These Keto Cabbage Rolls are super easy to make and oh so delicious! This recipe takes under 30 minutes of hands-on time which means it is a great gourmet option for those nights where you do not have much time to prepare dinner, but still want a home cooked meal. The flavorful ground turkey combined with Rao’s red sauce is so darn delicious, something the whole family will love too!
This recipe is a great alternative from traditional stuffed cabbage. It is much lighter and quite honestly, it is easier to make! This recipe has multiple variations from making it into a casserole to an unstuffed version! If you enjoy this dish, you would also enjoy my AIP Turkey Breast in a Maple Garlic Sauce as well.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This recipe can be made nut free by substituting the almond flour with cassava flour.
- The prep for this recipe is super simple. You can even prepare the dish in advance so all you have to do is bake it!
- Only a few ingredients for a delicious, flavorful, healthy meal.
- This recipe is naturally paleo, dairy free, gluten free, soy free, Whole30 friendly, grain free, and refined sugar free. This recipe can also be made autoimmune protocol friendly by using my nomato sauce. It is a tomato sauce alternative that is tomato free!
- This recipe is wonderful for meal prep, it reheats super easily. You can even prepare this recipe in advance and freeze it when you are ready to bake it.
- If you are in the Pittsburgh area, you can check out similar dishes on my weekly meal prep menu – and have them delivered right to your door!
Ingredients
- Cabbage leaves– I used green cabbage for this. Red cabbage is a bit smaller. The cabbage will be blanched.
- Red sauce- My favorite is Rao’s brand. I love to order Rao’s sauce (among other popular items) from Thrive Market. You can use my Thrive Market link and get 25% off your first purchase! You can also use your favorite jarred red sauce. This is a huge time saver. But, if you prefer, of course you can use homemade red sauce.
- Ground turkey– The protein of the cabbage roll. You can substitute for your choice of ground meat if you prefer. I buy my ground turkey from Butcher Box, every month they send me a box of all of my favorite proteins. It is always the best quality stuff. If you use my Butcher Box link you can get free meat every month with your order.
- Cauliflower rice- For the filling of the cabbage roll. I love Trader Joe’s brand! The meat and rice together is SO good.
- Almond flour – Binds the filling together.
- Onion-Adds flavor to the filling of the cabbage rolls. You can use whatever kind of onion you prefer. I used yellow because yellow onions are a bit sweeter.
- Parsley– Adds balance to a savory dish.
- Salt & pepper– to taste.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cabbage leaves-You can use pre-shedded cabbage that comes in a bag in place of the leaves if you want to make stuffed cabbage casserole or an unstuffed version.
- Ground turkey-Any kind of ground meat will work: pork, chicken, or beef. Just note if you use a different kind of meat it may take longer or not as long to cook. Ground chicken should be cooked to 165 degrees F and ground beef and ground pork should be cooked to 160 degrees F.
- Almond flour-You can use any other kind of flour but just note that almond flour is the best low carb option. Cassava flour is great for those of you avoiding nuts or doing the autoimmune protocol.
- Red sauce-If you are nightshade free like me, you can use my Homemade Nomato Sauce Recipe.
- Black pepper-If you are doing the autoimmune protocol you can omit it.
This recipe has not been tested with any other subsiutions or variations. If you replace of add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step By Step Instructions
Equitment Needed
- Large casserole dish.
- Large pot for blanching.
Expert Tips
- Tip #1: Wrapping the rolls and the placement in the baking dish are the keys to the BEST stuffed cabbage rolls. You want to make sure the seams of the stuffed cabbage are facing down to ensure the filling does not fall out.
- Tip #2: Cover the dish with tin foil or a lid before placing it in the oven. This will prevent the cabbage rolls from drying out.
- Tip #3: If the stems are really long, you can trim them on the end. This will make them easier to roll.
Recipe FAQs
You can use shredded cabbage in this recipe in place of large cabbage leaves. To do that you will want to mix up all ingredients and bake until the meat is cooked all the way through.
Once it is fully cooked you can reheat it in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or in the oven. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
You can cook this recipe on low for 8 hours.
Storage Instructions
- You can store this dish covered in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- If you want to eat stuffed cabbage all month long, you can freeze this meal! This dish can be frozen raw or cooked. If you freeze it raw you will need to thaw it out and cook it for the full hour and 15 minutes prior to serving. If you freeze it cooked you will need to allow it to thaw and you can reheat it any way you would like.
Other Keto Recipes You Will Love
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Keto Cabbage Rolls
Equipment
- large pot
- Large mixing bowl
- Large baking dish
Ingredients
- 10 leaves cabbage green
- 1 jar Rao's red sauce If you are doing the autoimmune protocol you can use my nomato sauce
- 1 lb ground turkey or beef, I like to get mine from Butcher Box! Use my link and save on your first order.
- 1/2 cup cauliflower rice
- 1/4 cup almond flour use cassava flour for AIP or nut free
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley plus more for garnish
- sea salt
- ground black pepper omit for AIP
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling water, blanch cabbage leaves until tender and flexible. About 1 minute 30 seconds. Then, remove from boiling water and soak in ice water for 30 seconds. Then remove.
- Make filling: In a large bowl, combine ground meats, 1 cup jarred red sauce, cauliflower rice, cassava flour, onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish.
- Place about 1/3 cup of meat filling into one end of each cabbage leaf, then roll up. Make sure to tuck in the sides as you roll. Place rolls "seam side" down on top of the sauce in the baking dish.
- Spoon remaining sauce on top of cabbage rolls then cover dish with foil. This prevents the cabbage rolls from drying out. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, until rice and meat are cooked through (should temp at 165 degrees F).
- Garnish with more parsley and optional more red sauce before serving.
Melissa says
One of my favorite meals to order from meal prep. I was so excited to see Allianna has the recipe available. Super easy to make and delicious!
Allianna Moximchalk says
Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Lori says
So good, so easy and perfect to make ahead for meal prep!