Description
A delicious recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls with ground meat and spices, topped with a flavorful tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar or alternative sweetener (maple or honey)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup broth or stock (chicken or veggie)
- 1/2 cup Turkish tomato sauce
- 2 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 lb ground meat (uncooked): ground lamb (my preference), ground beef, chicken, ground turkey or a plant-based ground meat like Beyond Burger
- 1 cup bulgar wheat (or 1/2 cup raw white long grain rice)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried mint (or sub dried oregano or thyme)
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (aleppo is nice)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup pinenuts (or slivered almonds)
- 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped (or sub-dried barberries, currants or raisins)
Instructions
- In a bowl of water, soak apricots for 20 mins or while you prep.
- Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage and blanch until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Cool. Alternatively, peel off the cabbage leaves and blanch the leaves in batches for 1-2 minutes or microwave the whole cabbage covered in a bowl with 1 cup water for 10 minutes. You can also freeze the whole cabbage, then thaw.
- Make the Turkish Tomato Sauce. In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons oil until tender, 3-4 mins. Lower heat to medium, add garlic, and sauté 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes (and all the juices), sugar, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and broth. Stir, bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, then turn heat off.
- In the bottom of a greased 9×13-inch baking dish (just enough to lightly coat the bottom) or an 11 to 12-inch round braiser, place another ½ cup of sauce in the bowl with the filling, and save the rest for the top.
- In a medium bowl, place the lamb, drained rice or bulgar wheat, garlic, 1/2 cup Turkish tomato sauce, salt, cumin, dried mint, coriander, sumac, chili flakes, cinnamon, nutmeg, pine nuts, and dried apricots, then mix with a clean, damp hand until well combined.
- Place a blanched cabbage leaf on the counter. Cut 2 inches of the thick vein out of the bottom end. Fill with 1/3 cup lamb filling and roll up like a burrito, tucking edges in. Place seam side down in the sauced baking dish. Repeat with all. You should have around 10-12 rolls.
- If there are any breakages in the baking dish, pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top. Give the pan a good shake.
- Cover with parchment, then tightly with foil (or a lid). Bake for 1 1/4 hours. If baking in a sauté pan, you could heat this up gently on the stovetop (covered) before placing it in the oven and then bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley, mint or dill, and a few pinenuts. Serve with a thick creamy yogurt if you like.
Notes
- For any optional ingredients, consider your taste and preference.
- This recipe may include variations such as different spices or types of meat based on available ingredients.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 rolls
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 80mg