4.49 38 Published Jul 20, 2020, Updated Feb 20, 2023
Traditional Cabbage Rolls
Traditional cabbage rolls are made up of cooked cabbage leaves holding a variety of fillings. There’s typically a mixture of ground pork and ground beef, rice and some sort of tomato product. It’s a common dish in many areas of Europe, West Asia and Egypt. I’ve never actually made traditional cabbage rolls, but Isaac’s mom makes them. She’s been making them for years and if you asked her she’d probably tell you they are a breeze to whip up, however I know they are time consuming. To make these unstuffed cabbage rolls a bit lighter, I used ground turkey instead of beef or pork. And instead of brown sugar that most recipes call for, I used apple sauce for a hint of sweetness. Last but not least, I served the unstuffed cabbage rolls over cauliflower rice, which packs in more veggies and keeps this dish low-carb.
What You Need for Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
This lightened up, easy version of cabbage rolls requires less than 15 ingredients.
ground turkeyvegetables – cabbage, garlic, yellow onion and parsley for garnishcauliflower rice (or regular rice)canned diced tomatoestomato sauceunsweetened apple sauceolive oilapple cider vinegarseasoning and spices – cinnamon, salt and pepper
Cabbage 101
Okay, I have to get this off my chest. Why is cabbage such an underrated vegetable?! I personally love cabbage. Maybe the lack of color makes people think of bland, nutrient-less lettuce, but interesting enough, cabbage isn’t in the lettuce family, it’s actually a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli and cauliflower. It’s packed with nutrients, specifically vitamin K, vitamin C and folate. It’s also high in fiber and antioxidants. It has a neutral flavor (in my opinion) and can be eaten raw or cooked. (Source)
Love Cabbage? Try These Recipes
Vinegar ColeslawEgg Roll in a BowlKale and Cabbage SaladKale & Cabbage Pad Thai SaladTofu Cabbage Noodle BowlCabbage Lentil SoupLightened-Up Pad ThaiCabbage SoupRoasted Cabbage
Looking For More One Pot Meals?
One Pot Stuffed Pepper CasseroleOne Pan Roasted Chicken and VegetablesOne Pot Vegan Mushroom StroganoffOne Pan Tempeh Butternut Squash Bake
