Eastern European grandmothers stuff cabbage leaves in boiling water for exactly 3 minutes—longer turns them mushy, shorter splits them.
Mini Cabbage Rolls in Parmesan Mushroom Sauce
Indulge in these delightful mini cabbage rolls, bursting with a savory blend of ground meat and fresh veggies, all wrapped up in tender cabbage leaves. They’re generously bathed in a creamy parmesan mushroom sauce that elevates every bite to pure comfort food bliss. Perfect for a cozy dinner or an impressive party dish, these little bundles of joy will have everyone coming back for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 stalk of celery
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 14 larger leaves of napa cabbage (I took from two heads)
- 1/2 onion
- 1 bunch of parsley
- freshly ground pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- about 600g of ground pork and beef (1.32 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- about 50 ml of 30% cream (1.69 fl oz)
- about 60g of grated parmesan (2.12 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- about 200 ml of chicken or vegetable broth (6.76 fl oz)
- 3/4 teaspoon of flour (3.75 ml)
- 80-100g of cooked white rice (2.82-3.53 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(6)
- 1 bunch of dill
- 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg (1.65 ml)
- 1 teaspoon of oregano (5 ml)
- freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (5 ml)
- a few tablespoons of dark soy sauceoptional
📦Other(1)
- 400g of finely chopped mushrooms (14.1 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dice the carrot and celery, sauté for a few minutes, then add the onion, garlic, and meat. Cook for a few minutes on high heat.
- 2
In a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms and add them to the filling along with the previously cooked rice. Season and let cool.
- 3
Boil the napa cabbage leaves in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. Cut off the tough end and roll the cabbage rolls. Set aside for a moment and make the sauce.
- 4
When the sauce is ready, sauté the cabbage rolls on medium heat for a few minutes on each side until well browned. If you want them softer than crispy, you can add water, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch napa cabbage leaves for exactly 90 seconds in rapidly boiling salted water to soften the cell walls while maintaining structural integrity for rolling without tearing.timing90 seconds
- ✓Cool your meat and rice filling to below 40°F before rolling because warm filling creates steam that makes cabbage leaves soggy and prone to splitting.techniquebelow 40°F
- ✓Sear cabbage rolls seam-side down first for 3-4 minutes at medium heat to create a protein crust that seals the roll and prevents filling from leaking during braising.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Sauté mushrooms in a single layer without overcrowding to achieve proper browning - mushrooms release 80% of their water content and won't brown if steaming in their own moisture.technique80% water content
- ✓Add Parmesan to your mushroom sauce off heat or at temperatures below 180°F to prevent the proteins from seizing and creating a grainy texture instead of smooth emulsion.timingbelow 180°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Eastern European grandmothers stuff cabbage leaves in boiling water for exactly 3 minutes—longer turns them mushy, shorter splits them.
Mini Cabbage Rolls in Parmesan Mushroom Sauce
Indulge in these delightful mini cabbage rolls, bursting with a savory blend of ground meat and fresh veggies, all wrapped up in tender cabbage leaves. They’re generously bathed in a creamy parmesan mushroom sauce that elevates every bite to pure comfort food bliss. Perfect for a cozy dinner or an impressive party dish, these little bundles of joy will have everyone coming back for seconds!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(7)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 stalk of celery
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 14 larger leaves of napa cabbage (I took from two heads)
- 1/2 onion
- 1 bunch of parsley
- freshly ground pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- about 600g of ground pork and beef (1.32 lbs)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- about 50 ml of 30% cream (1.69 fl oz)
- about 60g of grated parmesan (2.12 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- about 200 ml of chicken or vegetable broth (6.76 fl oz)
- 3/4 teaspoon of flour (3.75 ml)
- 80-100g of cooked white rice (2.82-3.53 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(6)
- 1 bunch of dill
- 1/3 teaspoon of nutmeg (1.65 ml)
- 1 teaspoon of oregano (5 ml)
- freshly ground pepper and salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika (2.5 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika (2.5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(2)
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (5 ml)
- a few tablespoons of dark soy sauceoptional
📦Other(1)
- 400g of finely chopped mushrooms (14.1 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dice the carrot and celery, sauté for a few minutes, then add the onion, garlic, and meat. Cook for a few minutes on high heat.
- 2
In a separate pan, sauté the mushrooms and add them to the filling along with the previously cooked rice. Season and let cool.
- 3
Boil the napa cabbage leaves in boiling water for about 1-2 minutes. Cut off the tough end and roll the cabbage rolls. Set aside for a moment and make the sauce.
- 4
When the sauce is ready, sauté the cabbage rolls on medium heat for a few minutes on each side until well browned. If you want them softer than crispy, you can add water, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Blanch napa cabbage leaves for exactly 90 seconds in rapidly boiling salted water to soften the cell walls while maintaining structural integrity for rolling without tearing.timing90 seconds
- ✓Cool your meat and rice filling to below 40°F before rolling because warm filling creates steam that makes cabbage leaves soggy and prone to splitting.techniquebelow 40°F
- ✓Sear cabbage rolls seam-side down first for 3-4 minutes at medium heat to create a protein crust that seals the roll and prevents filling from leaking during braising.technique3-4 minutes
- ✓Sauté mushrooms in a single layer without overcrowding to achieve proper browning - mushrooms release 80% of their water content and won't brown if steaming in their own moisture.technique80% water content
- ✓Add Parmesan to your mushroom sauce off heat or at temperatures below 180°F to prevent the proteins from seizing and creating a grainy texture instead of smooth emulsion.timingbelow 180°F