Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Mushrooms and Rice
shared by Кухня Nibblore
These Russian-style stuffed cabbage rolls are hearty and juicy, with a savory filling of sautéed mushrooms, rice, and vegetables. A gentle tomato sauce made with cabbage cooking liquid soaks into the leaves without overpowering the mushrooms. They are ideal for making ahead, as the flavors deepen after reheating. • Choose a loosely packed cabbage with thin, flexible leaves, which will be easier to separate and roll without tearing. • Do not cook the rice completely before assembling the rolls; it will absorb the mushroom juices and tomato sauce as it bakes. • If a leaf tears, overlap two smaller leaves around the filling and place the roll seam-side down in the dish. • Button mushrooms can be replaced with oyster mushrooms cut into small pieces. • Parboiled rice can be used instead of long-grain rice; cook it for 10 minutes before making the filling. • Replace the tomato passata with 400 g crushed tomatoes and an additional 100 ml cabbage cooking liquid. Refrigerate the cabbage rolls with their sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 170°C oven for about 20 minutes, or warm individual portions in the microwave. To freeze, cool completely, pack with the sauce, and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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Save to my cookbook — freeIngredients
- 1white cabbage, about 1.5 kg
- 160 glong-grain rice
- 450 gbutton mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2onions, finely chopped
- 2carrots, coarsely grated
- 3 tbspsunflower oil
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced
- 500 mltomato passata
- 300 mlcabbage cooking liquid
- 1 tbspsweet paprika
- 1 tspsugar
- 1 ½ tspsalt
- ½ tspground black pepper
- 2bay leaves
- 15 gfresh dill, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1Bring 3–4 litres of water to a boil in a large pot. Cut the core from the cabbage, lower the head into the water cut-side down, and simmer for 3 minutes. Use tongs to remove the softened outer leaves and transfer them to a baking sheet; continue simmering and removing leaves for another 12–15 minutes, until you have 12–14 intact leaves. Reserve 300 ml of the cooking liquid.
- 2Rinse the rice, add it to a saucepan with 320 ml water, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 8 minutes; the water should be almost absorbed, but the rice should still be slightly firm. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
- 3Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 6–7 minutes, until softened. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the mushrooms, and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their liquid has evaporated and they are lightly browned.
- 4Add the garlic, half the paprika, 3/4 tsp of the salt, and the black pepper to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Mix the mushroom mixture with the rice and half the dill, then let the filling cool for 10 minutes.
- 5Trim down the thick, raised part of the central rib on each cabbage leaf without cutting through the leaf. Place 3–4 tbsp of filling near the base, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
- 6Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix the tomato passata, reserved cabbage cooking liquid, remaining paprika, sugar, and remaining 3/4 tsp salt. Pour one-third of the sauce into a baking dish measuring approximately 23 × 33 cm.
- 7Arrange the cabbage rolls seam-side down in a snug single layer. Pour over the remaining sauce, add the bay leaves, and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- 8Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until the sauce has thickened slightly and the cabbage is tender when pierced with a knife. Discard the bay leaves, let the rolls rest for 10 minutes, then serve with the sauce and remaining dill scattered over the top.