Vegan Lentil-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Growing up, stuffed cabbage rolls were a dish commonly found on the table and they were always so comforting. To this day, these remain a staple in my kitchen. They are a near replica of my mothers rolls featuring a savory yet sweet and tangy sauce draped over stuffed cabbage.

I prefer to make mine loaded with seasonal vegetables, and plant based protein such as lentils or white beans, but the recipe has been passed down and modified from my grandmother to my mother to become what it is today. Many different cultures around the world have their own version, and I think this recipe resembles most closely a roll from Polish cuisine, but with a twist.

Regional Variations

Cabbage rolls can be made in a wide variety of styles across all continents but the style that we are most likely to imitate here in North America are based on Gołąbki. Most Polish or Hungarian styles, typically feature minced meat (pork or beef), with rice, draped with tomato based sauced and sour cream topping is most common and often imitated.

Other variations exist, such as Egyptian cabbage rolls, which are stuffed with rice, onions, herbs and spices such as mint, dill and cumin. Egyptian cabbage rolls are often made without meat like much of their cuisine which makes heavy use legumes, fruit and vegetables. Some Asian cabbage rolls feature tofu, mushrooms and seafood.

All of that to say that cabbage rolls can be special to your family and culture. Its a beautiful thing.

Tips & Tricks

Sauce, leaves, assembly, baking… All of this can seem overwhelming if you’ve never made cabbage rolls before, but trust me when I say that we can make this easy by taking these steps and breaking them down one at a time!

Sauce

This recipe uses a homemade sauce, but this can be swapped out for a store bought jarred sauce, or a homemade sauce that you’ve made ahead and previously frozen. The sauce on the recipe is how I like to make them, but to save some time and effort, I recommend using your own “go-to” sauce.

Leaves

Boiling the cabbage can be done fairly quickly and painless if you cut out the core of the cabbage before inserting it into the pot of water. Cutting the core will help release the leaves and all you’ll have to do is grab a pair of tongs and remove them as they fall off.

I have seen online that you can freeze a whole cabbage the night before, and let the cabbage thaw for a few hours. Many sources say that freezing the cabbage will break down the cellular structure of the leaves, making them easier to remove, all without boiling. I’ve never tried this method, and it seems fairly fool-proof, but this does require some foresight and planning ahead of time.

Assembly

Lay a cabbage leaf flat on your workstation and place approximately ⅓ cup of the lentil filling on the lower part of the leaf where the rib is. Tuck the filling in tightly and begin rolling, bringing the sides in towards the center as you approach the end of the roll. Sort of like rolling a burrito or wrap. The roll should be tight and secure. Place the cabbage roll seam side down into a lightly sauced baking dish. Repeat until all of the filling is used. Top the cabbage rolls with the remaining tomato sauce.

Baking

This should take about 2-3 hours depending on the size of your rolls. Covering the baking dish with a lid will help soften the cabbage by circulating steam. Caramelization of the tomatoes in the sauce will create a beautiful color and texture on these rolls.