Buckwheat Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Did you know that buckwheat is not even related to wheat? I just recently learned that. It actually belongs to the same family as rhubarb, is not a grain but a seed and, therefore, gluten free. The wonderful taste and texture are already convincing but, in addition to that, there’s a long list of health benefits which makes it even more attractive. Buckwheat is so versatile and also perfect to use as a stuffing. I love how it blends with all the different, delicious flavors in these cabbage rolls.

You will need:

• a large casserole dish (about 14 x 9 inches / 35 x 23 cm)
• wooden toothpicks

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium-size sweet onion, diced
• 2.5 lb (1130 g) tomatoes, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 generous Tbsp maple syrup
• 1½ tsp Celtic sea salt
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

For the cabbage rolls:

• 1 medium-size green cabbage
• stuffing:
  • 1 cup (175 g) buckwheat seeds (I used ‘Bob’s Red Mill’ organic buckwheat)
  • 1½ cups (360 ml) vegetable broth (I made it with my homemade veggie broth concentrate)
  • 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small sweet onion, diced
  • shredded inner cabbage leaves
  • 1 small sweet potato, diced into ½ inch (generous 1 cm) cubes, (mine weighed about  ½ lb /230 g)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, finely diced
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce (I used gluten free) or coco aminos
  • 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper
  • ½ cup minced fresh parsley
• 6 oz (170 g) cherry- or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1- 2 jalapeño peppers, cored, quartered lengthwise
• homemade cashew Parmesan (see * in notes) or store-bought vegan Parmesan
• some fresh rosemary sprigs
• more parsley to garnish

For toppings:

• fresh minced parsley
• homemade cashew Parmesan (*see notes) or store-bought vegan Parmesan

Preparation:

Rinse and cut all vegetables.

For the tomato sauce, preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil with diced onion and sauté for about 7 minutes until soft.

Add the remaining sauce ingredients and cook until tomatoes fall apart, about 15 minutes. Season to taste, then pour into a large casserole dish. Set aside.

Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, remove outer leaves from your cabbage and remove the stem by cutting it out in the shape of a cone.

When the water is boiling, submerge the whole cabbage and simmer covered for 5 minutes.

Use tongs to peel off one leaf at a time while cabbage is still simmering.

The first 2 leaves should come off easily. When the leaves become harder to peel off, close lid and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Repeat this process until you have 12 good-size leaves.

Carefully retrieve the remaining cabbage from the water, making sure not to burn yourself, then use a large kitchen knife to shred it.

For the stuffing, bring buckwheat and vegetable broth in a medium-size sauce pan to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and seeds are soft. Set aside.

Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil with onion and sauté for about 7 minutes until tender. Add cabbage shreds, sweet potato, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook for 15 – 20 minutes while stirring occasionally. Turn off heat.

Add cooked buckwheat to the pot of sautéed veggies, and season with soy sauce (or amino acids), yellow mustard, and crushed red pepper. Add parsley, and use a spoon to combine everything very well.

Set oven temperature to 400°F / 200° C.

Lay out the cabbage leaves and use a sharp knife to make the thick stems in the center even by cutting off the ridge (don’t cut any holes though). This makes it easier to bend the leaves.

Distribute the stuffing evenly by spooning it into the center of the leaves.

Fold in the tops and bottoms of the leaves …

… then the sides. Secure the little wraps with toothpicks.

Place the cabbage rolls into the casserole on top of the tomato sauce. Top with tomato halves and jalapeño quarters.

Place casserole into the center of your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, add cashew Parmesan (*see notes) and rosemary sprigs, and bake for another 10 minutes until slightly browned. Enjoy!

Notes:

• *For the cashew Parmesan:
  • 1 cup (140 g) raw, unsalted cashews
  • 1 tsp Celtic sea salt
  • 4 Tbsp nutritional yest flakes
• To prepare, place all the ingredients into your blender or food processor. Pulse until a crumbled-Parmesan-like texture is achieved. Ready in less than 2 minutes!