This recipe is for you if you love the idea of savory stuffed cabbage but simply don’t have the time or desire to actually stuff cabbage. Inside- Out Stuffed Cabbage gives you flavorful, savory meat paired with tender cabbage and plump sweet raisins with far less work than regular Stuffed Cabbage.
Two notes on this recipe:
1) Feel free to make the meat- ball portion independently of the cabbage for a nice on-the-go snack or to serve over zucchini noodles (just bake the meatballs in the oven at 350°F for 25 minutes, or until cooked through).
2) If you aren’t a meat eater, or you just want a tender, tasty veggie side dish, then just make the cabbage portion of this recipe. Yummy!
½ cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup chicken broth
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained
1¼ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 heads green cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons lemon juice
⅓ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and chicken broth over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, decrease to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, ground beef, eggs, onion, salt, and black pepper and mix well. Form into golf ball–size meatballs and place them on a plate. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and chill the meatballs in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, breaking up the big pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the salt and pepper, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the cabbage to the pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Place the meatballs on top of the cabbage mixture. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Then gently stir the meatballs into the cabbage mixture, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove the lid and stir in the lemon juice, raisins, and coconut palm sugar. Cook for 15 more minutes, uncovered, and then serve hot.
Calories: 245
Fat: 9g
Carbohydrates: 17g
Sodium: 282mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 13g
Sugar: 9g