This delicious stuffed cabbage is my vegan version of a much-loved family recipe. In order to create an authentic plant-based stuffed cabbage, I used walnuts and mushrooms (in place of the meat) along with cooked rice (or quinoa), fresh lemon juice, tomatoes, garlic, and lots of snazzy spices. It’s a wonderful dish to serve for a festive family get-together, any time of year! Plus, it makes an excellent entrée choice for a vegan Passover meal, so I am providing ingredient substitutions below, if you would like to serve it at the Passover Seder.
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Based on my mother-in-law’s traditional family recipe, this vegan stuffed cabbage features ground walnuts, mushrooms, and cooked rice or quinoa to provide a very flavorful, "meaty" tasting filling. Freshly squeezed lemon juice balances beautifully with tomatoes, garlic, spices, and brown sugar, for a truly sweet and sour sauce to top these hearty rolls. It's a fabulous holiday dish or satisfying weeknight meal!
Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
SAUCE
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning or Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon tamari, coconut aminos, or 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (28 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes (with liquid), lightly mashed
⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
CABBAGE ROLLS and FILLING
Large head of green cabbage
2 cups cooked and cooled basmati rice or quinoa (see notes)
¾ cup walnut halves and/or pieces
1 large slice whole-grain bread (use gluten-free if needed) or 1 large sheet of matzo, broken up into pieces
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning or Italian seasoning blend
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
1 cup diced sweet onion
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Fill a large soup pot two-thirds full with water. Cover and bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat while you prepare the SAUCE.
To make the SAUCE, put 1 cup diced onion, ⅓ cup vegetable broth, all-purpose seasoning (or Italian seasoning), and tamari (or ¼ teaspoon salt) in a medium-sized sauce pan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2/3 cup broth, tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, and garlic. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, while preparing the cabbage rolls.
To make the CABBAGE ROLLS, remove the bottom of the core from the cabbage. Gently separate 12 whole leaves from the cabbage (it’s fine if they tear a bit). Reserve the remaining cabbage for another use.
Remove the pot of simmering water from the heat. Carefully place each cabbage leaf in the pot of water, gently pressing each leaf down into the water (using long tongs or a large spoon) until they are all submerged in the water. Cover and let stand for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the cabbage leaves to soften. Remove the leaves and place them in a large colander to drain and cool.
To make the FILLING, put the cooked and cooled rice (or quinoa) in a large bowl and lightly mash it using a large fork or potato masher. Put the walnuts into a blender or food processor and pulse to process into coarse crumbs. Add the walnuts to the rice (or quinoa). Put the bread (or matzo), all-purpose seasoning (or Italian seasoning), and ¼ teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add the bread (or matzo) mixture to the rice (or quinoa).
Put the mushrooms and 1 cup diced onions in a blender or food processor and process into a chunky purée. Add the mushroom mixture to the rice (or quinoa) mixture. Stir gently to combine all of the filling ingredients.
Spread ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9- x 12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Lay a cabbage leaf on a large dinner plate. If the leaf still has some of the thick stem attached, carefully cut around it with a small paring knife to remove. This will make the leaves easier to roll up around the filling.
Mound about ¼ cup of the filling into the center of the first cabbage leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll the cabbage leaf firmly around the filling. Place the cabbage roll seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining leaves to make 12 rolls in all. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolls and cover tightly. Bake for 70 to 90 minutes, or until the cabbage is very soft. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve 2 to 3 rolls per person, with mashed potatoes on the side, if desired.
NOTE: Rice or quinoa may be cooked up to 24 hours before preparing this recipe. After the rice or quinoa is cooked, cool it completely, and refrigerate in a tightly covered container until you are ready to assemble the cabbage rolls.
NOTE: 2/3 cup of dry (uncooked) rice or quinoa, simmered (covered) with about 1½ cups water will yield about 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa. Cooking time will vary depending upon the type of rice or quinoa you choose to use, so follow the cooking instructions on the package (or bag) of rice or quinoa that you are using for this recipe.
NOTE: Some rabbis do allow quinoa at Passover, so you can check with yours. There are quite a few brands of quinoa that are certified kosher for Passover, so if you plan to serve this recipe for Passover, be sure to look for a brand that is certified kosher for Passover.
Ingredients
Directions
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
Based on my mother-in-law’s traditional family recipe, this vegan stuffed cabbage features ground walnuts, mushrooms, and cooked rice or quinoa to provide a very flavorful, "meaty" tasting filling. Freshly squeezed lemon juice balances beautifully with tomatoes, garlic, spices, and brown sugar, for a truly sweet and sour sauce to top these hearty rolls. It's a fabulous holiday dish or satisfying weeknight meal!
Makes 4 to 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
SAUCE
1 cup diced sweet onion
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning or Italian seasoning blend
½ teaspoon tamari, coconut aminos, or 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (28 ounces) peeled whole tomatoes (with liquid), lightly mashed
⅓ cup light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
CABBAGE ROLLS and FILLING
Large head of green cabbage
2 cups cooked and cooled basmati rice or quinoa (see notes)
¾ cup walnut halves and/or pieces
1 large slice whole-grain bread (use gluten-free if needed) or 1 large sheet of matzo, broken up into pieces
1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning or Italian seasoning blend
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped cremini or white button mushrooms
1 cup diced sweet onion
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Fill a large soup pot two-thirds full with water. Cover and bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat while you prepare the SAUCE.
To make the SAUCE, put 1 cup diced onion, ⅓ cup vegetable broth, all-purpose seasoning (or Italian seasoning), and tamari (or ¼ teaspoon salt) in a medium-sized sauce pan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2/3 cup broth, tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, and garlic. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, while preparing the cabbage rolls.
To make the CABBAGE ROLLS, remove the bottom of the core from the cabbage. Gently separate 12 whole leaves from the cabbage (it’s fine if they tear a bit). Reserve the remaining cabbage for another use.
Remove the pot of simmering water from the heat. Carefully place each cabbage leaf in the pot of water, gently pressing each leaf down into the water (using long tongs or a large spoon) until they are all submerged in the water. Cover and let stand for 4 to 5 minutes to allow the cabbage leaves to soften. Remove the leaves and place them in a large colander to drain and cool.
To make the FILLING, put the cooked and cooled rice (or quinoa) in a large bowl and lightly mash it using a large fork or potato masher. Put the walnuts into a blender or food processor and pulse to process into coarse crumbs. Add the walnuts to the rice (or quinoa). Put the bread (or matzo), all-purpose seasoning (or Italian seasoning), and ¼ teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add the bread (or matzo) mixture to the rice (or quinoa).
Put the mushrooms and 1 cup diced onions in a blender or food processor and process into a chunky purée. Add the mushroom mixture to the rice (or quinoa) mixture. Stir gently to combine all of the filling ingredients.
Spread ¾ cup of the tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9- x 12-inch (or similarly sized) casserole dish. Lay a cabbage leaf on a large dinner plate. If the leaf still has some of the thick stem attached, carefully cut around it with a small paring knife to remove. This will make the leaves easier to roll up around the filling.
Mound about ¼ cup of the filling into the center of the first cabbage leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll the cabbage leaf firmly around the filling. Place the cabbage roll seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining leaves to make 12 rolls in all. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the rolls and cover tightly. Bake for 70 to 90 minutes, or until the cabbage is very soft. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve 2 to 3 rolls per person, with mashed potatoes on the side, if desired.
NOTE: Rice or quinoa may be cooked up to 24 hours before preparing this recipe. After the rice or quinoa is cooked, cool it completely, and refrigerate in a tightly covered container until you are ready to assemble the cabbage rolls.
NOTE: 2/3 cup of dry (uncooked) rice or quinoa, simmered (covered) with about 1½ cups water will yield about 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa. Cooking time will vary depending upon the type of rice or quinoa you choose to use, so follow the cooking instructions on the package (or bag) of rice or quinoa that you are using for this recipe.
NOTE: Some rabbis do allow quinoa at Passover, so you can check with yours. There are quite a few brands of quinoa that are certified kosher for Passover, so if you plan to serve this recipe for Passover, be sure to look for a brand that is certified kosher for Passover.