Vegan Cabbage Rolls (Asian-Inspired Wraps)

These Asian-inspired vegan cabbage rolls are made with tender cabbage leaves, stuffed with a rice and veggie filling, and served alongside a Chinese brown garlic sauce. Plus, this recipe is super versatile, gluten-free, and naturally vegetarian and vegan!

I love any kind of food that comes in parcel/roll form – Vegan Empanadas, Summer RollsAnd Breakfast Burritos My favorite of all. Now it’s time for this Chinese vegan cabbage roll!

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls are enjoyed all over the world. In Germany, they are referred to as “kohlrouladen” and “krautwickel”, in Poland “golumpki”, in Russia “golubtsi” and in the Middle East “malfof”, all with tweaks for fillings, sauces and serving suggestions. After enjoying the German Cabbage Rolls version countless times, I thought I’d try something a little different this time with these Asian-inspired Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls.

Tender, flavorful Asian-inspired vegan cabbage rolls

Traditionally, they often contain meat (usually beef). However, this recipe contains a mix of rice and vegetables and isn’t just for naturally vegetarian cabbage rolls; It’s actually, completely vegan too! But don’t worry, it’s still full of flavor!

Cabbage wraps are also versatile, depending on what you’re in the mood for (and what’s in your fridge/pantry). Swap out seasonings, sauces and experiment with fillings for completely different results each time. Also, unlike many traditional cabbage wrap recipes, these are cooked on the stovetop rather than baked in the oven.

For an Asian version of this dish, I made napa cabbage rolls with a mixture of rice and vegetables, topped with a Chinese Garlic Brown Sauce. But multiple varieties of cabbage will also work. It certainly helps that the shape of most cabbage leaves is designed to practically wrap in on themselves, perfect for rolls.

Best of all, this whole recipe consists of just five easy steps and is perfect for making a huge batch and storing in the fridge! Below are the main ingredients (garlic and some spices not pictured here).

Step by step instructions

Note: For Full ingredient list, measurements, full recipe method, and nutrition information, Read the recipe card below.

Step 1: Cook the rice

Soak the rice for 45-60 minutes before cooking in a pan with water and salt (usually 10-12 minutes).

Step Two: Prepare the cabbage and other vegetables

First prepare the cabbage. Boil water in a large pot and add 3-4 napa cabbage leaves, cook them until just tender (2-3 minutes). Remove and place in a bowl of cold water, set aside, and repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves.

Then, finely chop the vegetables for the filling. Heat oil in a wok and lightly fry onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, chilli and mushroom for 3-4 minutes. Add the tamarind and spices, then cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Step Three: Assemble the Vegan Cabbage Rolls

Add the cooked rice to the vegetables in the pan and stir to combine, then remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

For each cabbage leaf, add about 1 ½-2 tablespoons of filling. Then fold the sides and top over the filling and roll it into a neat parcel (similar to a burrito). Repeat this with the remaining cabbage rolls.

Step Four: Cook the Rolls

Add about 5 veg stuffed cabbage rolls to a large, oiled wok and pan sear over medium heat for a few minutes until golden brown.

Step Five: Prepare the Sauce

I use this Chinese Brown Garlic Sauce As my base, with a few tweaks (see recipe). To prepare the sauce:

Heat oil in a saucepan and then add ginger, garlic, tamari, rice vinegar and maple syrup. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes. Make a slurry by mixing cornstarch with water and pour into the pan. Add the spices and cook the sauce for a few more minutes until it thickens.

When ready, pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls, sprinkle with sesame seeds (and optional scallions) and enjoy!

How to serve

You can serve these vegetarian cabbage rolls alone or as a side dish as an appetizer or light meal Pan-Roasted Potatoes, Quinoa PilafA Rice salador simply the bread.

If cabbage rolls are served as part of an Asian appetizer range, you can serve them with steamed dumplings and similar ‘small bites’.

How to proceed and store

You can assemble the rolls a day ahead and refrigerate covered.

You can also freeze uncooked rolls. Freeze plain on a large tray until frozen, then transfer to a bag and store in the freezer Up to two months. Thaw in refrigerator before cooking.

They will take longer to reheat from cold, so you can optionally reheat in the microwave or bake for 10-15 minus (at 180C/360F) before finishing in the skillet.

Once cooked, vegan cabbage rolls should be stored in an airtight container Within 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Useful ingredients and recipe notes

Cabbage Notes:

• Cabbage: I used napa cabbage, but you can use a different cabbage of your choice for these vegan cabbage rolls – savoy, green, white, pointed, jaroma, etc. You can even use chard for something a little different.
• Some varieties of cabbage have a very thick central ‘rib’ on each leaf. After boiling the leaves, you will need This is the rib chop To make it easier to roll.
• If you are using cabbage like jeroma, With super tender leaves, you don’t need to blanch them before preparing the cabbage wrap.
• There are several methods for separating cabbage leaves. Instead of blanching the individual leaves, you can place the whole cabbage in boiling water and cook until the first layer of leaves starts to separate from the cabbage. Remove them from the pan and continue cooking for the next layer. Repeat until you have all the leaves you need.

The downside to this method is that you’ll end up with half-cooked cabbage insides that aren’t needed for the rolls and have to decide what to do with it (as it needs to be used fairly soon). Alternatively, I’ve heard from friends that you can Refrigerate whole cabbage Instead. Wash and core the cabbage, then wrap it in plastic wrap (or place in a large freezer-safe bag), and freeze for at least 3 days, but a week is better. Thaw the cabbage when you’re ready to use them, and the leaves will be tender and ‘sparkling’, as if boiled.

Other Notes:

• Vegetables: Choose your favorite vegetable for this vegan stuffed cabbage dish. Just make sure they have similar cooking times to each other, so you don’t end up with some that are tender and some that are undercooked.
• Add more spices Add chili to this recipe with a little chili or red pepper flakes or sprinkle over Asian cabbage rolls.
• You want more of a meaty texture In vegetarian cabbage rolls, you can optionally add anything Soya ‘keema’ or cooked lentils In with admission.

Other Vegan Asian Recipes and Cabbage Recipes:

If you try this Asian-inspired vegan cabbage rolls recipe, I’d love one Comment and recipe ★★★★★ rating Down below. Also, don’t forget Tag me in a re-creation on Instagram or Facebook with @ellavegan #Elvegan – I love to see your entertainment.

If you use Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo: