Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

These unstuffed cabbage rolls taste just like the traditional recipe with a fraction of the effort. Lightened up with ground turkey and served over cauliflower rice for a low-carb meal.

You may have heard of stuffed cabbage rolls, but what about “unstuffed cabbage rolls”?! I personally love this version because it’s lightened up and so much easier than the classic recipe. You can make this dinner in a fraction of the time it takes to make the traditional stuffed cabbage, which requires boiling the cabbage leaves and rolling the meat inside. And, trust me it is still equally delicious!

Traditional Cabbage Rolls

Traditional cabbage rolls are made up of cooked cabbage leaves holding a variety of fillings. There’s typically a mixture of ground pork and ground beef, rice and some sort of tomato product. It’s a common dish in many areas of Europe, West Asia and Egypt. I’ve never actually made traditional cabbage rolls, but Isaac’s mom makes them. She’s been making them for years and if you asked her she’d probably tell you they are a breeze to whip up, however I know they are time consuming.

To make these unstuffed cabbage rolls a bit lighter, I used ground turkey instead of beef or pork. And instead of brown sugar that most recipes call for, I used apple sauce for a hint of sweetness. Last but not least, I served the unstuffed cabbage rolls over cauliflower rice, which packs in more veggies and keeps this dish low-carb.

What You Need for Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

This lightened up, easy version of cabbage rolls requires less than 15 ingredients.

• ground turkey
• vegetables – cabbage, garlic, yellow onion and parsley for garnish
• cauliflower rice (or regular rice)
• canned diced tomatoes
• tomato sauce
• unsweetened apple sauce
• olive oil
• apple cider vinegar
• seasoning and spices – cinnamon, salt and pepper

Cabbage 101

Okay, I have to get this off my chest. Why is cabbage such an underrated vegetable?! I personally love cabbage. Maybe the lack of color makes people think of bland, nutrient-less lettuce, but interesting enough, cabbage isn’t in the lettuce family, it’s actually a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli and cauliflower. It’s packed with nutrients, specifically vitamin K, vitamin C and folate. It’s also high in fiber and antioxidants. It has a neutral flavor (in my opinion) and can be eaten raw or cooked. (Source)

Love Cabbage? Try These Recipes:

• Vinegar Coleslaw
• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Kale and Cabbage Salad
• Kale & Cabbage Pad Thai Salad
• Tofu Cabbage Noodle Bowl
• Cabbage Lentil Soup
• Lightened-Up Pad Thai

If you make these unstuffed cabbage rolls be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turned out. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers!

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls

5 from 13 votes

These unstuffed cabbage rolls taste just like the traditional recipe with a fraction of the effort. Packed with vegetables and flavor, it's the perfect weeknight dinner.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, I like fire-roasted
• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/2 head, about 7 cups shredded green cabbage
• cauliflower rice, or regular rice, for serving
• fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

 

• Heat a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and once hot add turkey, onion and garlic into the Dutch oven until browned and crumbly, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, apple sauce, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat, and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Stir over warm cauliflower rice or your favorite rice. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of recipe with cauliflower rice Calories: 291kcal Carbohydrates: 23g Protein: 29g Fat: 11g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 80mg Sodium: 575mg Fiber: 9g Sugar: 13g

Author: Brittany Mullins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Jewish

Keyword: unstuffed cabbage rolls

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and share on social media using the hashtag #eatingbirdfood. I love seeing your recipe shares!