This is my take on Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe.
The healthier stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is based on the German/Bavarian Krautwickel (aka Kohlrouladen).
Get the step by step recipe (with pictures) for the vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls further below, and learn how to make the healthier German stuffed cabbage rolls from scratch:
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The stuffed meatless cabbage rolls recipe was inspired from a cookbook, in fact, a German friend had sent me a neat Bavarian Cookbook to Goa a few years ago, which has been published by GU in the German-speaking countries.
Unfortunately, that book doesn't exist in English but this Bavarian cookbook here looks promising too.
The book includes dishes that are common in Bavaria (Germany) as well as in the Alps in Tyrol and Salzburg (Austria).
Dishes such as Semmelknödel (Bread dumplings), Sauerkraut, and Trout with Butter Parsley Potatoes are commonly shared traditional dishes across the country borders.
Stuffed cabbage rolls are a delicacy in central Europe.
Apparently, this is also a common dish all over eastern Europe.
Here is a list of names and variations, so basically stuffed cabbage rolls are a European thing. 😉
However, a vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is less commonly found.
This particular stuffed cabbage roll recipe in the book was full-on veg!
Imagine my excitement, simply because our daily meals in central Europe are mostly dominated by meat.
Not that I am against meat, I love it and some of the delicious posts on this page prove my "addiction" for the red flesh, but sometimes it's nice to just go veg for a meal or two.
Do you know what I mean?
So I followed the recipe and cooked the meal.
Then I did it again and now it's part of our monthly meal planning, however, over time I modified the rolls dramatically into healthier German stuffed Cabbage Rolls.
The vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls are healthier because they are stuffed with fresh vegetables and I have added Turmeric Powder to make it even crazier tasty!
The rolls come with a quick & easy to prepare orange-colored sauce.
Pour the sauce just before serving over the veg rolls and you will see how it enhances the flavors in such a beautiful way.
You can garnish with parsley or you can use coriander/cilantro too if you want to make it a bit "Asian".
That's up to you!
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Dear Reader, Are you a full time vegetarian or part-time like me?
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📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the Rolls
- 4 small Potato
- 1 small Carrot
- 2.1 ounces Broccoli
- 2 medium Onions
- 4 pieces Garlic Cloves
- 4 fluid ounces Milk little more then half a cup
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Ground optional
- pinch Nutmeg
- pinch Salt
- pinch Black Pepper Ground
- 6 large Green Cabbage Leaves 3 will be cut into half
For the Sauce
- ⅞ cup Broth almost 1 Cup
- ¾ cup Table Cream
- ½ cup Tomato Sauce
- Parsley Fresh chopped, fresh, garnish
Instructions
- Peel your potatoes and carrot and cut them into small dice. Cute the Broccoli into smaller pieces. Cook the veggies until al dente/ not too soft.
- Peel the Onion and Garlic and chop. Fry with some oil for a short time and keep aside.
- Strain veggies (keep veg stock aside for later) and separate potatoes from carrot and broccoli.
- Place potato to the pot and add the milk and butter. Heat up the pan and mash the whole content well.
- Place the pot on the stove and cook, add the broccoli & carrots to the mash, season with turmeric powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. You can safe the vegetable broth to make the sauce later on.
- Add in half amount of the previously fried garlic and onion from step 2 (the other half will be required for the sauce).
- Add some water to a pot, heat it up and place the cabbage leafs into the water. Allow them to cook for 8 minutes. Take them out of the water once they are soft and cool them shortly under cold water.
- Place one large cabbage leaf on your working space and place a large leaf on top. Add 1-2 Tablespoons full of stuffing into the center.
- Now wrap by pulling the side leaf parts into the center.
- Then gently fold it in on top and down as well.
- Keep on holding it together!
- Take a kitchen twine to hand (about 2 foot/ 60 centimeter long). Hold on your parcel and turn it top side down.
- Take the string underneath the parcel and take it back up, lock the two strings and take the string lengthwise.
- Turn the parcel and lock again the 2 strings with each other.
- Then place the parcels into the pan and fry on one side first.
- Turn and fry the other side so that it gets some color.
- Take the rolls out once finished fried and place the previously sauteed onion and garlic into the pan. Add the veg broth, the cream, the tomato paste and season a bit with salt and pepper and create the sauce. Cook for a 3 minutes until done.
- Serve the Veg Rolls hot, topped with the sauce and some Parsley (or coriander to make it a bit Asian)
Notes
- You can substitute the broccoli with cauliflower too.
Equipment
- Kitchen twine
This looks like a great recipe and those cabbage rolls look NUMMY!
Great recipes for these stuffed cabbage rolls. Absolutely healthier and love all of the veggies inside.
WOW! This looks Sooo good!!! I want some for dinner!
This looks like it would be perfect for Meatless Monday! I love any recipe that's made lighter and healthier, too 🙂
Yum!! I've never had cabbage rolls because they're usually not vegetarian, so these sound awesome! I'd love to try them!
This sounds both healthy and easy to cook. You can actually make it with any filling of your choice - even the leftover food to make it look good and also to not waste food.
I am hoping one fine day I would be inspired to cook after reading your lovely and easy to cook recipes.
Whenever I visit your blog, I learn so much. This reminds me of stuffed bacon rolls with truffle oil that I had a restaurant in Gurgaon recently.
I really love meat too but when we travel to Europe for extended holidays, sometimes I really just want a veggy dish (I mean, even salads in Austria have meat!) This full-flavoured dish would satisfy every meat lover and it's beautiful!
you are so right, even salads have meat in Austria 😛
These look so delicious! I love vege stuffed cabbage rolls! I can't wait to try this version!
Sounds delicious,being a vegetarian I am definitely going to try this recipe. Only the parcel making seems difficult.
Hi Meera! Trust me it just looks difficult with the parcel. Once you try it out you will see that it's easy. It's just like tying up a gift. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask, I ll be happy to assist you. =)
I pinned this and shared it on FB the other day, I fell in love with your recipe right away. I like meat, especially venison, but honestly, I am not a huge meat lover. I crave vegetarian dishes, and sometimes just order side dishes that exclude meat. Your recipe really sounds delicious, and fun to make:-) Hugs, Terra
Hi, I love your cabbage rolls. Actually we - in the Middle East - stuff cabbage with a special mixture of rice and herbs it is called Mahshee :). Thanks for your recipe and BTW : your pictures are very mouthwatering.
I've had plenty of cabbage rolls stuffed with meat, but very, very few stuffed with veggies. These look wonderful! And I really like the turmeric you added - I know how healthy it is, but really don't use it as often as I should. These look great - thanks so much.
I like your stuffing combination.
I am not sure why people don't like cabbage - it is such a nice sturdy food and you can do so much with it.
My aunt use to make the best cabbage rolls. I could just gobble them up. I don't think I've had them since the 80s. Hers were stuffed with ground beef, however, your vegetarian version sounds delicious and the sauce looks amazing! Now I'm tempted to make these. Nice recipe!
Hi Helene - I just love how beautiful the stuffing to the cabbage roll looks! It's a perfect example of why veg-only food gets a bad rap, and why it really shouldn't. It's as if, as soon as people remove meat from a meal sometimes they completely forget about the existence of herbs and spices and they end up eating something devoid of flavour and then declare that "vegetarian food sucks!!". This looks tasty: full of texture and colour, and most importantly of all... flavour!
These look good--and a lot healthier than the meat-filled ones. Yours are so much tidier than mine were the last time I made them.
Helene, beautiful presentation, and mouthwatering recipe!! I love the rolls. I love cabbage in all forms, and this looks fabulous. I am bookmarking it.