Move over, meat-filled cabbage rolls! Smoked Gouda Quinoa Cabbage Rolls are a total smoke show (see what I did there?) This vegetarian delight packs a smoky punch, crunchy texture, and vibrant flair. These are proof that comfort food doesn’t need to weigh you down. However, they are still filling.
Cabbage rolls have been around for centuries. From Eastern Europe to the Middle East, they’ve traveled the globe—a universal love letter to wrapped deliciousness. Consequently, these leafy pockets have always been about resourcefulness and adaptability. Got cabbage? Got a filling? Boom, you’ve got a meal.
Now, let’s jazz up that tradition with these Smoked Gouda Quinoa Cabbage Rolls. Start by blanching green cabbage leaves in salted water. This makes them pliable—no need to wrestle them like a stubborn jar lid. The filling? A magical combo of quinoa (we’re using the tri-color kind for bonus pizzazz), finely chopped onions, raw cashews for that crunchy surprise, and smoked Gouda. Oh, Gouda… it’s the VIP of cheeses here. Smoky, melty, and utterly seductive.
Spoon the mixture into each leaf, roll it up snugly, and fry those babies in clarified butter until they’re golden and gorgeous. Then, give them a spa treatment by braising them in vegetable stock. Finally, for the finishing touch, thicken that stock with a little cornstarch to create a luscious sauce to drizzle over the roulade.
Substitutions:
Want to shake things up? Swap green cabbage for red. It’ll turn this dish into a jewel-toned masterpiece. Furthermore, if quinoa’s not your jam, sub in tabbouleh or farfel. And for those who like to tinker with cheese, go for a milder or sharper variety to suit your palate. But, fair warning, smoked Gouda is the life of this party in this dish.
Smoked Gouda Quinoa Cabbage Rolls are perfect for dinner parties, lazy Sundays, or just impressing yourself. Furthermore, they’re earthy, nutty, cheesy, and downright dreamy. So, roll up your sleeves and start rolling those leaves. You’ll never give “boring” cabbage the side-eye again.
Smoked Gouda Quinoa Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 6 oz Smoked Gouda cheese
- 12 white cabbage leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup chopped raw cashews
- 1 egg
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons clarified butter
- 1+ 3/4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
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Slice the cheese into strips. Set aside
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Boil the cabbage leaves in salted water for 5 minutes.
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Drain, rinse, and pat dry.
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Flatten out the leaves on a workspace.
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Peel and dice the onion.
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Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions. Let cool.
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Heat the olive oil in a skillet.
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Sauté the onion until translucent.
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Mix the quinoa with the onion, parsley, and cashews.
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Beat the egg and combine it with the mixture.
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Season with salt and pepper.
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Place 2 cabbage leaves on top of each other.
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Cover the bottom with 2-3 tablespoons of the quinoa mixture.
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Place 1-2 strips of cheese on each.
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Fold the left and right sides. Roll up into roulades. Tie with kitchen string.
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Heat the clarified butter in the same skillet.
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Fry the roulades on each side.
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Deglaze the pan with vegetable stock.
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Cover and braise for 20 minutes.
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Transfer the roulades to a serving plate. Cover to keep warm.
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Combine a few tablespoons of the warm vegetable stock with the cornstarch to make a slurry.
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Whisk it into the pan,. Whisk the mixture until it thickens.
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Season with salt and pepper.
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Pour the sauce over the roulades and serve.
So, do you like these Smoked Gouda Quinoa Cabbage Rolls? Also, check out some of these other delicious recipes:
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAUERKRAUT QUINOA CABBAGE ROLLS
SAGE STREUSEL APPLE CAKE
RED PEPPER SMOKED GARLIC WHOLE WHEAT SCONES
