Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 12large cabbage leaves (about 2 pounds)
- ¼cup olive oil
- 1large red or white onion, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 1¼cups long-grain or basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 3tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 to 3garlic cloves (to taste), minced
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh dill
- ⅓cup finely chopped mint
- ½cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- ⅓ to ½cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1lemon, sliced
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
315 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 634 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the cabbage leaves, a few at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are flexible. Transfer from the pot to a bowl of cold water, then drain and set aside. Cut out the thickest part of the base of the center rib by notching a 1- to 1½-inch V at the base. This will make the leaves easier to roll up.
- Step 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until it is tender but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the pine nuts and garlic, stir together and add the drained rinsed rice. Stir for a minute or two, until you hear the rice begin to crackle, then remove from the heat. Toss with the herbs, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon olive oil. To gauge how much salt you will need, use the amount that you would use when cooking 1¼ cups of rice.
- Step 3
Lightly oil a heavy flame-proof or lidded skillet. Place a leaf on your work surface in front of you, with the wide ribbed bottom closest to you. Place 2 rounded tablespoons of the rice mixture on top of the leaf. Roll the leaf over once, and tuck in the sides. Continue to roll the leaf into a tight package. Place in the pan. Fill and roll the remaining leaves and pack them into the pan. You will probably need to stack two layers of the filled leaves.
- Step 4
Whisk together the lemon juice, remaining oil and tomato paste with 2 tablespoons water. Season to taste with salt. Pour over the cabbage rolls. Add enough water to barely cover the rolls and top with a layer of lemon slices. Invert a plate and place it on top of the rolls to keep them wrapped and in position. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover the pan, turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, at which point the cabbage leaves will be tender and the rice cooked. Remove from the heat and carefully remove the stuffed leaves from the water to a platter or to plates with a slotted spoon or tongs. Taste the liquid left in the pot and adjust the seasoning. Serve the rolls warm with the liquid from the pot as a sauce.
Private Notes
Comments
When I make stufffed cabbage, I core the whole head, wrap it in plastic and freeze it overnight. The next day I let the cabbage thaw, then peel off the leaves, use a paring knife to shave off any thick veins, and proceed with stuffing and cooking.
I frequently make large amounts of these when I get a big cabbage in my CSA. we eat a serving and i freeze the rest by separating them evenly in smaller foil containers with covers, then freeze. They are very easy to thaw directly from freezer in oven. I promise they don't turn to mush!
Yes, I think they would freeze well. Assemble as directed in Step three, then freeze. You probably don't need to thaw them before finishing the recipe, but give them an extra half hour of simmering.
You really need to steam the whole cabbage first to get the leaves off. Also, this recipe needs a sweetener, some sugar and/or raisins. It's too sour.
I found the lemon slices left a bitter taste in spots where the rind touched the cabbage. This took away from the overall flavor of the dish. I will not add sliced lemons again. Second mistake: I used jasmine rice because it was the long grain rice I had on hand and it came out very mushy. I should have used a hardier medium grain rice. I suggest the author specify hardiness rather than length.
This was DELICIOUS! I received red napa cabbage from my CSA this week so that's what I used. I used chopped walnuts instead of pine nuts and didn't top with lemon slices while cooking, but otherwise, I followed the recipe as written. The cooking method is easy - took about 30 mins to prep everything then I let it simmer for 45 mins. Two of us gobbled up more than half of the recipe in one sitting because it was so yummy. Served with a side of broccolini.