Description
Delicious Middle Eastern-style cabbage rolls filled with a fragrant mixture of brown basmati rice, lentils, pine nuts, and aromatic spices, baked to perfection and served with a refreshing tahini lemon sauce and crisp salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Cabbage Rolls
- 16 large Savoy cabbage leaves, stems trimmed (430g prepared weight)
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 large onions (360g), finely chopped
- 40g pine nuts
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 150g brown basmati rice
- 1½ tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
- 390g can green lentils, drained
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 4 tbsp chopped mint
Tahini Sauce and Salad
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 6 tomatoes, sliced
- ¼ cucumber (150g), sliced
- 12 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
Instructions
- Blanch the Cabbage Leaves: Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the cabbage leaves and place a heavy ladle on top to keep them submerged. Boil for 4 minutes until tender, then drain the leaves, reserving the water.
- Prepare the Filling: Heat rapeseed oil in a non-stick pan. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chopped onion for the salad. Fry the remaining onions for 10 minutes until just golden. Stir in the pine nuts and cook until they begin to color. Add ground cumin, coriander, and cinnamon then stir in the brown basmati rice. Pour in 450 ml of the reserved cabbage water and stir in the vegetable bouillon powder. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until the rice is nearly tender and liquid is absorbed. Finally, stir in the lemon zest and chopped mint.
- Assemble the Rolls: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/gas mark 4. Spoon a portion of the rice mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf and roll it up tightly. Place the rolls seam side down in a shallow casserole dish.
- Bake the Rolls: Cover the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and tender.
- Prepare the Tahini Sauce and Salad: In a small bowl, mix tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and 3 tablespoons of water to create a smooth sauce. Toss together the reserved onion, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, and chopped mint to make the salad.
- Serve: Serve half the cabbage rolls with half the tahini sauce and salad. Refrigerate the remaining rolls, sauce, and salad in separate containers for up to two to three days. Reheat rolls in the microwave until hot before serving.
Notes
- Use Savoy cabbage leaves for their tenderness and flexibility, making them ideal for rolling.
- Ensure the cabbage leaves are fully submerged while blanching to make them pliable.
- The reserved cabbage cooking water adds flavor and nutrients to the rice filling.
- Roll the cabbage leaves tightly to prevent filling from escaping during baking.
- Store leftovers separately to maintain the freshness of the sauce and salad.
- Reheat the cabbage rolls gently in the microwave to avoid drying out.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: cabbage rolls, Middle Eastern cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage, vegetarian cabbage rolls, lentil rice rolls, baked cabbage rolls, tahini sauce, healthy recipes
