This scrumptious keto cabbage rolls dish is one of my favorite ground beef and pork recipes! It is a must-try low-carb and delicious keto-friendly recipe.
Very short history on cabbage
Cabbage is a popular vegetable in many countries worldwide, but where did it originate? The wild ancestor of cabbage is a small, wrinkled, leafy herbaceous plant called Brassica rapa var Rapa, which is also the ancestor of other Brassica species such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi.
Cabbage was first domesticated in the mountains of Central Asia around 5,000 years ago. The first record of cultivated Brassica rapa var Rapa in the Old World was in northern India about 1,000 years ago. The first cabbages were white and purple varieties developed in Asia.
The white variety was introduced to Europe in the 9th century A.D., where it was called “Arabian cabbage.” The green cabbage was developed later in Europe, possibly in Germany in the 11th century. Finally, red cabbage was developed in Europe in the 18th century.
Cabbages are grown worldwide for their leafy heads and are used in many dishes. They are often boiled, sauteed, or added to stir-fries as a green vegetable. They also make a delicious side dish. Red cabbages are commonly eaten as a vegetable but are also used in coleslaws and sauerkraut.
Scrumptious Keto Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
1 head cabbage
½ pound ground pork (minced pork) - or turkey, your choice
1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
1 small white onion - diced
3 tablespoons parsley - chopped
1 ½ tablespoon salt
¼ tablespoon ground black pepper- 1 ½ cups cauliflower rice
1 ½ cups Neapolitan Sauce or Pasta sauce Southern Hemisphere (Tomato Sauce in North America) - keto
1 cup beef stock (beef broth or beef bouillon)
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic - minced
Instructions
- Wash cabbage and take away its core with your fingers or using utensils.
- Place the head of the cabbage into a big pot filled with boiling salted water. Make sure not to add an excessive amount of salt, or you will make the cabbage too salty, which may alter the flavor of the cabbage rolls. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Once the cabbage leaves are soft, remove the cabbage head from the pot and gently pull the leaves. You need 15 huge whole leaves to make your cabbage rolls. Allow them to cool on a plate.
- Now it’s time to make the filling! To do that, sauté your onion in a pan with olive oil for 5 to 10 minutes. Let it cool. Then, mix the onion with ground beef, pork, salt, pepper, parsley, and cauliflower rice. Combine all ingredients and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Lay out a cabbage leaf on a large plate with the end stem towards you. Then put about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the middle of the cabbage leaf, then roll the leaf and secure with toothpicks or string. Repeat the process to the remaining leaves.
- For your sauce, mix your keto tomato sauce, beef broth, cayenne pepper, minced garlic, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Stack your cabbage rolls in a skillet and pour your sauce mixture. Cover your skillet and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve.
