CALIFORNIA GROWN
If you’ve been searching for the best cabbage roll recipe online, you’ve officially found it! We consider this our ultimate guide to making California-grown cabbage rolls. From selecting the perfect ingredients to the easiest way to prep cabbage for making cabbage rolls, we have all the tips and tricks you need to unleash maximum flavor in every roll.
Why California-grown Green Cabbage is the Perfect Pick.
Green cabbage from California is an affordable, versatile, and nutritious ingredient that can be used in all sorts of delicious dishes. Sliced green cabbage is a key ingredient in coleslaw recipes and stir-fries. When tenderized, whole cabbage leaves can be stuffed with various fillings, like ground beef, rice, or vegetables, to make endless variations on cabbage rolls.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT HEAD OF GREEN CABBAGE AT THE STORE.
When shopping for green cabbage you are looking for heads that are firm and heavy for their size. The leaves should be without blemish and should be crisp with a nice luster. The weight of a head of green cabbage, on average, is between 2 and 4 pounds. For this recipe for cabbage rolls, we suggest opting for the largest green cabbage you can find. Ours pictured below weighed over 4 pounds!!
How to safely tenderize cabbage leaves for making any cabbage roll recipe.
Simply freeze the whole head of cabbage, defrost, and then peel off the leaves. Yes, it’s that simple! This method saves you the trouble of boiling, and the cabbage leaves are just as tender and pliable.
The leaves should easily peel from the head of the cabbage without tearing and be pliable and soft. Then you can use a small pairing knife to remove the tougher ribs from the individual leaves.
HOW TO PREPARE THE FILLING FOR THIS CABBAGE ROLL RECIPE.
While most cabbage roll recipes call for rice, ours uses cauliflower rice for a delicious grain-free filling. Our blend of meat was a mix of beef and turkey, but you can substitute an equivalent ratio of your meat of choice. This filling also is heavily seasoned with granulated garlic and onion, in addition to almond flour, carrots, fresh basil, and parsley. It’s almost too easy to eat!
See how easy that is?! Just remove the ribs, add some filling, tuck, fold, and roll.