Grandma’s Cabbage Rolls are the most comforting little bundles of flavor you can imagine! Each tender cabbage leaf wraps around earthy, nutty bulgur, beefy mushrooms, tender green veggies, and aromatic herbs and spices, topped off with the tang of lemon juice and sharpness of parmesan. A rich and spicy tomato sauce coats everything in scarlet goodness. Grandma’s Cabbage Rolls are a wonder, just like Grandma herself!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup zucchini, diced
- 3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup sweet red pepper, chopped
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup bulgur
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large head cabbage
- 6 tablespoons parmesan cheese, shredded, divided
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large saucepan over medium, add the mushrooms, the zucchini, the green pepper, the sweet red pepper, the vegetable broth, the bulgur, the basil, the marjoram, the thyme, and the black pepper and stir to combine.
Step 3 –Bring the bulgur mixture to a boil.
Step 4 –Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
Step 5 –Simmer the bulgur mixture for 5 minutes.
Step 6 –Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
Step 7 –In a large pot of boiling water, add the cabbage and cook until the leaves fall off the head and become tender, about 45 minutes.
Step 8 –Reserve 8 large leaves for the rolls, storing the remaining cabbage for a separate use.
Step 9 –Cut the thick vein from each of the reserved leaves, making an upside-down V-shape cut.
Step 10 –Add 4 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese and the lemon juice to the bulgur mixture and stir to combine.
Step 11 –Fold the points from the cut ends of the cabbage leaves up before filling.
Step 12 –Add a heaping 1/3 cupful of the bulgur mixture onto each prepared cabbage leaf.
Step 13 –Fold one side of the cabbage leaf over the filling, then roll tightly to completely enclose the filling in the cabbage leaf. Pushing gently with your finger, tuck both ends of the leaves in to secure the filling.
Step 14 –In a bowl, add the tomato sauce and the hot pepper sauce and stir to combine.
Step 15 –Pour 1/3 cup of the tomato sauce mixture into a 2-quart baking dish.
Step 16 –Add the cabbage rolls to the baking dish and spoon the remaining tomato sauce mixture over top.
Step 17 –Cover the baking dish and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
Step 18 –Sprinkle the top of the rolls with the remaining parmesan cheese.
Step 19 –Serve.
