I like cabbage rolls but I've never been good at making them. I've always struggled to roll them properly, so I typically do them a lazy way. I make them into a sort of cabbage casserole, layered like a lasagna. Its the same taste but a different presentation and typically much easier to construct.
After seeing a video online about a cabbage pie I thought that it might be fun to try myself. This was my first attempt at it and it turned out okay, so I thought that I'd share it with you all. I made some tweaks to the recipe. Here is my cabbage pie. Enjoy!
Ingredients
I didn't actually measure these ingredients when cooking so they are approximations. Use your judgement while putting things together if you try this recipe yourself. Feel free to add or subtract to your own taste preferences.
• 10-20 Cabbage leaves depending on your preference. If you want thicker cabbage layers then you will need more leaves.
• 1 pound ground beef (you can substitute ground pork or chicken as well, depending on your taste)
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp tomato puree or paste
• worchestershire sauce to taste
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs (add as needed)
• tbsp olive oil
Spices
• Beef bouillon cube
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Thyme
Directions
Saute the beef and dice the vegetables. Add the vegetables to the pan once the meat is mostly cooked through. Add the spices, worchestershire and tomatoes paste/puree as well. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
While everything is cooking, steam the cabbage leaves until soft. Don't go too far with the steaming because all of the color will drain from the leaves. I would recommend steaming one or two extra leaves and setting them aside as well. I'll explain why later.
When everything is done cooking mix in an egg and the bread crumbs to bind everything together. This makes it possible to cut the pie without everything falling apart on the plate.
Start assembling the pie by putting a few layers of cabbage into your casserole dish. In this case the bottom of the pan is going to be the top of the pie. I put one-two full leaves on the very bottom of the dish and then staggered the rest around the outside so that they could be folder over the filling. Add in the meat and vegetable mixture and fold the cabbage leaves over everything like I mentioned. Again, leave a few steamed leaves aside for the end.
Bake the pie in the oven at 350F for 30 minutes or so.
Take the pie out of the oven and flip it over and knock it out of the pan. As you can see from my photo, the cabbage leaves browned a lot in the oven. I would recommend putting one or two of the leaves that were set aside on top of the pie to give it a more fresh green look. I think that the presentation would be nicer that way. I plan to do this the next time I make the recipe.
Thats it. Enjoy!
My husband came equipped with a recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls when we got married, and I have made them a time or two. It seems to me the recipe didn't call for steaming the cabbage at all, but I found it works a lot better if one does that.
I'm not great at making the traditional rolled cabbage rolls so I don't know the best process. I would think that the cabbage would need to be steamed though in order to roll them. The leaves might be too stiff to roll otherwise. 🤔
I'm sure there are different ways of doing them though. Whatever works!
This week, I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos on different ways to cook cabbage, and after seeing your post, I feel like I want to try it too. My only challenge is that I don’t have an oven at home.
Hmm, I wonder if you could do them in a Dutch over, crock pot or large pot?
That looks delicious. I used to do cabbage rolls with green lentils and mushrooms, and a tomato sauce as well. So good. Thanks for the reminder.
Lentils would be a good way to make them vegetarian. Thats smart!
I've never eaten it (so far), but I got curious to try it after reading this post.
Never eaten cabbage rolls? A lot of cultures make them with some minor differences so thats surprising. You should give them a go if you ever come across them on a menu or if you know someone who makes them. They are quite good. This recipe is quite different then traditional cabbage rolls though
No. I don't think this recipe is very popular in Brazil.
Anyway... I'll try to fix this soon.
Good luck!
That looks like it turned out really well. I have never had cabbage rolls, but I have had some other Polish dishes that I think come kind of close!
Another one who has never had cabbage rolls. The regular standard kind are generally really good and worth trying if you ever come across them
I've heard of them, just never had them! :)
Yeah I hear you.
they probably don't sound all that appealing but I think they would fall into the "comfort food" category for a lot of people.
I think you are definitely right!
Thanks for the support!
A mí también me encantan los rollitos de repollo, este pastel se ve delicioso, además no hay que hacer de uno en uno, intentaré hacerlo para ver cómo me sale. Saludos!
Yes exactly, its much quicker than rolling them out individually.
Good luck!
Saludos @leaky20! Me encanta cómo convertiste un plato clásico que puede ser tedioso, como los rollos de col, en una preparación mucho más sencilla y accesible, tipo lasaña o pastel. La idea de cocinar las hojas de col y luego doblarlas sobre el relleno, para luego desmoldarlo y que quede como un pastel, es brillante.
Además, me parece muy útil el consejo de reservar hojas de col sin cocinar demasiado para darle un toque de color verde fresco al presentarlo. La combinación de carne molida con las verduras y las especias que mencionas suena deliciosa. Sin duda, es una receta que invita a experimentar y a no temerle a los platos de la abuela.
🍽️
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement! Im glad you enjoyed the post