Lenten stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms

Name: Lenten stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms - Elisaveta M.
Ingredients: 1 cup rice; 250 g champignon mushrooms; 1 onion; 200 ml tomato juice; vine leaves; salt; pepper; 1 Knorr cube; dill

Sezon - Lenten stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms by Elisaveta M. - Recipia

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Mushrooms (Grape Leaves) I don’t only make stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms for special occasions; I cook them whenever I find good grape leaves. If I have green onions in the fridge, I use them without hesitation; otherwise, I use regular onions. For me, these stuffed cabbage rolls are among the most practical fasting recipes, but honestly, I’ve also served them with sour cream when I wasn’t fasting. You don’t even miss the meat. Quick Info Total time: about 2 hours Preparation time: 40-50 minutes (including chopping, sautéing, rolling) Cooking time: 1 - 1.5 hours (depends on the size of the rolls and how tender the leaves are) Servings: 4-5 Difficulty: medium (involves rolling the cabbage) Recipe type: fasting stuffed cabbage rolls, suitable for family meals or fasting periods Ingredients 1 cup rice (about 200 g) 250 g champignon mushrooms 1 onion (or a mix of white onion and green onion, if available) 200 ml tomato juice grape leaves (fresh or preserved) salt pepper 1 vegetable cube (like Knorr) dill (fresh or dried, to taste) oil for sautéing Preparation Method 1. Finely chop the onion. If you have green onions, use the white part and some of the green part, finely chopped. 2. Clean the mushrooms and wash them well. Cut the caps in half and then slice them. Chop the stems into smaller pieces. 3. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté them over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they release their water and the liquid reduces almost completely. 4. Add the onion to the mushrooms and continue to sauté for a few minutes until the onion softens slightly. 5. Add the washed rice and mix well, letting it cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir constantly to prevent sticking. 6. Pour in a little water (just enough to thinly cover the mixture) and let it simmer until the rice starts to swell (about 5 minutes). It doesn’t need to be fully cooked, just absorb a bit of liquid. 7. Add the tomato juice, crumbled vegetable cube, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix and let it simmer for a few minutes. Finally, add the chopped dill. Taste to check if it has enough salt and seasoning. 8. Meanwhile, prepare the grape leaves: if they are fresh, blanch them for a few seconds in boiling water and then drain. If they are from a jar, rinse them with cold water. 9. Take a grape leaf, place a tablespoon of the cooled filling in the center, and roll the cabbage. Tuck the side edges inward before fully rolling to keep the filling from spilling out. Continue until you finish all the filling. 10. Place a layer of grape leaves at the bottom of a large pot. Arrange the stuffed cabbage rolls side by side in layers, as tightly as they fit. 11. Cover the rolls with another layer of grape leaves. Pour in enough water to cover them (it should be at the same level or slightly above), and optionally add a little more tomato juice if you want a redder sauce. 12. Simmer on low heat, covered, for 1 - 1.5 hours. Check occasionally to ensure there’s enough liquid, adding warm water if necessary. Why I Make This Recipe Often It’s one of the simplest fasting stuffed cabbage roll recipes. I like that it doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients and is suitable for family meals as well as lunches on days when you don’t want meat. These rolls keep well in the fridge and are easy to reheat. Tips and Variations Tips Don’t let the rice cook completely before rolling the cabbage; it should only be slightly swollen, or the rolls will turn out mushy and the filling will be too dispersed. If using preserved leaves, taste them first—sometimes they can be too salty and need rinsing more. Don’t overfill the rolls; the mixture expands while cooking. Substitutions You can use only yellow onion if you don’t have green onion. If you don’t use a vegetable cube, just add salt, but keep in mind that the flavor won’t be as intense. Tomato juice can be replaced with tomato paste dissolved in a little water, but the taste will be more concentrated. Variations You can add a bit of grated carrot to the mushroom and rice mixture for extra sweetness. If you want a stronger flavor, add some extra herbs, like parsley. You can also use cabbage leaves if you don’t have grape leaves, but the final taste will be quite different. Serving Ideas Stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms are delicious both hot and cold. If you’re not fasting, you can add a spoonful of sour cream on top. They can be enjoyed with fresh bread or polenta. Frequently Asked Questions 1. What type of rice is suitable for these rolls? Plain short-grain rice is best because it absorbs liquid well and binds the mixture. I don’t recommend parboiled or long-grain rice. 2. Can the stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms be frozen? The rolls can be frozen after they are cooked and completely cooled. To defrost, leave them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in a steamer or oven. 3. What can I do if the grape leaves tear while rolling? Choose leaves that are thick and elastic. If they tear, use two overlapping leaves or cover the torn roll with a piece of leaf to keep the filling inside. 4. How do I know when the rolls are cooked? After 1 hour, the leaves should be tender, and the rice inside should be cooked. Test one with a fork before turning off the heat. 5. Can I use other types of mushrooms? Champignon are the most accessible, but you can also use oyster mushrooms or other cultivated varieties. I don’t recommend wild mushrooms unless you are sure of their safety. Nutritional Values The values below are estimates for an average serving (without sour cream). Calories: approximately 170-190 kcal Protein: 4-5 g Carbohydrates: 32-36 g Fat: 3-5 g They contain no cholesterol, and the fiber comes from rice and vegetables. If you use sour cream, add an additional 30-50 kcal per tablespoon. Storage and Reheating Stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms can be stored well in the fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container. They can be reheated over low heat with a little water or in a steamer. In the freezer, they last up to 1 month, but the texture of the leaves may change slightly after thawing. It’s best to reheat them directly in a covered dish to prevent drying out.

Preparation

We peel, wash, and finely chop the onion. I also had green onions, so I used a mix of green and white onions. We wash and clean the mushrooms. We cut the mushroom caps in half and then slice them. We finely chop the stems. We put a little oil in a pan and sauté the mushrooms until they release their water. We add the onion and let them sauté together. We add the rice, let it cook for 2-3 minutes while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon. We add water and let the rice simmer a bit. We add tomato juice, Knorr, salt, and pepper to taste. After a few minutes, we turn off the heat. In the meantime, we blanch the grape leaves. We take a grape leaf, put some of the mixture in it, and roll it up, tucking in the ends. We proceed this way until we finish the mixture. We place leaves at the bottom of a pot and arrange the stuffed rolls. We cover with more grape leaves, add water, and let it simmer on low heat.

Lenten stuffed cabbage rolls with mushrooms

Preparation

Tags

Categories