Healthier Napa Cabbage Rolls

These Healthier Napa Cabbage Rolls are made with ground turkey, quinoa and homemade tomato sauce – they're the ultimate comfort food!

Ingredients and substitutions

• Napa cabbage – red or green cabbage also work well for cabbage rolls.
• Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil such as avocado oil.
• Ground turkey – ground chicken, beef or pork would be good in cabbage rolls.
• Yellow onion – white onions or shallots can be used instead.
• Garlic – I prefer freshly minced garlic but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
• Red pepper – use any colour bell pepper of your choice like yellow or orange pepper.
• Dijon mustard – stone-ground mustard is the best substitute for Dijon.
• Dried thyme – oregano would provide a similar flavour.
• Salt & pepper – to taste.
• Marinara sauce – use any store-bought tomato sauce of your choice or a homemade version.
• Quinoa – make these cabbage rolls more traditional by using rice instead of quinoa.

How to make cabbage rolls

1. Cook the quinoa.
2. Sauté the meat mixture.
3. Soften the cabbage leaves.
4. Add the meat mixture to the cabbage leaves.
5. Roll and place into a casserole dish.
6. Pour the sauce over top and cook.
7. Serve and enjoy!

How do you roll up cabbage rolls?

I used Napa cabbage because I've heard it's easier to roll as it’s more delicate. That being said, make sure you don’t cook the cabbage for too long or the leaves will fall apart. Just a couple of seconds submerged in boiling water should do the trick! You can either boil some water in a kettle and leave it in a large bowl while you submerge each cabbage leaf, or you can have a pot of water boiling on the stove.

After boiling the leaves, lay the cabbage flat on a clean surface, then add 1-2 tbsp of the ground turkey and quinoa mixture. Roll from the bottom stem part, tucking in the sides gently, then place the roll in a large casserole dish. The rolls will hold up better once more are in there, so each roll will be secured.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storing and reheating

The leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. To make sure your cabbage rolls taste fresh, I recommend reheating them in the oven for 15 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 2 minutes or until heated through.

Can you freeze cabbage rolls?

Yes you can! The texture won't be quite the same, but this is a good freezer meal. Freeze in individual portions in glass or foil containers for up to 3 months. From there, you can reheat the cabbage rolls right from frozen.

If you’re using glass containers, microwave for 6-7 minutes from frozen, gently stirring and checking on the dish halfway through the cooking time. If you’re using foil containers, bake them from frozen in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit. I find that reheating them in the oven is the best way to reduce sogginess.

More healthy fall recipes

• Squash and Kale Buddha Bowl
• Mini Chicken Pot Pies
• Butternut Squash Ravioli

Meal prep tools for this recipe

• Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning these cabbage rolls into your weekly lunches.
• I get all my free-range ground turkey from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
• Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.