These Vegan Cabbage Roll in a Bowl are an easy gluten free and low carb alternative to the traditional rice and meat-packed cabbage rolls. Perfect for anyone looking to cut back on their red meat intake or increase their veggie consumption!
When I was a kid, my mom used to make us cabbage rolls from scratch. It was a labour of love because making cabbage rolls takes a lot of steps. Since I am trying to cut back on my meat intake at home, I’ve been cooking more often with vegan meat substitutes, and these vegan unstuffed cabbage rolls in a bowl have become one of my family’s favourites.
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This cabbage roll in a bowl is sweet, “meaty” and could not be easier to make — they will quickly become one of your family’s faves! Need more reasons to love this vegan recipe?
- Comfort in a bowl
- Gluten-free
- Low carb
- One pot meal
- Easily customizable
Key Ingredients
Aromatics — The sweet onions and garlic give your cabbage roll in a bowl a well rounded flavour profile.
Cabbage — Can’t make cabbage roll in a bowl without the cabbage! Be sure to pick one that is dense and firm.
Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce — Canned diced tomatoes and jarred tomato sauce works just fine for this recipe! No need to make your own.
Brown sugar or low calorie sugar — This adds a bit of sweetness to your recipe. We don’t need a lot so not to worry about adding too much sugar into your meal.
Veggie Ground Round — Instead of using ground beef in our cabbage roll in a bowl, we use a veggie ground round. However, if you don’t need this recipe to be vegan, ground meat can be used.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: To a pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until softened. Strain the liquid out of the tomatoes but keep the liquid.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes, cabbage, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper to the pot. Put the lid on and cook for 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is softened.
Step 3: Remove the lid and stir in the veggie ground round. Depending on how much cabbage was in your head, you may want to add a bit of the tomato liquid that you reserved. Or if it’s already saucy enough, you can keep it without (personally, I don’t like it too loose/ watery so I usually leave it out.) Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4: Serve, if desired on cauliflower rice or regular rice and top with parsley to taste.
Expert Tips
You may need to cook the cabbage longer for better digestion (if you find cabbage difficult to digest). If this is the case cook the cabbage for an additional 30 mins until soft.
Give this cabbage roll in a bowl a spicy kick with some cayenne pepper and red chili flake if you aren’t making this recipe for your kids.
When picking a cabbage, look for one that has crisp leaves without any cracks or bruises. The leaves should also look bright and not dull or yellow in colour.
Recipe FAQs
Cabbage rolls are an Eastern European specialty traditionally made by stuffing cabbage with rice and ground beef cooked in a sweet tangy tomato sauce. While cabbage rolls are time consuming, this cabbage roll in a bowl is a great way to enjoy cabbage rolls without the extra work!
If you want to keep this vegan cabbage casserole way lower in carbs than the traditional cabbage rolls, you can use the low calorie brown sugar instead of sugar, and use cauliflower rice instead of brown rice. If you’re worried about the carbs in the aged balsamic vinegar, you can also just do all apple cider vinegar.
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with cabbage rolls. My mom put the work in, obviously I am not LOL! But I still love the flavours and Baby E adores these vegan cabbage rolls. The flavours are pretty sweet and mild, so I love to serve them on rice for Baby E.
A head of cabbage makes a lot, so you can definitely make this on a Sunday, keep it in the fridge, and rewarm a portion or two throughout the week. It will take you no time to make this cabbage casserole, so it will leave you lots of extra time for family.
You can definitely freeze this unstuffed cabbage roll recipe. You can double the recipe (use a large Dutch oven!) and then let it cool before freezing it and in freezer safe bag. Thaw overnight and reheat when you’re ready to enjoy.
More Recipes You Might Like
If you’re looking for more delicious cabbage recipes, try these ones:
Now loves, tell me, have you tried my cabbage rolls? Are you excited to try this easier version?
Cabbage Roll in a Bowl (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large sweet onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 small head cabbage (10 cups) chopped
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes drained but juices reserved
- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or low calorie brown sugar sweetener
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp good quality aged balsamic vinegar
- 340 grams veggie ground round
- Cauliflower rice or brown rice for serving
- Parsley for serving
Instructions
- To a pot, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until softened.
- Strain the liquid out of the tomatoes but keep the liquid.
- Add the tomatoes, cabbage, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper to the pot. Put the lid on and cook for 15 minutes, or until the cabbage is softened.
- Remove the lid and stir in the veggie ground round. Depending on how much cabbage was in your head, you may want to add a bit of the tomato liquid that you reserved. Or if it's already saucy enough, you can keep it without (personally, I don't like it too loose/ watery so I usually leave it out.) Season again with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve, if desired on cauliflower rice or regular rice and top with parsley to taste.
Video
Notes
- You may need to cook the cabbage longer for better digestion (if you find cabbage difficult to digest). If this is the case cook the cabbage for an additional 30 mins until soft.
- Give this cabbage roll in a bowl a spicy kick with some cayenne pepper and red chili flake if you aren’t making this recipe for your kids.
- When picking a cabbage, look for one that has crisp leaves without any cracks or bruises. The leaves should also look bright and not dull or yellow in colour.
Nutrition
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Sarah says
Love this recipe and so many more of Abby’s! I think maybe if I used more aged balsamic it would have more depth to the flavor? Not sure how I can accomplish that.
Pamela Johnson says
Your page is so loaded with pop-up adds that I can’t stay on the recipe more than a few seconds.
Lisa Feather says
Girl! This recipe was the bomb. However, my gut was begging for mercy ALL NIGHT LONG. Maybe the cabbage and cauliflower was too much for my system but the gas and “letting go” of said gas was painful. Kudos for an amazing recipe, sad tears for giving the leftovers away…
Lindsay says
Since making this recipe once, it has been a staple in my house! Easy, convenient and so much flavour! I am officially a cabbage-convert! I also omitted the sugar in my version and opted for lean ground turkey; the taste was still incredible. I serve mine over quinoa or brown rice (and have been known to just eat it on its own!) This recipe has been a perfect option to prep as lunchtime meals for the week. Highly recommend this recipe to all of my friends! Thanks Abbey!
Abbey Sharp says
SO glad you love it like we do!
Lisa Lovell says
Delicious recipe! I omitted the brown sugar and it’s still delicious. I ate it over rice and had leftovers in a brown rice tortilla wrap. Yum!
Abbey Sharp says
Awesome! Thanks for the rating 🙂
Katherine says
If you don’t have veggie ground beef, would lentils be a good substitute or any bean?
Abbey Sharp says
Yes definitely
Ashley says
Can you substitute the veggie ground round with lentils???
Abbey Sharp says
Absolutely!
MK says
Very good recipe all in all but when I made it the first time I found it to be a little too sweet. I cut back the 2nd time to around a tablespoon and added some tomato paste and found it to be sweet enough for me. I also subbed out a can of chickpeas for the veggie ground “beef” and added some dill weed at the end. Thanks for the recipe. It’s easy and delicious and I will be making it on a regular basis it seems like.
Abbey Sharp says
I love all those modifications! Glad you made it work for you 🙂