Description
These Vegan Cabbage Rolls are a hearty and comforting dish featuring tender cabbage leaves filled with a savory mixture of Impossible Burger, rice, and aromatic spices, all baked in a flavorful tomato-based sauce. Perfect for a wholesome family meal, this recipe offers a plant-based twist on a classic comfort food.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- ½ tsp granulated garlic
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
Filling Ingredients
- 1 large green cabbage
- 2 packages Impossible Burger ground beef
- pinch of black pepper
- 1½ cups rice, cooked and cooled
- ¼ tsp ground fennel
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 medium-large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a large bowl, combine all sauce ingredients—onion powder, diced tomatoes, granulated garlic, water, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar. Mix thoroughly and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Sauté onions: Heat the grapeseed or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onions along with salt and pepper, sautéing for 5-7 minutes until the onions turn golden and translucent.
- Add garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute to release its aroma, being careful not to burn it.
- Mix filling: Remove the skillet from heat and let the onion and garlic mixture cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the cooled onion-garlic sauté with the Impossible Burger ground beef, cooked and cooled rice, ground fennel, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly to form the filling.
- Prepare cabbage leaves: Cut a cone shape around the stem of the cabbage to remove it. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the cabbage head for about 3 minutes.
- Separate leaves: Carefully remove the outer cabbage leaves two at a time, continuing until you have about 16-18 large, pliable leaves ready for rolling.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 325°F (160°C) to prepare for baking the rolls.
- Assemble rolls: Spread 1 cup of the prepared sauce evenly in the bottom of a casserole dish. On a cutting board, place a cabbage leaf and trim the thick rib to make it easier to roll. Spoon approximately ¼ cup of the filling mixture onto the leaf, then roll it burrito-style, folding in the sides to secure the filling. Place each roll seam-side down in the casserole dish.
- Bake: Once all rolls are assembled and arranged in the dish, cover them with the remaining sauce. Seal the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours and 45 minutes until everything is cooked through and flavors meld.
- Rest before serving: Remove the dish from the oven and let the cabbage rolls sit for 10 minutes to set before serving. This resting time helps the rolls maintain their shape and allows flavors to deepen.
Notes
- Ensure the rice is fully cooked and cooled before mixing with other ingredients to prevent soggy filling.
- Blanching the cabbage leaves makes them pliable for rolling and prevents breakage.
- Use foil to cover the casserole dish tightly to keep moisture in during baking.
- You can substitute Impossible Burger with other plant-based ground meat alternatives as desired.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
Keywords: Vegan Cabbage Rolls, Plant-Based Cabbage Rolls, Impossible Burger Recipe, Vegan Comfort Food, Healthy Cabbage Rolls, Tomato Sauce Rolls
