Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Easy lentil and rice stuffed cabbage rolls are a hearty, comforting meal that’s better than takeout and perfect for busy weeknights. After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfectly tender cabbage leaves and flavorful filling. Keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Smoked Baby Potatoes with Beer Mustard and BBQ Rub and Easy Healthy Orange Chicken Recipe for Dinner.
Why This Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe Is Pure Comfort
- Hearty and comforting
- Better than takeout
- Perfect for busy weeknights
- Easy to make ahead
What You'll Need for Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 large head cabbage
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped
- Optional: Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving
📝 Ingredient Notes
- cabbage: Use a large head of cabbage for enough leaves to make about 18 rolls.
- lentils: Rinse and pick over lentils before cooking.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Instant Pot — Saves time and cooks lentils perfectly → See on Amazon
- Food processor — Makes quick work of chopping onions and garlic → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
- Prepare the cabbage leaves: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully separate cabbage leaves, trim thick veins, and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the lentils and rice: Combine lentils, rice, and 4 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender. Drain excess water.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils and rice, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, and cayenne (if using). Mix well.
- Stuff the cabbage leaves: Place a heaping tablespoon of filling at the base of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Place seam-side down in a large baking dish.
- Bake the stuffed cabbage rolls: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour 1 cup of water or vegetable broth into the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes, until tender and heated through.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overstuff the cabbage leaves. This makes them difficult to roll and can cause the filling to fall out during cooking. Use a heaping tablespoon of filling per leaf.
- Pro tip: For easier rolling, you can slightly overlap the cabbage leaves in the baking dish. This helps to keep the rolls from unrolling during baking.
- Pro tip: To make ahead, assemble the stuffed cabbage rolls but don't bake. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then bake as directed.
- Pro tip: For a lighter version, use quinoa instead of rice and add more vegetables to the filling, such as diced carrots or zucchini.
Storing & Reheating Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: Assemble the stuffed cabbage rolls up to 24 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Freezing Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Freeze cooked stuffed cabbage rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Add a little water or broth to the dish to prevent drying out.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the optional cayenne pepper. For a vegan version, use vegetable broth instead of water when cooking the lentils and rice, and omit the Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving.
- Best substitution: You can substitute brown rice for white rice, but it may take a little longer to cook.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your stuffed cabbage rolls are drying out, add a little more water or broth to the baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
Want to level up this recipe?
Baking dish — Perfect for baking and serving these stuffed cabbage rolls → Check price on Amazon
Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 large head cabbage
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Optional Toppings
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Greek yogurt or sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage leaves: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully separate cabbage leaves, trim thick veins, and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Cook the lentils and rice: Combine lentils, rice, and 4 cups of water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender. Drain excess water.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine cooked lentils and rice, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, and cayenne (if using). Mix well.
- Stuff the cabbage leaves: Place a heaping tablespoon of filling at the base of each cabbage leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Place seam-side down in a large baking dish.
- Bake the stuffed cabbage rolls: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour 1 cup of water or vegetable broth into the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes, until tender and heated through.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the optional cayenne pepper. For a vegan version, use vegetable broth instead of water when cooking the lentils and rice, and omit the Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving.
- Best substitution: You can substitute brown rice for white rice, but it may take a little longer to cook.
- Make-ahead: See storage notes for make-ahead tips.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled to serve a larger crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If your stuffed cabbage rolls are drying out, add a little more water or broth to the baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until heated through.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked stuffed cabbage rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, until heated through. Add a little water or broth to the dish to prevent drying out.
- Make ahead: Assemble the stuffed cabbage rolls up to 24 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 350
- Protein: 20g
- Fat: 2g
- Carbs: 65g
- Fiber: 15g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sat. Fat: 0g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can assemble the stuffed cabbage rolls up to 24 hours ahead. Store in the refrigerator until ready to bake. See storage notes for more details.
This can happen if the cabbage leaves were not blanched long enough, or if they were overstuffed. To prevent this, make sure to blanch the leaves for at least 2-3 minutes and use a heaping tablespoon of filling per leaf.
Yes, you can freeze cooked stuffed cabbage rolls for up to 3 months. See storage notes for more details.
Yes, you can make these stuffed cabbage rolls in the slow cooker. Place the stuffed cabbage rolls in the slow cooker, pour 1 cup of water or vegetable broth over the top, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until tender.
The best way to reheat stuffed cabbage rolls is in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. You can also reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, but add a little water or broth to the dish to prevent drying out.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Lentil and Rice Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipe and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
