Lentil Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

2026 is the year of the cabbage, so I’m making these savory lentil stuffed cabbage rolls with mashed potatoes. Cabbage is such an inexpensive and yet versatile vegetable. With a taste that is not too overpowering you can experiment with different fillings. For this recipe I used brown lentils and dried mushrooms for some extra umami.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage rolls: 1 cabbage (you won’t need all of it) | 80g brown lentils | 1/2 leek | 1 carrot | 1 onion | 1 tbsp tomato purée | 20g dried mushrooms | salt | pepper
• Gravy: 300ml vegetable stock | 80ml red wine (optional) | 1 carrot | 1/4 celeriac or 2 stalks celery | 1/2 leek | 1 tbsp cornstarch | salt | pepper
• Mashed potatoes: 250g potatoes | 100ml milk | 20g butter | salt

Recipe:

1. Submerge the whole cabbage in a pot of boiling water and let it sit there for a few minutes until the leaves can be removed easily.
2. Cook brown lentils in salted water.
3. Sauté leek, carrot, and onion for a few minutes.
4. Add tomato purée and finely sliced dried mushrooms.
5. Add cooked lentils and some water. Let the mixture simmer for a few minutes and season with salt and pepper.
6. Take a cabbage leaf and fill it with the lentil mixture. Wrap it tightly and repeat with the other leaves.
7. Heat oil in a casserole and sear the rolls from both sides.
8. Remove rolls from the casserole and deglaze with red wine (optional) and some vegetable stock.
9. Add carrot, celeriac, leek, and the remaining stock and bring it to a boil.
10. Remove from heat and add cabbage rolls.
11. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven (180°C/350°F) and let it cook for 30 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes. Peel and mash potatoes with milk and butter. Season with salt.
13. Remove the casserole from the oven and take out the cabbage rolls.
14. Strain the gravy and pour it back into the casserole.
15. Add a cornstarch slurry and let it simmer until it thickens to your liking.
16. Serve the cabbage rolls over mashed potatoes.