Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Lentils (Printable)

Plump cabbage bundles filled with hearty lentils and rice, baked in seasoned tomato sauce for a satisfying Eastern European inspired meal.

# What You Need:

→ Cabbage Rolls

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→ Tomato Sauce

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# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully remove 12–14 whole leaves from the cabbage and blanch them for 3–4 minutes until pliable. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic, carrot, and celery; cook for another 3 minutes.
04 - Stir in cooked lentils, rice, tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, pepper, and salt. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in parsley.
05 - In a bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, olive oil, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
06 - Trim the thick vein at the base of each cabbage leaf. Place 2–3 tablespoons of filling at the base of each leaf, fold in the sides, and roll up tightly.
07 - Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish. Arrange the cabbage rolls seam-side down in the dish.
08 - Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. Cover the dish with foil.
09 - Bake for 40 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until bubbling and slightly browned.
11 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hints:

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  • The filling is hearty enough to satisfy even the most dedicated meat eaters at your table
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to become friends
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  • Freezing the whole cabbage head overnight makes leaf removal effortless and the leaves more pliable
  • Overstuffing the rolls leads to bursting during baking, leave room for the rice to expand
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  • Use a paring knife to carefully shave down the thick vein instead of cutting it out completely
  • If any leaves tear during rolling, layer two smaller pieces together to make one usable leaf

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