Rye and Mushroom Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Hearty and flavorful cabbage rolls filled with a savory mixture of rye breadcrumbs, mushrooms, and herbs, offering a vegetarian twist on a Finnish classic.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 medium head Savoy cabbage
- 70 g Dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 diced Large onion
- 1 cup Buckwheat groats(cooked according to package directions)
- 2 Large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Salt(to taste)
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper(to taste)
- 0.5 teaspoon Paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon Caraway seeds(ground)
- 0.5 teaspoon Coriander seeds(ground)
- 0.5 teaspoon Mustard seeds(ground)
- 1 teaspoon Dried marjoram
- 1 cup Water(for soaking mushrooms)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes to rehydrate. Reserve the soaking liquid.
- 2
While the mushrooms soak, prepare the cabbage. Cut out the core from the cabbage. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the cabbage head and cook for about 3 minutes until the outer leaves begin to soften and separate. Carefully peel off the leaves, reserving the larger ones for rolling. Trim the thickest part of the central vein on the back of each leaf to make them easier to roll.
- 3
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain and finely chop the rehydrated porcini mushrooms. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan with the onions. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown, about 8-10 minutes.
- 4
Add the cooked buckwheat groats, salt, pepper, paprika, ground caraway, ground coriander, ground mustard, and dried marjoram to the mushroom and onion mixture. Mix well. If the mixture seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid.
- 5
Beat the two eggs and add them to the buckwheat and mushroom filling. Mix thoroughly until everything is well combined. The mixture should be moist but not runny.
- 6
Lay a cabbage leaf flat on a clean surface. Place about 2-4 tablespoons of filling near the base of the leaf (depending on the size of the leaf). Fold in the sides of the leaf, then roll it up tightly like a burrito. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.
- 7
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a baking dish. Arrange the cabbage rolls snugly in the baking dish, seam-side down. Add a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth to the bottom of the dish.
- 8
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cabbage rolls are golden brown and tender.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For easier leaf separation, you can freeze the whole cabbage overnight and then thaw it. The leaves will peel off more readily.
- ✓If you don't have buckwheat, cooked rice or other grains can be used as a substitute.
- ✓The reserved mushroom soaking liquid can be used to add extra depth of flavor to the filling or to create a sauce.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Add finely chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds to the filling for added texture and richness.
- For a richer sauce, you can deglaze the pan used for the filling with a little white wine or vegetable broth and simmer with some of the mushroom liquid.