law made it for a family gathering many, many years ago and the smell alone sucked me in. Her husband’s family is Greek and it came to her from her mother-in-law. Turns out, the origin of this particular recipe is a melding of two recipes – Slovakian Halupkis and Greek Spetzofai. But there seems to be some confusion to names and origin and recipes. So we just call them Hilukis. 😊

Here’s my discussion with AI:

Halupkis are traditional Eastern European stuffed cabbage rolls, known by various names across cultures such as golubtsi (Ukrainian), holubky (Slovak), gołąbki (Polish), and sarma (Serbian/Romanian).  They are made by stuffing tender cabbage leaves—typically blanched or steamed—with a savory mixture of ground beef, pork, rice, onions, and seasonings, then baking or simmering them in a sweet-sour tomato sauce. 

• Core Ingredients: Cabbage leaves, ground meat (beef/pork), rice, onions, eggs, garlic, paprika, and a tangy tomato-based sauce. 
• Preparation: The cabbage is boiled to soften the leaves, which are then filled and rolled like burritos. The rolls are layered in a pot or oven dish, covered with sauce, and slow-cooked for several hours to develop rich flavor. 
• Cultural Significance: A beloved comfort food, often served during holidays like Christmas and family gatherings, especially in Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, and among Eastern European diaspora communities in the U.S., including Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill County. 
• Variations: Some recipes include sauerkraut, different meats (like turkey or chicken), or use a slow cooker, oven, or stovetop. 

Perfect with buttery mashed potatoes and crusty garlic bread

The dish is known for its hearty, comforting taste and is often enjoyed with mashed potatoes, sour cream, or rye bread.

Spetsofai or Spetzofai is a traditional Greek dish originating from the Pelion region in central Greece, specifically the Thessaly area.  It is a rustic, hearty stew made with Greek sausages (loukaniko), bell peppers (often red, yellow, or green), and tomatoes, cooked in a rich, spicy tomato sauce.  The name comes from the Greek word “spentza”, meaning pepper, reflecting the dish’s key ingredient. 

The dish is typically served as a meze (appetizer) or main course, often paired with rice, potatoes, or crusty bread.  Variations exist across regions—some include aubergines or pickled peppers, while others use different types of sausage, including spicy or mixed-meat varieties. It’s known for its bold, savory flavors and is especially popular during colder months. 

From which country does the name Halupki come?

The name Halupki comes from Slovakia.

It is the Slovak term for stuffed cabbage rolls, a dish also known as golabki in Poland, holubtsi in Ukraine, and golubtsy in Russia. The word “halupki” is used predominantly by people of Slovak descent, particularly in Slovak-American communities, and reflects the linguistic and cultural heritage of Slovakia within the broader Eastern European tradition.

I think the dish is actually a Slavik-Greek fusion but no matter what it’s called, it’s delicious and has been a family favorite for many decades!

Chock full of Old World flavor!

Thank heavens Jimmie and the boys love it! Even if they hadn’t, I would’ve forced them to eat it with me at least once a year so I wouldn’t eat the whole pot by myself. I am always on a diet, after all. 😋

We heartily believe in leftovers in our house. The recipe is for a single batch; the rule for the meat is, 1 pound of ground beef to 3 pounds of bulk seasoned pork sausage. My pictures show I’m missing 1 lb. of sausage, but it still tasted great.

Slovakian-Greek Halupki-Spetzofai Stewed Meatballs

These stewed sausage and beef meatballs come from my sis-in-law's Greek husband's mother. 😋 It's been family favorite for over 40 years. Serve with buttery mashed potatoes and toasted garlic bread.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6

Calories

Equipment

• Pick an oven-safe cooking vessel large enough to hold whatever size batch you’re making, plus a lid or foil to cover. A Dutch oven would work well for a single batch.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 lbs breakfast sausage in bulk free-range and organic is best if you can find it
• 1 lb grass-fed 80/20 ground beef pasture-raised
• 1 head of cabbage, cut into chunks peel off the outer most leaves and cut out the core
• 2-3 large organic green bell peppers make sure they're organic as non-organic are on the EWG Dirty Dozen list
• 2 28-oz organic stewed tomatoes, or canned whole and broken up
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp Accent (optional)

Instructions

 

• Put the cabbage in the pot or roasting pan first and lightly salt and pepper.
• Thoroughly mix the sausage and ground beef, roll into fist-sized balls.
• Nestle them all around on top of the cabbage, then place the sliced bell peppers over the top. Pour the tomatoes over all and lightly salt and pepper again.
• Cover tightly and place in a 350°F oven for 3-1/2 to 4 hours for a single batch; 5-6 hours for a double.
• Serve with mashed potatoes and garlic bread.

Notes

Serving size: 1-2 meatballs

Keyword Greece, Greek, Halupkis, Meatballs, Slovakian, Slovik, Spetsofai, Spetzofai, Stew

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I wish you could taste this right here, right now. How cool would smell-a-vision be? Or taste-a-vision? Okay, that’s just plain crazy talk. 😄

My Greek Turkey Burgers with Zesty Avocado Sauce is deliciously inspired by the light and refreshing flavors of Mediterranean cuisine. Use as many organic ingredients as you can find for a healthier, happier you!

Happy eating! 😊