Vegan Festive Meat Stuffed Cabbage

Name: Vegan Festive Meat Stuffed Cabbage
Prep time: 1 h 50 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: 1 large head of Savoy cabbage (around 16 large leaves); 1 large brown onion; 4 garlic cloves; 2 stalks of Celery (around 1 cup or 100 g chopped); 2 carrots (around ¾ to 1cup or 130 g chopped); 3 cups (200g) mushrooms; 2 Juicy Marbles filets; 2 bay leaf; 3 sprigs of thyme (1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried); 5 leaves of sage (1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp dried); ¼ tsp nutmeg; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 cans of brown lentils (3 ½ cups / 500 g rinsed and drained); ½ cup / 70 g raisins; ½ cup / 60 g chopped toasted walnuts; ⅔ cup / 150 ml vegetable stock; ⅓ to ½ cup / 100 ml red wine; 4 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp mustard; ½ cup / 50 g breadcrumbs

Vegan Festive Meat Stuffed Cabbage (A Showstopping Holiday Dish)

WITH JUICY MARBLES, LENTILS, NUTS & DRIED FRUIT

We, as humanity, have a history of stuffing things into cabbage. And no winter season is complete without a stuffed cabbage dish. This year, I decided to take a break from my beloved Sarme (just kidding, how could I ever part with this perfect, savory, gut-healing comfort food) and make a festive version of a French classic. It may look like a million bucks, but at its core, Chou Farci is stuffed cabbage, a humble peasant food. This showstopping dish, cut into triangle-shaped pieces resembling a cake, is a perfect match with good, reliable mashed potatoes and gravy. It serves as a unique centerpiece for any jolly gathering. Rest assured, compliments from your guests will not stop coming until they are gone and you are left with piles of dishes to clean and bottles of wine to empty.

⬇️ JUMP TO RECIPE ⬇️

Vegan Festive Meat Stuffed Cabbage (A Showstopping Holiday Dish)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Great make-ahead dish for holiday gatherings - Prepare in advance and simply bake when the guests arrive.
Dazzling centerpiece - Looks stunning when sliced like a cake and served with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Packed with festive flavors - A jolly combination of sage, rosemary, cinnamon, raisins, and walnuts

Ingredients for Vegan Festive Stuffed Cabbage

Juicy Marbles Thick-Cut Filet is the meaty component of this festive centerpiece. It adds rich flavor, hearty texture, and a boost of plant-based proteins.
Savoy Cabbage is the structural element that holds everything together. Its tender, crinkly leaves are not only perfect for wrapping the delicious filling, but they also look visually stunning.
Onion, garlic, and celery are the trio that forms the flavor base of this dish, adding complexity and depth.
Mushrooms contribute umami richness and a slightly chewy texture, mimicking traditional meat-based fillings.
Lentils are a protein-packed and fiber-rich staple that provides heartiness and substance to the stuffing.
Herbs and spices like cinnamon, sage, rosemary, and thyme give this holiday centerpiece its signature festive flavor.
Raisins add a burst of sweetness while walnuts add some texture and crunch.
Vegetable stock, red wine, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and mustard add moisture, richness, and deep layers of flavor to ensure the filling is never dry.
Breadcrumbs soak up the liquid and hold the filling together.

Equipment

Cutting board
Sharp knife
Garlic crusher or fine grater
Measuring spoons and cups
Kitchen scale
Large pot for blanching cabbage leaves
Baking sheet, kitchen towels, or paper towels for cooling down cabbage leaves
Strainer for rinsing lentils
Large non-stick pan for sauteeing vegetables
Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring
25cm / 10inch springform cake tin

How to Prepare Vegan Festive Stuffed Cabbage

1. Prepare the Cabbage Leaves

Separate Savoy Cabbage leaves and cut away the core. Blanche the leaves in a pot of salted boiling water until they become bright and translucent. Lay them out on a baking sheet or paper towel to cool down and dry out.

2. Prepare the Filling

Chop all the vegetables and mushrooms, drain and rinse lentils, and chop Juicy Marbles Thick-Cut Filets.

Cook everything down in a non-stick pan, and season with fresh herbs and tomato paste. Add lentils, walnuts, and raisins, followed by red wine, vegetable stock, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and mustard.

Once the liquid has evaporated, remove from the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs.

3. Assemble the Stuffed Cabbage

Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C). Grease the can tin and arrange the largest, prettiest leaves at the bottom, ensuring some hang over the edges.

Layer ⅓ of the filling, cover with cabbage leaves and repeat two more times to create 3 layers of filling and 4 layers of cabbage leaves. Fold the overhanging cabbage leaves inward to seal the dish.

4. Bake & Serve

Bake the stuffed cabbage in a preheated oven for 45 minutes. Allow 15 minutes to cool before unmolding. Open the springform tin, carefully flip it onto a round plate, and remove the tin. Slice it like a cake.

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Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Author:

Špela Turk

Servings

4-6

Prep Time

110 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

This plant-based take onChou Farci transforms humble ingredients into an elegant holiday centerpiece. Layers of tender Savoy cabbage wrap a rich, savory filling of mushrooms, lentils, walnuts, and festive spices. Baked to perfection and sliced like a cake, it pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes and gravy. Make it ahead, serve, and impress.

Image of Vegan Festive Meat Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

1 large head of Savoy cabbage (around 16 large leaves)
1 large brown onion
4 garlic cloves
2 stalks of Celery (around 1 cup or 100 g chopped)
2 carrots (around ¾ to 1cup or 130 g chopped)
3 cups (200g) mushrooms
2 Juicy Marbles filets
2 bay leaf
3 sprigs of thyme (1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried)
5 leaves of sage (1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp dried)
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cans of brown lentils (3 ½ cups / 500 g rinsed and drained)
½ cup / 70 g raisins
½ cup / 60 g chopped toasted walnuts
⅔ cup / 150 ml vegetable stock
⅓ to ½ cup / 100 ml red wine
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp mustard
½ cup / 50 g breadcrumbs

Directions

Separate cabbage leaves and cut away hard parts (core). Prepare a pot of boiling water and salt it generously. Working in batches, cook the leaves for 5-7 minutes until bright green and translucent. Spread them on paper towels or baking sheets and let them cool down.
Prepare the vegetables - chop 1 large onion, 2 stalks of celery, 2 carrots, mince 4 garlic cloves, and finely dice mushrooms.
Finely dice 2 Marbles filets.
Strain and rinse 2 cans of brown lentils.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and saute for 3-4 minutes before adding minced garlic. After a minute, add celery, and carrots. After 3-4 minutes, add 2 finely chopped Marbles filets, finely diced mushrooms as well as herbs and spices (2 bay leaves, 3 sprigs of thyme, 5 sage leaves, ¼ tsp nutmeg, and 1 tsp cinnamon).
Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and let caramelize for another two minutes.
Add lentils, walnuts, and raisins.
Deglaze with red wine, vegetable stock, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, and mustard.
Cook for another 5 minutes until the liquid evaporates.
Remove from heat and let cool down.
Add breadcrumbs and mix well.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
To assemble Chou Farci, brush a cake tin (10-inch / 25 cm) with a thin layer of butter or oil.
Assemble the prettiest, largest leaves on the bottom, making sure some hang over the side of the cake tin. Tuck them neatly in the corners of the tin to ensure nice edges. When the base is covered, transfer ⅓ of the filling to the cake tin. Cover the filling layer with more leaves and repeat the process 2 more times (to get 3 layers of filling and 4 layers of leaves). Tuck the leaves toward the center and close them together.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes.
When Chou Farci is done baking, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes.
Open the spring form, remove it, and neatly place a round plate on top of the Chou farci. Carefully turn the plate upside down.
Cut it into slices and serve with sides of your choice. Mashed potatoes and gravy sound like the perfect pairing.

Create this diabolical masterpiece, leave a review, snap a picture, and tag us @juicymarbles to share your culinary triumph. Bon appétit!