Vegetarian Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are one of the most popular appetizers in Turkish cuisine, which can also be served as dinner. They are so good that we can even eat it at breakfast or between meals.
Cabbage is one of the most popular winter vegetables in Turkey. There are several dishes made from cabbage such as beef cabbage stew, cabbage borek, cabbage soup, quick cabbage pickle, and stuffed cabbage rolls. Among all these dishes, stuffed cabbage rolls are the most common one although it requires more time and effor than the other recipes.
This is actually a recipe from years ago when I first started blogging. So I wanted to update it with new photos. I'm leaving the old photos as well to keep the history of our blog and so that we can see how things have changed since then. Just like Turkish stuffed leaves, there are various kinds of cabbage rolls. Sometimes the shape of its rolling changes, but generally its filling has variety. In fact, rice is the constant ingredient of its filling but there may be some different additions to it. In some regions ground beef is added, in some regions it is a vegetarian dish with tomatoes, some greens and with a generous amount of olive oil (we call it cabbage rolls/cabbage sarma with olive oil) and in some other regions chestnut is the addition. I love the one with olive oil as this main dish turns out to be a snack for me like stuffed grapevine leaves, so I’ll give its recipe here. I made these stuffed cabbage rolls last Sunday, and we finished it today. I love it so much that I felt so upset while eating the last roll. So I strongly recommend you to make these rolls in large amounts.
How To Make Turkish Cabbage Rolls
First, wash the cabbage, throw the outer leaves away and seperate all its leaves. Put enough water (about 1 liter) into a large pot, add 1tbsp salt and boil it. Put the cabbage leaves into this boiling water and boil them until they get tender (but not too much), when their color turns to yellow, (after about 3-4 minutes) take out them from water. Now try to cut them in regular shapes. We don’t use the thick streaks of these leaves, so cut them out. You can use these thick pieces in a vegetable stew the following day.
Second, make its filling. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well.
Third, make the rolls. Get one piece and lay it on a flat surface. Put some filling mixture on it and roll it up.
The shape is not so important here, just try to roll it well and do not put a lot of filling in it, otherwise you'll lose some of them.
Finally, place these cabbage rolls in a pot leaving the center empty. Pour the watery part of the mixture on the rolls.
What To Do With The Leftover Filling
When you finish all the leaves, but still have some filling mixture, do not throw it away.
Put that mixture in a glass bowl and place it over the space in the middle of the rolls. Moreover, if you like you can chop the thick pieces into it and have a bowl of another dish of cabbage.
Put the pot on the lowest heat and cook it for half an hour. Then add ¼ cup of water into it and let it cook for an hour.
You can serve it warm or cold with some lemon slices and greens. And I think the best pair of these rolls is a bowl of home made yogurt.
Other Cabbage Recipes
PrintStuffed Cabbage Rolls
Turkish style vegetarian cabbage rolls
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
- 1 small size cabbage
- 1 liter water
- 1 tbsp salt
Filling:
- 2 cups rice
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 tomatoes, diced
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup parsley, minced
- 2 lemons, squeezed
- 1 tbsp pepper/tomato paste
- 1 tsp dry mint
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the cabbage, throw the outer leaves away and seperate all its leaves.
- Put enough water (about 1 liter) into a large pot, add 1tbsp salt and boil it. Put the cabbage leaves into this boiling water and boil them until they get tender (but not too much), when their color turns to yellow, (after about 3-4 minutes) take out them from water.
- Now try to cut them in regular shapes. We don’t use the thick streaks of these leaves, so cut them out. You can use these thick pieces in a vegetable stew the following day.
- For its filling, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them well.
- Now get one piece and lay it on a flat surface. Put some filling mixture on it and roll it up.
- The shape is not so important herei, just try to roll it well and do not put a lot of filling in it, otherwise you'll lose some of them.
- Place these cabbage rolls in a pot leaving the center empty. Pour the watery part of the mixture on the rolls. When you finish all the leaves, but still have some filling mixture, do not throw it away.
- Put that mixture in a glass bowl and place it over the space in the middle of the rolls. Moreover, if you like you can chop the thick pieces into it and have a bowl of another dish of cabbage.
- Put the pot on the lowest heat and cook it for half an hour. Then add ¼ cup of water into it and let it cook for an hour.
- You can serve it warm or cold with some lemon slices and greens. And I think the best pair of these rolls is a bowl of home made yogurt.
Notes
If you are not following a vegetarian diet, you can add 1 cup ground beef into the filling.
Keywords: cabbage rolls, vegetarian cabbage rolls, stuffed cabbage rolls, Turkish cabbage rolls
Pat Goff says
I love this recipe. I do one with gravy instead of tomatoes. I love tomatoes but my brothers can't and won't eat them so it is a sacrafice I have to make I guess. It is hard to find recipes that don't use tomatoes and peppers, or mushrooms etc.
Sherry says
Hi, Zerrin, I am going to try your cabbage roll recipe tonight. I was wondering
if you had ever tried freezing them?
Zerrin says
Hi Sherry! I love to freeze them. They are great when frozen. Just thaw them before you cook. Mom makes these for us and freezes some for later cooking whenever she visits us. I love to remember mom when I cook these when she's away from me.
Kris says
What the heck is a, "glass," of rice???? Thanks!
Zerrin says
Glass is a measurement unit we use in cooking. It equals to 1 cup.
Vonn Parker says
After ogling the picture of these cabbage rolls for a long time, I finally made them. They were extremely tasty. I used meat in my recipe, however I think the vegatarian option would be amazing. I found the recipe made way more filling than one cabbage could handle, but I froze it for future.
Zerrin says
Hi Vonn! Thank you for sharing the result here! I love both vegetarian version and with ground meat. Never tried it with meat though. Must give it a try! The amount of filling could depend on the size of cabbage, but freezing it for future is a great solution! I either do the same or cook it as it is, not in cabbage rolls, it becomes like pilaf. It is still tasty that way!
Kingsley Parker says
Can anyone clarify what 2 glasses of rice is?
Zerrin says
About 2 cups.
dokuzuncubulut says
Mükemmel görünüyor. Ellerinize sağlık. Sevgiler.
Jules says
i made these! First bite was a bit bland, but when we sprinkled some salt on the cabbbage itself, it became quite nice! Thanks for the recipe!
Zerrin says
Jamie- I've never tried red cabbage for this dish, and never heard anyone who tired. You know its leaves are so hard, and also it may turn the dish into something very pink.But if you still try, please share with us.And thank you for stopping by.
Jamie says
Can you use red cabbage as a substitute? Or would it be too overwhelming?
Sophie says
MMMMMM....Zerrin, these look utterly delicious!!! MMMM...
heidi leon says
this dish looks delicious! Great recipe and great picture. Never tried to cook stuffed cabbage before. I will now. Thanks!
Dawn says
Thank you for sharing such a divine sounding recipe. I adore stuffed cabbage rolls and grew up eating them in their simplest form; meat, rice, onion, salt & pepper. I still enjoy them to this day.
Gera @ SweetsFoods says
Zerrin you've reason absolutely want to try these cabbage rolls very soon and a lot of them 🙂
borboleta africana says
Wonderfull, vegan ...and delicious!
Tangled Noodle says
Zerrin - Just wanted to let you know that I posted on my blog my sincerest thanks to you for sharing your award with me!
Mediterranean Turkish Cook says
Lahana dolmasi super gorunuyor. Elimi uzatip, bi tane yiyesim geldi 🙂
Hayley says
These cabbage rolls look incredible. I love when I find a nice vegetarian version. Thanks for sharing!
Leah says
This looks so delicious. I want to make it tonight!
Zerrin says
Thank you all for your comments and for these nice words.
MVD - That mixture in the bowl was excessive, so instead of cooking it in another pot, you can put the bowl in the pot filled with cabbage rolls, and you'll have two different dishes in the same pot and at the same time.
Michelle- Favorite Freezer Foods says
Those look great Zerrin! I've never made cabbage rolls without meat but now I have to try it.
The Duo Dishes says
This makes us hungry. Can you make the borek? That sounds interesting!
MVD says
Thanks for this wonderful recipe, I'm going to try it. However, I don't understand the last step (bowl in middle of pan). What is the purpose of that? Does it get added in again? or is it a seperate dish?
lisaiscooking says
This sounds delicious! I like the idea of serving it with yogurt.
vrinda says
Sounds great...perfect for a tea time snack...
nina says
Just awesome!!! This will convert the most reluctant cabbage-eater!!!
Janet Ching says
Your cabbage rolls look awesome! I will note down on my to cook list : )
Aleeeeee says
One of my favorites, we call them "sarmale". Great recipe, but they look better when rolled right, tight, with the ends turned inside. Best cabbage rolls are dry ones (just don't put too much water in the pot when u bake it) and in a small size. you can stuff the same mixture of meat and rice in grape vine leaves, and either way with a spoon full of sour cream on top of those hot, delicious rolls! Ketchup works just fine for ketchupoholichs 😀 enjoy!
Shannon says
Great recipes , Thanks for sharing
Tangled Noodle says
These are wonderful - I see what you meant about 'sarma' being different for you than the ones I blogged about. I love the use of fresh tomatoes but I was particularly caught by your suggestion to pair it with yogurt. How delicious that would be! And your photos are beautiful, as usual. 😎
Reeni says
These look delicious! I can see why you were sad to eat the last one! I would be too! YUMMY!!!
Jessica says
I believe this is the kind of dish that could convert a carnivore into a vegetarian, if even only for a day! :p
I'll have to try making these for the boyfriend.
Daily Spud says
I'm always on the lookout for new cabbage ideas, definitely like the sound of the stuffed cabbage rolls...
Maggie says
I've always wanted to try golubki without meat. This looks like a great recipe.
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says
I love this veggie stuffed cabbage recipe! Yum!
Rico says
Me too, count me in for dinner, I love to eat stuffed cabbage, really nice and these look delicious. 😀 xxxx I buzz'd you