Easy Cabbage & Walnut Meat Meal - 2 Ways

Tasty 'stuffed' cabbage meals are not only possible without the beef... they're possibly tastier and more healthy too. Below are two ways to master the traditional stuffed cabbage meal in a way that is fully plant-based and awesome. You'll feel like an old-world or traditional cook but these meals are not much more difficult than putting together some stir-fry.

The flavor to your cabbage and cabbage 'stuffing' can be more or less intense depending on how long you simmer your ingredients or rolls. Rest assured however that your meal will be easy and super-tasty either way.

The very easy recipes below are adapted from a non-vegan recipe that can be found here: https://www.homecookingadventure.com/recipes/walnut-cabbage-rolls - To veganize the recipe, simply follow the instructions below. Check out the 30-minute meal version or the longer version by scrolling down below. It is up to you which method you use. Both are extremely tasty, satisfying and filling.

The QUICK 30-MINUTE-MEAL version of "Stuffed Cabbage"

This version is great for easy weeknight dinners as well as for weeknight meal-prep! 

Ingredients: 1 or 2 whole cabbages, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1-2 onions, 1 carrot, 1 medium red pepper, 1 cup ground walnuts, 1 cup rice or less (optional), 1/4 tsp paprika, salt, pepper, fresh dill or dill weed dried, 1-2 tomatoes

Directions:

1. Boil water in a large pot. Once boiling, add pulled-off cabbage leaves. (Keep leaves as large and whole as possible.) It is ok if you can't fit the entirety of your cabbage in the pot. Set some aside for later. Cover and cook until very tender, fragrant and juicy.
2. While your cabbage is boiling, in a frying pan heat some olive oil (or water or veggie broth if going oil free) over medium high heat. Cook chopped onions for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add finely chopped carrot and red pepper and saute for another few minutes then stir in paprika. Stir in rice, ground walnuts, dill, salt and pepper and continue to let simmer to become flavorful. If your mixture is dryer than you'd like you can add in a little oil, hot sauce or tomato juice / puree. Add in chopped or pureed tomatoes as desired.
3. Once your cabbage leaves of soft, flavorful and tender (after about 10-15 minutes of boiling), they are ready to drain. Use a colander or tongs to remove them and gently dry them of excess water. Place them on a plate.
4. Serve! This part is easy. Simply take your 'walnut meat' mixture from your frying pan and serve over the boiled cabbage for a delicious, filling, and quick meal.

Traditional Cabbage Rolls (involves delicate wrapping and extra simmer time)

This recipe is great for a special meal or when you want to be fancy if you have a date night or people coming over. For this method you will actually use your lettuce leaves for making proper rolls and simmer them longer to get a little bit of a deeper flavor. See the instructions below.

Ingredients: Ingredients: 1 or 2 whole cabbages, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1-2 onions, 1 carrot, 1 medium red pepper, 1 cup ground walnuts, 1 cup rice or less (optional), 1/4 tsp paprika, salt, pepper, fresh dill or dill weed dried, 1-2 tomatoes

Directions: 

1. Pull off cabbage leaves keeping them as large and whole as possible for the wraps. Separate the leaves that can be removed and put them into boiling salted water. Cover and cook until tender enough to use as a wrap or roll but NOT too soft or else your wraps will fall apart. Drain well. Chop any leftover cabbage and set aside.
2. In a frying pan heat oil over medium high heat. Cook onion for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the carrot and red pepper and saute for another few minutes then stir in paprika. Remove from heat. Stir in rice, ground walnuts, dill, salt and pepper. If your mixture is dryer than you'd like you can add in a little oil, hot sauce or tomato juice / puree.
3. Start making the rolls. Place 1/2 to 1 tbsp of mixture on the center of each leaf. Fold in sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll up leaf to completely enclose filling.
4. Mix pureed tomatoes with water and pour all over the surface of the rolls. You will be simmering your rolls in a mixture of a  juicy tomato / water mixture broth. Put slices of tomato on top if desired. Cover the pot and cook your rolls at medium-low temperature until they start to boil. Then reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 1 hour. This method should make your rolls very flavorful. Just make sure your wraps are thick enough to not fall apart. You may want to double wrap / roll wrapping your filling in multiple layers of soft cabbage cabbage leaves.