Light savoy cabbage and meat rolls
I don’t know how many times I’ve bought savoy cabbage to make these rolls and then ended up cooking it a different way. This time I finally managed and I was very satisfied with the result — these savoy cabbage and meat rolls are delicious!
I basically used the recipe for Baked meatballs without eggs or oil as the base for the filling, changing it only a little, and the rest isn’t very difficult — just a bit laborious to work with the cabbage leaves without tearing them.
They turned out truly delicious, but to be honest they were even better the next day, slightly reheated — not just a little better, but a lot! So I strongly suggest making them the day before and briefly reheating them the next day. Let’s make them now and here you can find some other variations of this recipe:
Savoy cabbage and rice rolls in tomato sauce
Vegan savoy cabbage rolls
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 14 rolls
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 1 lb 3 oz lean ground meat
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic (add more if you like; it will give more flavor)
- 1/2 cup low-fat homemade yogurt (or low-fat Greek yogurt, low-fat quark)
- 2 tsp seasoned salt (or regular salt and aromatic herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage to taste)
- 1 savoy cabbage
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Points per roll = 7 WW points
Preparation
Separate 14 leaves from the savoy cabbage and, with a knife, remove the tougher central rib. Wash the leaves well.
Blanch the cabbage leaves for 3 minutes in slightly salted boiling water, then let them drain well on a tea towel.
Prepare the filling for the rolls as for the Baked meatballs, mixing the indicated ingredients well, and divide it into 14 equal portions.
Place one portion of filling on the more tender end of the cabbage leaf, press and lengthen it slightly, then roll gently so as not to tear the leaf.
Tuck the ends of the roll underneath so you form a well-closed parcel.
Place the savoy cabbage and meat rolls in a baking dish brushed with 1 teaspoon of oil, arranging them close together. When finished, brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil evenly over the rolls.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 392°F for about 20 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes at 356°F.
If they haven’t browned enough, place the baking dish under the grill for a few more minutes, just as I had to do.
The savoy cabbage will probably release some water that will remain at the bottom of the baking dish: this is normal and nothing to worry about. Place the rolls on a serving plate or leave them in the dish until the next day if you follow the advice I gave in the introduction.
Here is an open roll: the meat remains moist and tender, just like in the meatballs — this mixture is really perfect for filling vegetables. I’m very pleased and I’ll soon suggest it for other recipes.
As I said before, at home these savoy cabbage and meat rolls were very popular: as soon as they were ready the Dutchman ate three of them even though they weren’t planned for his dinner — he had already eaten — and the next day they were all gone.
For a light dinner two are enough with some vegetables and either a bit of basmati rice or a couple of croutons. Otherwise, for a more substantial meal — well, you decide. 3 WW points per piece: how many can you allow yourself?
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
