Description
A hearty and flavorful Mediterranean-Style Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls dish featuring ground lamb or beef, tender cabbage, chickpeas, and aromatic spices simmered together with rice and topped with fresh parsley and optional feta cheese. This one-pot meal offers all the comforting flavors of traditional cabbage rolls without the fuss of stuffing individual leaves, perfect for a wholesome weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 lb ground lamb or beef (90% lean)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small green cabbage (1.5 lbs), chopped
Canned and Dry Goods
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup long-grain white rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
Spices and Herbs
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped parsley
Dairy (Optional)
- ½ cup crumbled feta (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the meat: In a deep skillet, cook the ground lamb or beef over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the skillet to reduce greasiness.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet with the meat and cook for about 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Add main ingredients and spices: Stir in chopped cabbage, drained chickpeas, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, uncooked rice, chicken broth, and the dried mint, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon. Mix well and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Simmer mixture: Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- Finish and garnish: Remove the skillet from heat, stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. If desired, sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the top before serving for an added creamy, salty flavor.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the ground meat with a plant-based alternative or additional chickpeas and omit feta for vegan diet adherence.
- You can replace chicken broth with vegetable broth to keep the dish flexible.
- Adjust spices to taste; adding a pinch of chili flakes will add some heat.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.
- Ensure the rice is fully cooked by checking texture before serving; add a splash more broth if needed during simmering.
