A fun way of preparing cabbage. Have you ever tried making cabbage rolls? This recipe just might inspire you.
A little background
The history of stuffed cabbage is uncertain, all that is known is that it’s lineage came from Jewish cooking as far back as 2000 years ago. Recipes differ depending on the Jewish community’s region. Romanians and Northern Poles prefer savory while Jews from Galicia and Ukraine prefer sweet and sour. It is also called many names. Sarmi, Sarmale, Sarma, Holishkls, Golabki to name a few. Traditionally stuffed with a variety of ground meat. But in this recipe we will be making it vegan as we always do. Updating traditional recipes making it healthier and tastier.
Ingredients
- Head of Cabbage - our good green leafy friend
- Vegan meat - feel free to try out different brands. I used impossible for this one.
- Onions - it always starts with an onion
- Kale - we love kale, full of vitamins and minerals
- Beans - will add heartiness to this dish
- Marinara - we used Trader Joe’s Vegan Marinara
- Vegan Cheese - traditionally, it doesn’t call for vegan cheese, but I added it just for kicks.
Steps
- Core cabbage and submerge in a pot of boiling water.
- Prepare filling. Sauté onions till aroma fills up the air. Toss in vegan meat, keep stirring seasoning as you go. Add in your kale and beans. I used mushroom seasoning and coconut aminos for seasoning. set aside.
- Make sure cabbage leaves are fully cooked. The hard fibrous center taken out. As it cooks in the pot and softens, its good to gently dismantle the cabbage. If you feel that it is still hard to roll with. Just put it back to the water.
- Assemble and bake. Roll each leaf with stuffing as if you were rolling a small burrito.
lay them nicely in a cast iron pan or a baking pan. Pour the tomato sauce and vegan cheese (optional), bake till bubbly piping hot and serve.
Pro tip
Really cook the leaves in this dish. I could have made the leaves softer. Use flax egg to bind the filling, i skipped this step but i imagined the filling wont be as crumbly if I used a binder. Take the fibrous middle part of the cabbage leaf.
Use this recipe as an inspiration. feel free to substitute ingredients and make it your own. Happy cooking!
Substitutions
- Instead of rice, you can use quinoa, couscous, or any other cooked grain of your choice.
- Lentils can be substituted with other legumes like chickpeas or black beans.
- Feel free to add other vegetables to the filling, such as diced bell peppers or mushrooms, for added flavor and texture.
- If you don't have tomato paste, you can use tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes as a substitute.
Variations
- For a heartier version, you can add vegan ground meat substitute to the filling mixture.
- To add a tangy twist, you can mix some sauerkraut or pickled cabbage into the filling.
- If you prefer a spicier flavor, you can add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to the marinara sauce.
FAQ
Q: Can I make this dish gluten-free?
A: Yes, you can make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free grains like quinoa or rice, and ensuring that the marinara sauce is gluten-free or homemade.
Q: Can I make this dish ahead of time?
A: Yes, you can assemble the stuffed cabbage rolls ahead of time and refrigerate them until ready to bake. Simply cover the baking dish with foil and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, remove from the fridge and follow the baking instructions.
Storage
Leftover stuffed cabbage rolls can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through before serving.
Enjoy your delicious vegan stuffed cabbage! This recipe combines the flavors of tender cabbage leaves and a savory filling for a comforting and satisfying meal. Feel free to customize the filling and sauce to your taste preferences.
Vegan Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 Cabbage
- 16 Oz Vegan Meat
- 1 Can Beans
- 1 Piece Onion
- 1 Cup Kale
- Drizzle Olive oil
- 16 Oz Marinara
- 8 Oz vegan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare and cook cabbage. Core cabbage using a knife. In a pot of salted boiling water cook cabbage till leaves are soft. Be sure to set aside outer layers of cooked cabbage leaf as you go along. Outer leaves will soften faster than inner leaves. Make sure leaves are thoroughly cooked and soft enough to wrap with.1 Cabbage
- Create your filling. In a pan sauté your aromatics. For this one we used onions, let aromas fill up your kitchen or home. Add your vegan meat, for this one we used Impossible meat. Stirring every once in a while to develop browning. Next is the beans and kale. Season as you go with aminos, pink Himalayan salt and mushroom powder.16 Oz Vegan Meat, 1 Piece Onion, 1 Cup Kale, 1 Can Beans
- Make rolls wrapping your vegan meat mixture with the softened cabbage leaves. Arrange in a baking dish or a cast iron pan. Pour in Marinara to cover the tolls. Top with vegan cheese.16 Oz Marinara, 8 Oz vegan cheese, Drizzle Olive oil
- Pop it in the oven at around 450 for 30 minutes till piping hot and vegan cheese is melted.
- let rest for 20 minutes and serve with delight.
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