Stuffed Cabbage Made Easy

​Cabbage is a powerhouse vegetable, full of all kinds of great nutrition. I love it in just about any kind of recipe, and I particularly love it cooked as it is in corned beef and cabbage, in stir fry, or in this recipe.

However, I am definitely not fond of the extra work of filling and rolling individual cabbage leaves that's called for in traditional stuffed cabbage recipes, so this variation is a great alternative. It's every bit as tasty, with substantially less work and time involved. You can have it on the table in a very short time without breaking a sweat.  
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​It’s a very simple one-pot meal that you can cook on the stovetop - my absolute favorite type of meal.  And although I’ve never done it, I’m betting that it would make a great choice for a slow cooker meal. It's also quite economical, even though it contains meat, one of the most expensive sources of protein there is. 

Of course, it's important to buy the meat only when it's on sale. Look for bargains in your local grocery store flyers, and stock up if you can, storing extra in the freezer for later use.

​I can typically get ground turkey on sale for $1.50-$2.00 per pound. It can easily be twice that amount if you buy it at the regular price. Those sale prices represent some substantial savings. 

It's easy to double or triple this recipe,  and it's terrific as leftovers. We typically get a few meals out of it, including some lunches to bring to work. Using the quantities listed below, you will get 6-8 hearty servings.

The recipe as described costs $9 or so - so about $1.15 per serving. It can cost even less if you use regular pasta instead of whole grain. As always, go with the option you can afford, but whole grain pasta is the better choice from a health point of view. At the very minimum, it offers more fiber, along with certain minerals, and often has higher protein content as well.

In usual, I suggest that you serve the dish with a nice tossed salad of greens and cut up vegetables, lightly dressed in your own vinaigrette. That provides you with a meal that offers at least 2-3 servings of vegetables -- a step in the right direction toward getting the recommended 5-9 daily. With the salad, the total cost of the meal comes to about $10, so about $1.25 per serving.

Prep time for this recipe is only about 15 minutes. Cook time is about 30 minutes. Total start to finish time is about 45 minutes. 

Here's the recipe:

​​Stuffed Cabbage Made Easy
Makes 8-10 servings
Recipe prep time – approximately 15 minutes
Start to finish meal prep time – Approximately 45 minutes
Total recipe cost – Approximately $9
Total per person meal cost with tossed green salad – approximately $1.50

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey
2½ cups whole grain elbows, rotini, or similar small pasta
3 tablespoons oil
2 medium-large onions
4  garlic cloves
1 small to medium head of cabbage (approximately 2 pounds)
1 28-32-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 cans (6 ounce size) tomato paste
3 cups of water
1½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Recipe continues after photos

Procedure:

1. Peel and dice the 2 onions. Set aside.
2. Peel and chop or mince the 4 cloves of garlic and set aside.
3. Wash the cabbage head. Use a large knife to cut large chunks or wedges off the head. If it’s a very large head, you will probably only want to use half of it. 
4. Cut the cabbage wedges first into thin strips and then across the strips to make pieces ranging anywhere from ½-1-inch in size. You want around 4 cups, and more is perfectly fine, too. Set the cabbage aside.
5. Heat the 3 tablespoons of  oil in a large pot at medium temperature and add the onions. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. 
7. Add the 2 pounds of meat and discard the wrapping directly into the trash. Wash your hands before handling any utensils to avoid any cross contamination. 
8. Break the meat up as much as possible and mix it well with the onions and garlic. Heat it for about 5-10 minutes, until most or all of the pink is gone. Stir frequently.
9. Meanwhile open the two 6-ounce cans of tomato paste and mix it with the 3 cups of water in a bowl or measuring cup until it is well blended.  
10. Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste/water mixture to the pot with the meat and stir to blend everything well. Add the 1½  teaspoon pepper and the ½ teaspoon salt.
11. Add the diced cabbage and stir to distribute well.  
12. Cover the pot, turn the burner to high and bring the contents to a boil.  Once the pot is boiling, reduce the temperature to medium or medium low to maintain a steady simmer. 
13. Keep the pot covered and cook for about 20 minutes. Set a timer to help you keep track of the time.
14. Add the 2½ cups of pasta and stir to distribute it well. Continue simmering for an additional 10 minutes or so, until the pasta is done to taste, and the cabbage is tender. Check it and stir it occasionally.  
15. ​Taste test and adjust the salt and pepper.
16. Serve the dish on plates with a nice tossed salad for a tasty, nutritious meal.