Capunet, the classic Piedmontese cabbage rolls, are for me the most authentic memory of winter at my grandparents’ house. For years I couldn’t find that exact flavor again, until, rummaging through my old cookbooks, I finally managed to recover the recipe I was looking for: the one that releases exactly the same aroma I remember from childhood.
This preparation is a small masterpiece of frugal cooking: the cabbage leaves, softened by a brief blanching, cradle a savory filling of minced meat and aromatics, typical of the Piedmontese peasant tradition.
I still remember my grandmother’s skill: I would watch, enchanted, at how quickly she rolled and sealed the rolls, closing them perfectly so the filling would not leak during cooking.
If you love cabbage or are looking for a substantial main course with history, I recommend trying this recipe. It is a dish that deserves time and a bit of handiwork, but the result will reward you handsomely. I hope you will enjoy the delicacy of these rolls as much as I do.
Below I leave you other cabbage recipes to try and then, as always, right under the photo discover how to prepare the Piedmontese cabbage rolls 😉
See you soon with the next recipe, Ana Amalia!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Piedmont
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients for capunet
- 12 leaves savoy cabbage leaves
- 11 oz beef (ground)
- 9 oz pork (ground)
- 3.5 oz mortadella (or prosciutto crudo (cured ham))
- 1 cup Grana Padano PDO (grated)
- 1 egg
- 1 onion
- 3 pinches salt
- 2 pinches pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Pot
- 1 Cutting board
Preparation of Piedmontese cabbage rolls
Preparing capunet, the Piedmontese cabbage rolls, is really simple. Start by removing the cabbage leaves and discarding the toughest ones.
Wash them and boil them in plenty of lightly salted water for a few minutes, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and let them dry on a cloth.
Meanwhile prepare the filling: in a large bowl mix the two types of meat, the grated cheese, the egg and the finely chopped prosciutto or mortadella.
Season with salt and pepper and mix very well to combine the filling for the Piedmontese cabbage rolls.
Finely chop the onion which will be used for the cooking base and set it aside.
Once the cabbage leaves are dry, take them one at a time, place a heaped tablespoon of filling on the narrower end of the leaf, then fold the edges in and roll up the cabbage leaf around the filling.
If you have trouble closing the rolls you can always tie them with kitchen twine.
Once all the capunet are prepared, sauté the chopped onion in a pan with some extra virgin olive oil for a few moments, then place the rolls with the seam side down.
Let them cook for at least 10 minutes, then turn them, lower the heat, cover with a lid and continue cooking for a total of 25–30 minutes.
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Storage for capunet (Piedmontese cabbage rolls)
The Piedmontese cabbage rolls can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 2 days.
You can also store them uncooked.
Variations
You can bake the capunet in the oven at 338°F for 40 minutes.
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