Are you scouring the web for a cool way to use up excess kale? We have a great new recipe for you! Lebanese stuffed cabbage, also known as Malfouf Mahshi. It’s rare that we ever walk into a Lebanese restaurant and don’t order some of these delicious treats. So we thought, let’s add it Foodaciously and make it vegan while we’re at it!
Malfouf mahshi, which translates to “stuffed cabbage (rolls)”, is a simple dish famous throughout the Levant and Middle East. The recipe varies here and there, but mostly consists of steamed or boiled cabbage leaves rolled around a filling of rice, spices and red meat.
While deliciously delicious, traditional malfouf mahshi is not entirely plant-based. This is where we come in! We made these Lebanese cabbage rolls completely vegan by making a few subtle changes to the classic recipe. The goal? Keep these buns just as good as the classic ones but healthier, fully plant-based and just as nutritious.
We believe that when designing vegan recipes, it’s important to not only mimic the taste of the classic dish, but also its nutritional profile. That’s why we always strive to replace meat with an alternative plant-based source of protein and nutrients. In these vegetarian cabbage rolls, we replaced red meat with brown lentils. Lentils are not only a common ingredient in Levantine cuisine, but an excellent one Source of iron and proteins! the good stuff
Here’s another cool thing we discovered while testing this recipe. As you will see in the following steps, we cooked the cabbage rolls in a large pot and then served them with a flavorful tomato sauce. But we made so many that it was impossible for us to finish them all in one day. So the next day we grilled the remaining rolls in the oven, with the sauce and all, and were blown away by the result! The buns became crispy on the outside but remained soft and juicy on the inside. Honestly delicious. Try it!
Either way, we think you’ll love this recipe. And if health is as important to you as taste, then you’ll be happy to know that a serving of this vegan Malfouf Mahshi has it 169 calories, 24% RDI of fibersAnd only 6% RDI of fats. Have fun cooking!