Vegan Cabbage rolls! My vegetarian take on traditional stuffed cabbage recipe made vegan! with impossible meat. Taste just like moms! Perfect easy weeknight comfort food for the whole family. No one will believe it’s meatless!
Ok it’s time for vegan stuffed cabbage rolls!! -YES! -I have been making cabbage rolls for 30+ years. These vegetarian cabbage rolls were adapted from my old school recipe (inspired from My Mother in law❤️)
An absolute breeze to make!! and the wonderful thing -you can freeze left overs for quick and easy meal prep ready in a Jiffy any night of the week!
This recipe is based on the classic Hungarian, ukranian and polish cabbage rolls with tomato sauce (Holubtsi, Golumpki or golabki)- popular in central & eastern European countries. All the recipes vary a bit in regions with ingredients and names, some also contain vegetables and grains
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... So if you're looking for vegan cabbage recipes stop right here!! There are no lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, bulgar needed..
This stuffed vegan cabbage roll recipe is a delicious filling of juicy meatless ground (impossible meat), rice, fried onions, garlic and spices stuffed and rolled in cabbage leaves and baked to perfection in a super flavourful tomato vegetable broth ( tomato sauce is amazing!)
So tasty and simple to make lazy day recipe
Any one who tries these will freak out they're so GOOD!! Yes meat eaters love them too!
For these homemade cabbage rolls I find the best option for vegan ground beef is impossible burger, you can’t even tell the difference! Haven't tested with beyond meat.
I've already made two impossible recipes: vegan meatballs and meatloaf, both totally delicious with this wonderful plant based product! That tastes so real!
-ok read on for ingredient list and how to make stuffed meatless cabbage rolls!…
And don’t worry you won’t miss the can of tomato soup either, vinegar and sugar takes care of that!
Jump to:
Ingredients needed:
- green cabbage: I always use green not savoy
- Impossible meat: perfect sub for real hamburger! Have not tested with beyond meat
- Cooked rice: white or brown rice I much prefer white basmati for this
- onions
- fresh garlic
- Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce
- Brown sugar and red wine vinegar: adds perfect sweet and tart flavour to tomato sauce without the need for can of tomato soup!
- Spices: ground fennel, granulated garlic and onion powder, salt snd pepper
How to make vegan cabbage rolls:
- For tomato sauce: mix sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
- For ‘Meat’ filling: Fry onions in a skillet over medium heat with the oil and a pinch of salt and pepper for 5-7 minutes until browning and softening. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute. Remove to a plate too cool. In a medium bowl add vegan ground beef, cold cooked rice, onion and garlic mixture, fennel and salt. Mix well. I usually mix by hand. Set aside
- Core and Cook cabbage: with a sharp knife cut around the stem of cabbage about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches out from the stem and 3 inches or so down. Should resemble a cone when pulled out.
- Fill a large stock pot (12-16 qt) half way with water. Set to boil. When boiling add cabbage. After it’s been boiling for 3 minutes or so start pulling off leaves with tongs, 2 at a time. Once leaves are removed let boil for a couple of minutes then remove to a plate. Repeat process until you have 16-18 leaves.
- To roll assemble and bake: Preheat oven to 325° Spread 1 cup of sauce in casserole dish. Set it close by.
- Lay each cabbage leaf on cutting board. Use a small knife to cut a V-shaped notch to remove the thick part of the cabbage rib.
- Place 1/4 cup of filling in centre of leaf, shape the mixture into a log. Roll up burrito style (step by step photos in above post)
- Place seam side down in casserole dish as you go. Repeat with remaining filling and cabbage leaves. I like the rolls to fit quite snuggly in the dish.
- Cover with remaining tomato sauce. Give dish a little shake to disperse sauce. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy! Full recipe ingredients and instructions in recipe card below.
What to serve with cabbage rolls?
- green peas
- carrots
- pierogies and sauerkraut
- Vegan Mashed Potatoes (Instant Pot)
- dollop of vegan sour cream or yogurt
- Roasted Vegetables
- No-Knead Focaccia or artisan bread warm and buttered to sop up the tomato sauce -mmm
- Green salad
- Vegan Caesar Salad
Can you freeze cabbage rolls?
- Portion in containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Make sure they are completely cooked and cooled overnight in fridge before freezing. To reheat from frozen: defrost overnight in fridge and heat in microwave or oven.
Pro tips:
- If you’re worried the filling isn’t seasoned correctly. Fry up a little patty to taste test and adjust spices if needed.
- Cut the thick part of the cabbage leaves out. That way cabbage rolls cook evenly with no undercooked cabbage.
- Place seam side down in baking dish and nestle close together so they stay snug when baking.
- Wrap dish tightly with foil so steam stays in.
You'll love this stuffed cabbage recipe, its:
- Vegan
- Gluten free
- super tasty
- simple to prepare
- budget friendly
- Full of protein
- Healthy
- Flavour packed
- Great family meal
- Kid friendly
- Meat eater approved!
Enjoy everyone! Happy Day! Please feel free to comment below and give this recipe a rating. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!
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Absolute Best Vegan Cabbage Rolls!
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Cabbage Rolls! My vegetarian take on traditional stuffed cabbage recipe made vegan! with impossible meat. Taste just like moms! Perfect easy weeknight comfort food for the whole family. No one will believe it’s meatless!
Ingredients
For sauce:
- 1 (796 ml/28 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (680 ml/24 oz) can tomato sauce (not tomato paste)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
For cabbage rolls:
- 2 packages (340 g/12 oz each) impossible burger ground beef
- 1 and 1/2 cups rice, cooked and cooled (white or brown rice)
- 1 medium- large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil, I use grapeseed or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 large green cabbage
Instructions
Equipment needed: 9x13 casserole dish or 10x15 must be at least 3 inches or more deep.
- For tomato sauce: mix sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.
- For ‘Meat’ filling: Fry onions in a skillet over medium heat with the oil and a pinch of salt and pepper for 5-7 minutes until browning and softening. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute. Remove to a plate too cool. In a medium bowl add vegan ground beef, cold cooked rice, onion and garlic mixture, fennel and 1 tsp salt and another pinch of black pepper. Mix well. I usually mix by hand. Set aside
- Core and Cook cabbage: with a sharp knife cut around the stem of cabbage about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches out from the stem and 3 inches or so down. Should resemble a cone when pulled out.
- Fill a large stock pot half way with water. Set to boil. When boiling add cabbage. After it’s been boiling for 3 minutes or so start pulling off leaves with tongs, 2 at a time. Once leaves are removed let boil for a couple of minutes then remove to a plate. Repeat process until you have 16-18 leaves.
- To roll, assemble and bake: Preheat oven to 325° Spread 1 cup of sauce in casserole dish. Set it close by.
- Lay each cabbage leaf on cutting board. Use a small knife to cut a V-shaped notch to remove the thick part of the cabbage rib.
- Place 1/4 cup of filling in centre of leaf, shape the mixture into a log. Roll up burrito style (step by step photos in above post)
- Place seam side down in casserole dish as you go. Repeat with remaining filling and cabbage leaves. I like the rolls to fit quite snuggly in the dish.
- Cover with remaining tomato sauce. Give dish a little shake to disperse sauce. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Remove from oven let sit for 10 minutes or so before serving. Enjoy!
For FAQ, Tips, serving suggestions and step by step photos see above post🔼
Notes
- To store and freeze: will keep in fridge for up to 4 days. Portion in containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Make sure they are completely cooked and cooled overnight in fridge before freezing. To reheat from frozen: defrost overnight in fridge and heat in microwave or oven.
- have not tested cabbage rolls with beyond beef!
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 150 Minutes
- Category: Mains,
- Method: Bake/Oven
- Cuisine: European, American, Canadian
Keywords: vegan cabbage rolls, vegan stuffed cabbage,
Kathleen Thirkettle
When you say tomato sauce, not paste, do you mean tomato puree? In NZ tomato sauce is the highly sweetened, vinegar and spicy thickened sauce you slather on cooked sausages (American-ketchup), Puree is mainly tomatoes, boiled with onions, tiny bit of sugar and salt, and pureed. Paste is the same thing, cooked literally to a paste and used by the tablespoon as a strong tomato flavour. Thanks.
Verna
Hi Kathleen, when I say tomato sauce I don't mean ketchup, it is basically tomato puree -yes! with seasonings (not thick tomato paste). Enjoy!! 🙂
Joanna
My family of 4 could not stop raving about these! Definitely going on our meal rotation they are so worth making!
★★★★★
Verna
What a wonderful compliment -thank you, thrilled you all enjoyed the cabbage rolls!
Regie
Absolutely spot on! We loved these and I’m making them again today!! Super yum!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Verna
Yay!! Thank you so much I am thrilled you enjoyed them. I really appreciate your feedback it is so helpful 🙂
SK
Hi, I’d like to make your recipe WITHOUT using a vegan “meat” ingredient. I’d rather use tempeh, but I’m unsure how to figure it into this recipe. I’d love to make this as “Whole Food Plant Based” as possible. What are your recommendations and suggestions? Thank you!
Verna
Hi I'll suggest using a filling of brown rice and a combo of lentils and chopped fried mushrooms instead of the vegan ground beef for the cabbage rolls. that's just one idea I'm sure there are other great veggie combinations that would work 🙂 and you could steam the tempeh then cube or crumble and fry and add in the filling too.
Bella
Very delicious recipe.it has become a staple in our home. When I cook something my whole family loves that's a win in my books! Thank you!
★★★★★
Verna
What a wonderful review -thank you! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
Joe
This is a dynamite recipe! I don't usually add a comment but I had to recommend this Dish.
★★★★★
Verna
Thanks so much! I am so happy you enjoyed it.
Mary
You are right, just like my mom used to make also.
Verna
Oh nice! Glad you enjoyed the recipe Mary 🙂
Belle
Delicious! I highly recommend!
★★★★★
Verna
Thanks so much!!