Vegan Cabbage Rolls
These Asian-inspired vegan cabbage rolls are made up of tender cabbage leaves, stuffed with a rice and veggie filling, and served alongside a Chinese brown garlic sauce. Plus, this recipe is super versatile, gluten-free, and naturally vegetarian and vegan!
Servings 12 rolls
Ingredients
Cabbage Rolls:
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) dry sushi rice or any short-grain rice
- 1 large napa cabbage (10-12 leaves)
- 1 tbsp oil divided
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3/4 tbsp ginger minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium (120 g) carrot diced
- 2 medium (70 g) peppers diced
- 8 white button mushrooms diced (I used canned)
- 2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp each of sea salt, ground pepper, onion powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
- Sesame seeds to garnish
Sauce:
- 1 tsp oil e.g. sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp ginger minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3/4 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika to taste
Instructions
Cook the rice
- You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.Soak the sushi rice in a bowl with plenty of water for about 45-60 minutes, then drain. Cook it with the mentioned amount of water and some salt in a saucepan until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
Cook the veggies
- Meanwhile, chop the veggies and prep the cabbage leaves. Bring a large pot with water to a boil, then add in 3-4 of the cabbage leaves and cook them for 2-3 minutes until softened. Place the cooked leaves into a bowl with cold water, then set aside. Do this with the remaining leaves.
- Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a skillet, add the onion, ginger, garlic, carrot, peppers, and mushrooms. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add tamari, and all spices. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
Assemble
- Once the rice is cooked, add it to the skillet and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and taste the mixture. Add more seasonings if needed.
- Place a cabbage leaf on a plate and put about 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture in the middle. Fold in the sides and the top over the filling and roll it up. Place it on a plate. Do this with the remaining leaves.
Pan sear the rolls
- Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a skillet, and once hot add 5 of the cabbage rolls. Pan sear for a few minutes from both sides. The rolls should be golden brown.
Make the sauce
- Heat oil in a saucepan, then add ginger, garlic, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes. Mix the water with cornstarch to make a slurry and pour it into the skillet. Add the spices and cook the sauce for a few more minutes until thickened.
Serve
- Pour the sauce of the cabbage rolls and garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cabbage: You can use a different cabbage of choice for this recipe, like Savoy, green, white, pointed, Jaroma, etc.
- Certain varieties of cabbage have a very thick center 'rib' on each leaf. After boiling the leaves, you'll need to trim this rib to make it easier to roll.
- Veggies: Choose your favorite veggies. Just make sure they have a similar cooking time.
- Serve: You can serve it as a meal alone or with pan-roasted potatoes, quinoa pilaf, or just bread.
- This recipe was inspired by my friend WoonHeng.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Cabbage Rolls
Serving Size
1 roll
Amount per Serving
Calories
122
% Daily Value*
Fat
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
5
%
Carbohydrates
23
g
8
%
Fiber
2
g
8
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
4
g
8
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.