These savory vegetarian cabbage rolls are filled with a hearty, umami-rich mixture of tofu, mushrooms, walnuts, and aromatics, then baked in a flavorful vegetable broth with miso and tomato paste instead of traditional tomato sauce. They’re a cozy, satisfying winter meal and a special meatless main dish for holiday dinners!
Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls for a Meatless Holiday Main Dish or Cozy, Hearty Meal
These vegetarian cabbage rolls are the kind of cozy, satisfying meal that I start to crave as the evenings grow colder. Between the sweet and tender cabbage, the umami-rich tofu and mushroom filling, and the flavorful broth, these cabbage rolls are layered with beautiful textures and flavors and so incredibly comforting. If the tomato sauce is what normally turns you off of cabbage rolls, you’ve got to try these!
What I love about these cabbage rolls is that they make a great fall or winter comfort food meal but they’re also special enough to serve as a vegetarian holiday main dish. The hearty filling definitely makes them feel satisfying enough for main dish status. The bonus is that they happen to be both vegan and gluten-free which makes them a lovely centerpiece for a holiday meal that everyone can enjoy.
JUMP STRAIGHT TO:
- Key Ingredients
- How to Prepare the Cabbage Leaves
- How to Make the Stuffing and Cabbage Rolls
- My Favorite Sides to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
- More Meatless Main Dishes for Holiday Meals
Key Ingredients for Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls
In order to make a super savory and satisfying filling for these vegetarian cabbage rolls without using meat, I’m relying on a mixture of cooked mushrooms, tofu, and walnuts. Aromatics like shallots, garlic, and thyme lend savory flavor. Lemon zest brightens everything up and keeps it from feeling too one note while a bit of tamari adds an umami depth of flavor.
Personally, I’m not a fan of cooking cabbage rolls in a tomato sauce so for mine, I like do a simple vegetable broth amended with a little tomato paste and miso paste. If you prefer tomato sauce, you can absolutely swap some in! Check out the notes section of the recipe card for specific instructions along with other notes on substitutions.
How to Prepare the Cabbage Leaves
In my humble opinion, the part of this recipe that takes the longest is preparing the cabbage leaves. I prefer using a larger head of cabbage because you’ll get larger leaves from it which means you’ll end up filling and rolling less rolls (which takes less prep time!).
First thing’s first — remove the outer loose leaves and discard them. Then, you’ll remove the leaves for your rolls by turning your cabbage so you can see where the leaves attach to the core, and making an incision with your knife there. Loosen the leaf here first, then you should be able to loosen and remove it easier from the top of the leaf.
Once the leaves are removed, they will need to be blanched in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. I like to use tongs to do this to make sure the leaves are fully submerged. I work in batches and do 2-3 leaves at a time to make sure they are evenly cooked. This process helps soften the leaves so you can roll them up easily. Once the cabbage leaves are done, go in with a paring knife and trim off the thick vein that runs down to the base of the leaf (above right). This will make it easier to roll the leaves once they are filled with the stuffing!
How to Make the Stuffing and Cabbage Rolls
This stuffing has the best texture if the mushrooms are finely chopped. I like to make quick work of this with my food processor. Since trumpet mushrooms have a firmer texture, I like to add them first and pulse a few times before adding the cremini mushrooms. This helps ensure everything is evenly chopped.
The carrots and shallots are added to the pan first so they can soften before the remaining aromatics and chopped mushrooms are added. The mushrooms need to cook until most of the moisture has evaporated and the bottom of the pan is starting to look dry. Then, you can add the crumbled tofu and tamari.
There’s no need to let the stuffing cool before you begin filling the rolls. You’ll use 1-2 tablespoons of filling for smaller leaves and 2-3 tablespoons of stuffing for larger leaves. Place the stuffing near the base of the cabbage leaf, then roll them up, tucking in the sides as you go. Nestle all of the rolls in the broth then bake!
My Favorite Sides to Serve with Cabbage Rolls
The best way to eat these is on top of a bed of mashed potatoes — seriously, you have to try it! I like to make a little indention on top of the mashed potatoes for the rolls and I spoon some of the broth on top. So good! If you don’t have a favorite recipe, I highly recommend trying my brown butter mashed potatoes.
If you really want to maximize the amount of plants on your plate, I recommend pairing the cabbage rolls with this golden beet and fennel gratin or this fall kale Caesar salad. Or, keep it super simple and serve the cabbage rolls in bowls with a ladle or two of the broth and some toasted and buttered bread.
More Meatless Main Dishes for Holiday Meals
If you find tofurky boring or disappointing and are looking for inventive and delicious meatless main dishes that are special enough for a holiday meal, you’ve come to the right place! If you like cabbage but want something a little different, try these roasted cabbage steaks with smoky tempeh “bacon” and creamy Dijon sauce. Love mushrooms? Go with these portobellos stuffed with a savory black lentil and walnut mixture. Want something that is visually stunning and festive? Go with these stuffed acorn squashes.
Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
These savory vegetarian cabbage rolls are filled with a hearty, umami-rich mixture of tofu, mushrooms, walnuts, and aromatics, then baked in a flavorful vegetable broth with miso and tomato paste instead of traditional tomato sauce. They’re a cozy, satisfying winter meal and a special meatless main dish for holiday dinners!
Ingredients
- 1 large head Savoy cabbage, Napa cabbage, or standard green cabbage
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 6 ounces trumpet mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large shallot, minced
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 large carrot, small dice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, from 1 medium lemon
- 8 ounces super firm tofu, crumbled by hand into small pieces
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari, plus extra as needed
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons mellow miso paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Mashed potatoes for serving, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place a medium bowl of ice water on the counter along with a clean kitchen towel.
- Remove and discard any of the outer loose leaves of the cabbage. Trim off the very bottom of the cabbage and discard. Carefully remove individual leaves by making an incision at the bottom of each leaf where it attaches to the core. Loosen the leaf at the base first, then loosen it at the top in order to remove it. You’ll need around 10-15 leaves depending on the size of your cabbage. Save the remaining cabbage for another recipe, like this caramelized cabbage pasta.
- Once the water comes to a boil, work in batches and submerge 2-4 leaves at a time in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes until they soften. Remove the leaves and dunk in the ice water for about 30 seconds to stop the cooking, then on to the clean kitchen towel to dry. Once you finish all of the leaves, use a small paring knife to trim away any thick parts of the main vein on the back of each leaf. This will make it easier to roll them.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add the roughly chopped mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and once it shimmers, add the shallots and carrot along with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the veggies have softened (about 5 minutes), then add the finely chopped mushrooms, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring regularly, until the mushrooms have released a lot of moisture and are beginning to brown. When this happens, the bottom of the pan will start to look dry. Add the lemon zest, walnuts and crumbled tofu. Stir in the tofu, using the spoon to break up any bigger pieces then add the tamari. Cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes. Taste, add more tamari if needed, then remove the filling from the heat.
- Add the broth, miso, and tomato paste to a baking dish that is at least 10 by 7 inches in size with a 2 quart capacity. You can also use a large cast iron skillet. Whisk the miso and tomato paste into the broth.
- If your leaves are on the smaller side, add 1-2 tablespoons of the filling to the inside of the cabbage leaf towards the bottom. If your leaves are larger, use 2-3 tablespoons of filling. Gently roll up the bottom of the leaf around the filling, tucking in the sides as you go, just like rolling a burrito. Nestle the cabbage roll into the broth seam side down then repeat with the remaining filling and cabbage leaves.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake it in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the broth is bubbling.
- Allow the cabbage rolls to cool for 5 minutes before serving. I love enjoying these over a bed of mashed potatoes! You can spoon some of the broth on top. Or, serve them in small bowls with some of the broth if you don’t want to make mashed potatoes.
- Leftovers can be kept in a container in the fridge and enjoyed within 3-4 days.
Notes
If you are making these for a holiday meal, you can assemble the cabbage rolls and keep them covered in a baking dish or other container WITHOUT the broth for up to 2-3 days in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake them, add the broth mixed with the tomato paste and miso then bake according to the instructions in the recipe.
I recommend going with a larger head of cabbage rather than a smaller one as the leaves will be easier to fill and roll. I used a savoy cabbage because I find them sweeter than the typical green cabbage. You can use green cabbage or Napa cabbage if you prefer.
Keep in mind that the first leaves that come off the cabbage will be much larger and can hold more filling than the smaller ones.
I fit 10 large rolls in my baking dish (it’s a 2 quart oval baking dish that is roughly 10×7 inches). I recommend using something of a similar size or slightly larger.
I prefer to bake these in a broth enriched with some tomato paste and miso but if you prefer a more traditional cabbage roll, you can sub in 2 cups of tomato sauce instead.
If you are allergic to mushrooms, I recommend making the following adjustments: use 2-3 large shallots and cook them until they are just starting to caramelize before adding the carrots. Instead of 8 ounces of tofu, use 16 ounces and add more tamari to taste as needed.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner
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