Cabbage rolls are a really tasty, delightful dish rich in vegetables.
Served as a main dish or even as an appetizer, they are always much appreciated.
I discovered them thanks to my grandmother, and since I tried them, I’ve fallen in love with them.
There are many versions of cabbage rolls, but this one is my favorite. The filling is mostly vegetables, so as always, healthy.
Cabbage is rich in many vitamins, especially B vitamins. It promotes skin and eye health. I also use it raw a lot as a salad, sliced very thinly.
Cabbage rolls have a long tradition in Italian cuisine, particularly in northern regions like Lombardy and Piedmont, where Savoy cabbage is a widespread crop and a symbol of winter cooking. This dish is linked to peasant culture, which used simple and accessible ingredients to create nutritious and tasty meals, perfect for facing the rigors of winter.
In Piedmont, cabbage rolls with meat are often associated with the tradition of autumn dishes, prepared with cabbage that becomes tender after the first frost. Here, they are also called “capunet” and the recipe can include leftover boiled meat mixed with cheese and herbs. In Lombardy, they are part of rustic cooking, where pork or a mix of meats is used. These dishes reflect peasant ingenuity in creating hearty and nutritious meals with few ingredients.
While in my Liguria, they are called “previ” and are prepared this way.
I also recommend roasted peppers, stuffed tomatoes and stuffed artichokes. These recipes are also very tasty.
Now let’s look together at the process
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 15 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter
Ingredients for the cabbage rolls
Cabbage rolls recipe
- 2 artichokes
- 2 potatoes
- 1 whole cabbage
- 2 carrots
- 3.5 oz ground beef
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- as needed salt
- 3.5 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 cups cups vegetable broth
- 1.5 oz rice
- 3 tbsp tomato sauce
Tools
- 1 Chopper
- 1 Pan
- 1 Baking Dish
- 1 Frying Pan
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Kneading Board
- 1 Pot
Steps for cabbage rolls with rice
Let’s start by cleaning the potatoes, carrots, and artichokes. Cut them into pieces and chop them with the chopper. Then clean the cabbage and carefully detach the leaves, removing the hard part at the base. Meanwhile, put some water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and add the chopped vegetables to sauté. Then add the rice, toast it for a few minutes, then add a ladle of vegetable broth and salt. Cover, lower the heat to a minimum, occasionally stir and add broth if it dries out, and cook to 3/4 of the way.
Meanwhile, when the water in the pot boils, add the cabbage leaves and blanch them for about two minutes, then remove them, drain, and cool.
Once the filling is ready, let it cool as well. Then, at room temperature, add the egg, ground beef, Parmesan, and mix.
Now everything is ready to stuff the cabbage leaves. Arrange them separately on a kneading board or work surface, spread wide, take a generous tablespoon of filling, and place it in the center vertically (see photo).
Then gently wrap it well with the cabbage, closing all sides, and place it in an oiled pan. And so on with the other leaves. Complete by pouring the three tablespoons of tomato sauce on top.
Once stuffed, place them in the baking dish and cook them on low heat, covered, pouring vegetable broth when they dry out. This for at least twenty minutes.
After the time is up, finish by transferring the rolls to a previously oiled oven dish, sprinkle grated cheese on top, and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and… serve.
And enjoy from Barbara…
Tips and Notes
Cabbage rolls can also be made without tomato sauce. They last for two days in the fridge and should be reheated before serving.
If you like my recipe, SHARE it on your social media and follow me on Instagram and on Facebook. I’m waiting for you.
To always stay updated on my new recipes, you can activate push notifications from my blog.
