Gochujang ferments in earthenware pots for minimum 6 months—the clay naturally regulates temperature for perfect umami depth.
Protein Cabbage Pillows
Get ready to indulge in these delightful Protein Cabbage Pillows, a low-carb twist on classic dumplings! Packed with savory ground meat and vibrant herbs, these tender cabbage wraps are not only bursting with flavor but also loaded with protein. Perfect for a fun meal that satisfies your cravings without the guilt!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
These Korean-Polish fusion parcels emerged in Chicago's Koreatown during the 1980s when Korean War veterans married Polish-American wives who refused to abandon their stuffed cabbage tradition—the result is Eastern European technique meets Seoul's gochujang fire, creating handheld bundles that would make both babushkas and halmeonis weep tears of spicy joy.
Regional Twist
In Seoul's Gangnam district, they double the gochujang and add kimchi juice to the ground beef mixture, while swapping regular cabbage leaves for napa cabbage that's been fermented for exactly three days.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 12-15 leaves cabbage
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) gochujang or chili garlic sauce
- 2 unit green onions
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) monk fruit sweetener
- 8 oz (227 g) mushrooms
- 1 unit red onion
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds
- 3-4 small shallots
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- avocado oil (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- toasted sesame oil (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Finely dice 8 oz mushrooms and sauté in 1 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat for 7-10 mins until browned and liquid is released. Set aside.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp grated ginger, and 1 tbsp gochujang or chili garlic sauce. Reserve 1/4 for dipping.
- 3
In the same pan, add 1 tbsp avocado oil, 3-4 finely diced shallots, then add 1 lb ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the sauce mixture and simmer for 5-10 mins. Stir in 2 sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Set aside.
- 4
Boil a large pot of salted water and add 12-15 cabbage leaves for 2.5-3 mins until softened. Remove and pat dry.
- 5
Trim 1/4 inch of the base of each leaf. Place 1.5-2 tbsp of filling near the base, fold the bottom over, tuck in the sides, and roll tightly into a dumpling shape.
- 6
Heat a pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp avocado oil. Cook the rolls for 2 mins per side.
- 7
Serve with reserved marinade or your favorite dipping sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch cabbage leaves for exactly 2.5-3 minutes in rapidly boiling salted water to achieve optimal pliability—under-blanched leaves crack when rolled, over-blanched leaves become mushy and tear.timing2.5-3 minutes
- ✓Cook mushrooms over medium heat without crowding until they release 70-80% of their moisture content and develop a golden-brown Maillard reaction, which concentrates umami flavors by 3-4x.technique70-80% moisture reduction
- ✓Reserve exactly 1/4 of your sauce mixture before cooking with the meat because heat degrades gochujang's bright capsaicin notes and fresh garlic's volatile compounds.ingredient25% reserved
- ✓Trim precisely 1/4 inch from the thick stem base of each cabbage leaf to create uniform thickness—thick stems prevent proper rolling and create weak points that split during cooking.technique1/4 inch trim
- ✓Pan-fry the rolls seam-side down first for exactly 2 minutes to set the seal through protein coagulation before flipping, preventing unraveling during cooking.timing2 minutes seam-down
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Gochujang ferments in earthenware pots for minimum 6 months—the clay naturally regulates temperature for perfect umami depth.
Protein Cabbage Pillows
Get ready to indulge in these delightful Protein Cabbage Pillows, a low-carb twist on classic dumplings! Packed with savory ground meat and vibrant herbs, these tender cabbage wraps are not only bursting with flavor but also loaded with protein. Perfect for a fun meal that satisfies your cravings without the guilt!
The Story
These Korean-Polish fusion parcels emerged in Chicago's Koreatown during the 1980s when Korean War veterans married Polish-American wives who refused to abandon their stuffed cabbage tradition—the result is Eastern European technique meets Seoul's gochujang fire, creating handheld bundles that would make both babushkas and halmeonis weep tears of spicy joy.
Regional Twist
In Seoul's Gangnam district, they double the gochujang and add kimchi juice to the ground beef mixture, while swapping regular cabbage leaves for napa cabbage that's been fermented for exactly three days.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 12-15 leaves cabbage
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) gochujang or chili garlic sauce
- 2 unit green onions
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) monk fruit sweetener
- 8 oz (227 g) mushrooms
- 1 unit red onion
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds
- 3-4 small shallots
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- avocado oil (to taste)
- garlic (to taste)
- ginger (to taste)
- soy sauce (to taste)
- toasted sesame oil (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Finely dice 8 oz mushrooms and sauté in 1 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat for 7-10 mins until browned and liquid is released. Set aside.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp grated ginger, and 1 tbsp gochujang or chili garlic sauce. Reserve 1/4 for dipping.
- 3
In the same pan, add 1 tbsp avocado oil, 3-4 finely diced shallots, then add 1 lb ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add the sauce mixture and simmer for 5-10 mins. Stir in 2 sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Set aside.
- 4
Boil a large pot of salted water and add 12-15 cabbage leaves for 2.5-3 mins until softened. Remove and pat dry.
- 5
Trim 1/4 inch of the base of each leaf. Place 1.5-2 tbsp of filling near the base, fold the bottom over, tuck in the sides, and roll tightly into a dumpling shape.
- 6
Heat a pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp avocado oil. Cook the rolls for 2 mins per side.
- 7
Serve with reserved marinade or your favorite dipping sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch cabbage leaves for exactly 2.5-3 minutes in rapidly boiling salted water to achieve optimal pliability—under-blanched leaves crack when rolled, over-blanched leaves become mushy and tear.timing2.5-3 minutes
- ✓Cook mushrooms over medium heat without crowding until they release 70-80% of their moisture content and develop a golden-brown Maillard reaction, which concentrates umami flavors by 3-4x.technique70-80% moisture reduction
- ✓Reserve exactly 1/4 of your sauce mixture before cooking with the meat because heat degrades gochujang's bright capsaicin notes and fresh garlic's volatile compounds.ingredient25% reserved
- ✓Trim precisely 1/4 inch from the thick stem base of each cabbage leaf to create uniform thickness—thick stems prevent proper rolling and create weak points that split during cooking.technique1/4 inch trim
- ✓Pan-fry the rolls seam-side down first for exactly 2 minutes to set the seal through protein coagulation before flipping, preventing unraveling during cooking.timing2 minutes seam-down