Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage

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From the Shomrei Kitchen

January is dark and cold. The weather calls for hearty comfort food like meatloaf, soups, stews and stuffed cabbage. This winter standby doesn’t need to be tedious if the cook is well organized. Most of the preparation can be done while the rice for the stuffing is cooking.

You can adjust amounts of this vegetarian version to suit your taste. Just be sure to maintain the hearty texture of the stuffing.

VEGETARIAN STUFFED CABBAGE

This is a combination of two recipes. Experiment with stuffing if you wish. You want a hearty stuffing with some substance.

1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 T. olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
8 oz Baby Bella mushrooms, chopped, 3 c.
1 small onion diced, 1 cup
2 cloves garlic minced, 2 teaspoons
8 ounces vegetarian sausage
½ cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts
½ tsp caraway seed or to taste
¼ tsp cayenne pepper or hot paprika
12-14 large green or Savoy cabbage leaves. Savoy leaves are easier to work with.

Use your favorite tomato sauce or make this easy sauce:

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped, 1 cup
2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tsp
salt and pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably no salt
½ cup red wine

  1. Cook rice according to directions on package. When cooked place in a large bowl.
  2. While rice is cooking heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes or until onion is soft and liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Add sausage and cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage.
  3. Stir sausage mixture, nuts, caraway and seasoning into rice. Season with salt and pepper if needed
  4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 3 or 4 cabbage leaves at a time and cook until pliable 5-8 minutes. Repeat until desired number of leaves are soft. Drain. Trim away and discard tough white vein at base of leaves. Pat leaves dry.
  5. Preheat oven to 375O.
  6. Put about 1 cup sauce in bottom of 9 x 13 or larger baking pan.
  7. Spoon 1/3 cup of filling in center of cabbage leaf. Fold sides over and roll up. Place seam down in prepared pan. Continue until filling is used up, about 12 rolls.
  8. Cover with rest of sauce and drizzle with additional olive oil.
  9. Bake uncovered, for about 45 minutes, basting twice with sauce.

SAUCE:

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion. garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion and garlic start to soften, 2-4 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine; bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes

NOTE: May be made a day ahead. Let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before baking.

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One thought on “Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage”

  1. In my previous life I used to LOVE Hungarian stuffed cabbage and despaired of ever being able to eat its like again. Bless you, Aileen, for offering me the closest acceptable dish. I can’t wait to try it after New Year’s.

    Happy New Year to all, Bill Batkay

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