Vegan Cabbage Rolls (Mushrooms, Lentils) (2024)

Vegan cabbage rolls with mushrooms and lentils are super easy to make and packed full of flavour. They contain a handful of easy to prepare ingredients which together create a delicious flavour combination. This dish is perfect as a family meal as well as for a potluck party.

You might also like vegetarian sauerkraut cabbage rolls!

My simple vegan cabbage rolls are the kind of healthy comfort food the whole family will love! They are moist, tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality, made without complicated herbs.

It’s a straightforward, easy to follow recipe and anyone can make it. No previous cabbage roll making experience necessary!

Vegan cabbage rolls ingredients

I usually use white cabbage but savoy cabbage would also work well in this recipe.

The filling ingredients include:

• Rice: Cooked al dente.
• Red lentils: These add bulk and a mildly nutty flavour.
• Mushrooms: Both regular as well as a small amount of porcini for more flavour.
• Onion: Cooking it in a little oil brings out its natural sweetness.
• Ground flaxseed: Helps bind the filling ingredients.
• Seasoning.

The simple tomato sauce for these vegan cabbage rolls is made using tomato puree and vegetable stock.

How to choose the right cabbage

Make sure your cabbage has a nice green colour (especially the savoy though even the white cabbage has a green tint so make sure it's there), isn't yellowish or dry in places. It should also feel firm.

Your cabbage shouldn't be too small (it'll be hard to make the cabbage rolls) or too large (you won't be able to fit very many cabbage rolls in your dish). It's best to go for a medium size cabbage.

How to make the filling

The filling ingredients for these vegetarian cabbage rolls need to be cooked but the good news is you can cook them all simultaneously or better yet, cook them ahead!

1.Rinse and cook the rice (covered) a little al dente in 1 and a quarter cup of salted water. This will take about 12 minutes. In a separate pot cook the red lentils, also covered, in 3 quarters of a cup of salted water. After 10 minutes of gentle simmering all the water will have been absorbed.

2. To prepare the mushrooms start with the porcini. Place them in a bowl, add a bit of water and rub the mushrooms with your fingertips to remove any grit. Rinse and finely chop the porcini, then place back in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of cold water. Set aside while you prepare the regular mushrooms.

3. In a large pan fry the onion in a little oil for about 3 minutes, add the regular mushrooms, season to taste, increase the heat and fry for approximately 6 minutes stirring often. 3 minutes into cooking pour in the porcini mixture (with the water) and cook until all the water has evaporated. Combine with the rice mixture, adjust seasoning if necessary and set aside.

Top tip

You can cook the rice and lentils ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to make these mushroom cabbage rolls. You can also leave the porcini soaking overnight (also in the fridge).

How to prepare the cabbage

1. Cut out the tough middle bit of the cabbage (approximately 3 cm deep).

2. Place the cabbage in a large pot with 5-6 centimetres of water, cover, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. When the leaves start separating carefully transfer the cabbage onto a plate and remove the outer leaves which should come away easily.

3. Place the cabbage back in the pot, cook for another few minutes and remove a few more loose leaves. Repeat until you’ve got about 16 cabbage leaves.

4. Slice off the thick middle bit from each leaf (the outer part of the leaf) and make your vegan cabbage rolls!

How to assemble the recipe

1. Combine all the filling ingredients, including the ground flaxseed (flaxseed will help to bind the mixture).

2. Make the cabbage rolls. Form oval shapes, like the ones in the photo below and place inside the cabbage leaf. Fold in the longer sides and wrap the stuffing in the leaf starting from the thick end of the leaf. Do this as tightly as you can tucking the mixture in with your fingers as you roll.

3. Arrange the cabbage rolls (with the end bit of the cabbage leaf down) in a single layer in a large oven dish as close together as possible. Dissolve the stock cubes in the hot water, add the tomato puree, stir and pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover with leftover cabbage leaves, put the lid on (alternatively use tin foil) and bake in the centre of the oven for 1.5 hours at 180 C.

Serving suggestions

These vegan cabbage rolls make a great stand alone meal (they contain protein, vegetables as well as carbs). You can, however, serve them with mashed potatoes, potato wedges, mashed rutabaga/swede, garlic bread or steamed vegetables (such as carrots, broccoli, green beans). I also think they go extremely well with sauerkraut salad!

Top tips and FAQs

• Use medium size cabbage.
• Use the larger leaves to make your cabbage rolls and reserve the smaller ones for covering the cabbage rolls, if there are any leftover (alternatively use non-stick paper).
• Don’t forget to season your rice, lentils as well as mushroom mixture (as they cook).
• You can cook the rice and lentils ahead and refrigerate until you are ready to make the recipe. You can also leave the porcini soaking overnight (also in the fridge).
• Wrap the stuffing in the leaves as tightly as possible and place the cabbage rolls one by one in your dish very close together. The end bit of every cabbage roll should be facing downwards.
• Freeze your vegan cabbage rolls in batches in an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave.

Substitutions

• Mushrooms: Use regular white mushrooms or chestnut mushrooms.
• Porcini mushrooms: use a little more regular mushrooms and add miso paste (1 teaspoon) or soy sauce (to taste) for more depth of flavour.
• Cabbage: Either white or savoy will work.

How to add more flavour to vegan cabbage rolls

For me the combination of mushrooms, cabbage and tomato is delicious as it is, but you may want to add your own twist to this recipe. For example, you can use 1-2 cloves of garlic and fry alongside onions. You can also stir some dried herbs into the filling mixture. Good choices include thyme or mixed herbs, marjoram or tarragon (1-1.5 tsp).

• Vegan Stuffed Eggplant with Quinoa in Tomato Sauce
• Eggplant Casserole with Beans (Vegan)
• Vegan Mediterranean Butternut Squash Casserole
• Lentil Vegetable Shepherd's Pie (Vegetarian)

Check out also this collection of healthy vegetarian pasta meals.

Keep in touch!

How did your vegetarian cabbage rolls turn out for you? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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