Description
Delicious stuffed cabbage rolls filled with a flavorful mixture of ground meat, spices, and grains, topped with a rich Turkish tomato sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 14 ounces 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, ground beef, chicken, ground turkey or a plant-based ground meat like Beyond Burger
- 1 cup bulgar wheat, soaked (or add 1 cup cauliflower rice (raw), or 1 cup cooked rice, or other cooked grain)
- 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) ALL OPTIONAL
Instructions
- In a bowl of cool water, soak the bulgar wheat for 20 minutes.
- 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 tightly 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 sauté pan, over medium-high heat, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons oil until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to medium, add garlic, and sauté for 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 11 to 12-inch round braiser, pour a little of the sauce.
- In a medium bowl, mix the lamb, drained bulgar wheat, garlic, 1/2 cup Turkish tomato sauce, salt, cumin, dried mint, coriander, sumac, chili flakes, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinenuts, and dried apricots 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 to form 10-12 rolls.
- Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls and 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 in the oven and then bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and garnish with fresh parsley, mint, or dill, and a few pinenuts. Serve with a thick creamy yogurt if desired.
Notes
- For breakage, make sure the baking dish is filled with the rolls and pour the remaining tomato sauce over top.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 rolls
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg