Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Hearty cabbage rolls filled with seasoned meatless ground, white rice, and fresh dill, simmered in a rich tomato sauce right on the stovetop. A satisfying vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls recipe with no oven required.
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There is something deeply comforting about a stuffed cabbage roll. It is the kind of dish that feels like it took all day, but once you get into a rhythm, it comes together more easily than you’d expect. This vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls recipe delivers everything you love about the classic, including tender cabbage leaves, a hearty savory filling, and a rich tomato sauce.
I came to this recipe a little later in life. Growing up in the Midwest, stuffed cabbage rolls were very much in the culinary orbit, but they weren’t a staple at my own dinner table. When I stopped eating red meat, I wasn’t someone who rushed to recreate every classic with a substitute. But this one kept nagging at me. I decided to develop this version, and I’m proud of how it turned out. This is a fully meatless stuffed cabbage rolls recipe that holds its own against the original and then some.
The filling uses meatless ground (Beyond Meat works well here), cooked white rice, diced onion, garlic, and fresh dill, all simmered together in a savory tomato sauce right on the stovetop. No oven required, which makes this especially appealing during warmer months. It also makes excellent leftovers, and the flavors genuinely improve the next day.
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
This stuffed cabbage rolls recipe comes together with a short list of straightforward ingredients. Here’s what to have on hand:
- Cabbage: One large head of green cabbage. Larger heads give you more surface area per leaf, which makes rolling easier and less frustrating. Look for a head that feels heavy and has tightly packed leaves. You can use green cabbage or Napa cabbage.
- Meatless ground: Beyond Meat is what I used to develop this recipe initially, but it also can be made with Abbot’s Butcher for a Whole30 variation.
- Cooked white rice: Use day-old rice if you can, as it binds better with the filling and doesn’t turn mushy during the simmer. Brown rice works as a substitute, though it has a slightly nuttier texture. For Whole30, use riced cauliflower.
- Fresh dill: This is the herb that makes the whole dish. Dill brings a brightness that cuts through the richness of the tomato sauce. You can substitute dried dill in a pinch (use 2 teaspoons in place of 2 tablespoons fresh), but fresh is worth it here.
- Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes: The combination of canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes gives you both a smooth simmering base and some chunky texture in the final dish.
How to Prepare Cabbage Leaves for Rolling
This is the step that intimidates most people, but it is simpler than it looks. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While it heats, cut the core out of the bottom of the cabbage head, keeping the head whole. Carefully submerge the whole head into the boiling water, cut side down. You may need to use the pot lid to keep it submerged.
Boil for about 12 minutes, until the outer leaves pull away easily with tongs. Remove leaves one by one into a colander to drain and cool. You’ll need about 12 large leaves. Reserve the rest of the cabbage, as you’ll use it later as a bed for the rolls in the pot.
Once the leaves are cool enough to handle, trim the thick center vein from each leaf with a paring knife. This makes rolling much easier and prevents tearing.
How to Make Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
With your leaves prepped and filling ready, assembly goes quickly. Place each leaf flat with the inner side facing up. Add about half a cup of filling near the bottom center of the leaf. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll upward, just like you would for a burrito or egg roll. Place each roll seam side down as you go.
Roughly chop the remaining boiled cabbage and layer it across the bottom of your Dutch oven or large lidded skillet. This prevents the rolls from scorching on the bottom and gives you a bonus side dish. Nestle the rolls seam side down on top in a single layer.
Mix the remaining tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with their juices, water, and seasonings in a small bowl, then pour over the rolls. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cabbage is completely tender and the rolls cut easily with a fork.
Serve with a spoonful of the tomato and cabbage base from the bottom of the pot, and a few fresh dill sprigs if you have them.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
This is one of those recipes that rewards planning ahead. The filling can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Assembled, uncooked rolls can be refrigerated overnight and simmered the next day. Just add a few extra minutes of cooking time if they go into the pot cold.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container for up to four days, and the flavor deepens overnight as the tomato sauce soaks into the filling. These also freeze well for up to three months. Freeze them in the sauce to keep them moist during reheating.
Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 large head of green cabbage
- 16 oz meatless ground, such as Beyond Meat
- 1 cup cooked white rice
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 28 ounces canned tomato sauce, divided
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While it heats, cut the core out of the bottom of the cabbage, keeping the head whole.
- Carefully submerge the whole cabbage head, cut side down, into the boiling water. Use the pot lid to keep it submerged if needed. Boil for about 12 minutes, removing leaves one by one with tongs as they loosen. Place leaves in a colander to drain and cool. You’ll need about 12 large leaves. Set remaining cabbage aside.
- While the cabbage cools, heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked onion and garlic with meatless ground, one 8 oz portion of tomato sauce, fresh dill, dried parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well, then fold in cooked white rice.
- Once leaves are cool enough to handle, trim the thick center vein from each leaf with a paring knife. Lay each leaf flat, inner side up.
- Add about ½ cup of filling near the bottom center of each leaf. Fold the bottom up over the filling, fold in the sides, and roll upward like a burrito. Place seam side down. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling.
- Roughly chop the remaining boiled cabbage and spread in a shallow layer across the bottom of your Dutch oven. Arrange stuffed rolls seam side down on top in a single layer.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with their juices, water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the cabbage rolls.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a low simmer and cook for 40 to 45 minutes, until cabbage is fully tender and rolls cut easily with a fork.
- Serve with spoonfuls of the tomato and cabbage base from the bottom of the pot. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs if desired.
Notes
- The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Assembled rolls can also be refrigerated overnight before simmering. Just add a few extra minutes of cook time if starting cold.
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days and freeze well for up to 3 months. Freeze in the sauce to retain moisture during reheating.
- For a Whole30-compatible variation, substitute cauliflower rice for white rice and use Whole30-compatible meatless ground like Abbot’s Butcher.
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