Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Pork and Mushrooms
This recipe is adapted from Sue Li’s Gingery Cabbage Rolls with Pork and Rice from NYT Cooking. I first made it with my roommate Nico, and I’m pretty sure I ate it for every meal until it was gone. My version includes mushrooms, which release moisture as they cook, keeping the filling juicy and tender while adding umami flavor and a meaty texture.
This dish is perfect for the dreary weather we’ve been having—warm, comforting, and satisfying. It’s also a great post-holiday project: fun to make if you’re battling the post-holiday blues, but not at all complicated. Boiling and rolling the cabbage leaves is surprisingly fun, and the best part? It makes a lot, and as the flavors meld, the leftovers are even better.
~ Camilla
Harlan’s Food For Thought
The following are the macros for the stuffed cabbage rolls, per serving (4 servings per meal):
Calories: 365
Protein: 25g
Carbohydrate: 10g
Fat: 25g
Depending on the fat percentage in the pork used, this meal should yield an equal balance of protein and fat. It also has a very low net carbohydrate content due to the high fiber in Savoy cabbage. This meal will leave you feeling full and provide your body with plenty of healthy fats for energy.
As previously discussed, the powerhouses of your cells, called mitochondria, are very capable of using fats for fuel. However, damage to mitochondria typically occurs when we consume both high fat and high carbohydrate in a meal. When the mitochondria are bombarded with both macro-molecules, it leads to an increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent inflammation and harmful oxidation.
If you're interested in studies, the following describes this process of "mitochondrial indecision" in greater detail.
~ Harlan Wolff, Registered Nurse and Clinical Educator
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Pork and Mushrooms
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 head Savoy cabbage
1 pound ground pork
13 oz mushrooms, diced (any variety you like; I used baby bella)
⅓ cup uncooked white rice
1 large egg
1 bunch scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken broth
Sesame oil, for serving
Instructions:
Preheat and Prep:
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Prepare the Cabbage:
Remove about 16-18 large outer leaves from the cabbage, setting aside the rest for another use. Blanch 4 cabbage leaves at a time in the boiling water until they’re tender, pliable, and bright green, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Repeat until all leaves are blanched. This is so they’re pliable enough to roll.
Make the Filling:
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped mushrooms, uncooked rice, egg, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix well. In my opinion, the hands are the best tool.
Assemble the Rolls:
Lay the cabbage leaf flat on a cutting board, stem side towards yourself. Place about ¼ cup of the filling in the center. Fold the sides of the leaf inward, then fold the stem end over the filling, and roll tightly to the top. If your leaves are very large, it may help to cut out the meatiest part of the stem so they roll more easily. Place the roll seam-side down in a Dutch oven or an oven-safe pan with high walls. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves and filling. It’s okay if they’re really snug in there, it’ll keep them from falling apart. Arranging them according to color is also optional but fun for taking photos if you’re into that kind of thing.
Cook the Rolls:
Pour the chicken broth over the cabbage rolls and heat over medium until the broth begins to simmer. Cover the pot, transfer it to the oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the rolls are tender when you stab them.
Serve:
Spoon some of the broth over the rolls when serving and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.
