What type of cabbage is used for cabbage rolls?

You can use regular cabbage, but I prefer savoy cabbage because of its wrinkly texture. It is more appealing to look at. Great for presentation. Its leaves are slightly thicker and firmer than other types but still soft enough to roll up, making them perfect for stuffing without breaking apart. It has a mild and slightly sweet flavor without the peppery notes associated with green cabbage. You can always use green cabbage or Napa cabbage if that's all you have on hand.

Do you have to blanch cabbage for cabbage rolls?

Traditional cabbage rolls often require blanching the cabbage leaves for 2-3 minutes and dipping them in ice-cold water before rolling up the filling. Blanched cabbage leaf is more pliable and easier to work with. This step is crucial. Otherwise, your cabbage rolls wouldn’t roll.

Asian Cabbage Rolls (no wrapper dumplings)

Name: Asian Cabbage Rolls (no wrapper dumplings)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1 head of cabbage; Filling:; 1 lb of ground pork; 5-6 dried shitake mushrooms; 4 tbsp minced water chestnuts; 4 tbsp minced carrots; 1 bunch of green onions; 3 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce; 1 tbsp white sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper

Asian Cabbage Rolls (no wrapper dumplings)

5 from 1 reviews

This steamed cabbage roll recipe is filled with ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and water chestnuts mixed with flavorful condiments and spices like garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Same ingredients you would put in regular dumplings. The rolls are then wrapped up in cabbage leaves and steamed until cooked.

Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: makes 10 cabbage rolls 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 head of cabbage

Filling:

1 lb of ground pork

5-6 dried shitake mushrooms

4 tbsp minced water chestnuts

4 tbsp minced carrots

1 bunch of green onions

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

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Instructions

Prep your ingredients.
Boil water and rehydrate your shiitake mushrooms for 10-15 minutes.
In the meantime, mince the garlic, green onions, carrots, and water chestnuts.
Add the ground pork, garlic, green onions, carrots, and water chestnuts in a large bowl.
Slice the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms into small pieces, similar size as the carrots and water chestnuts. Save the shiitake broth.
Add the oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Mix the filling well and add 2-3 tbsp of shiitake broth to ensure the filling is wet. Add more if needed. You do not want a dry dumpling. Set it aside and let the flavors mingle.
In a large pot of boiling water, carefully remove the leaves of the cabbage one at a time and blanch the leaves until they are malleable.
Start the dumpling assembly.
Place 1-2 tbsp of filling into the middle of the cabbage.
Roll and tuck in both sides. Fold and repeat.
Steam the cabbage rolls for 20 minutes. The internal temperature should be 145 degrees.
Serve with my amazing chili oil recipe. Any chili oil or dumpling sauce will work.