Asian-Style Cabbage Rolls with Savory Almond Sauce
These cabbage rolls are bursting with Asian-inspired flavors. The ground pork is generously flavored with freshly sauteed garlic, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and ginger, then wrapped in cabbage and finished with a fantastic almond sauce that makes the dish!
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 large head Napa cabbage
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons salted butter sub EVOO for Whole 30
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots peeled and shredded
- 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps about 8 ounces whole shiitakes
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 3 green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems chopped
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the sauce:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil untoasted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup coconut aminos
- 1/2 cup smooth unsweetened almond butter
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For garnish:
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water (ideally, with a strainer insert) to a simmer. Submerge the head of cabbage into the water, stem-side down. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the cabbage poach for 10 minutes. Pull the cabbage from the water, let drain, and set aside until it’s cool enough to handle.
- While the cabbage is cooling, prepare the filling: Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until fragrant and the carrots are slightly wilted. Add the mushrooms and sauté for an additional 5 minutes, or until they’re reduced in size and slightly brown.
- Put the sautéed vegetables, along with the rest of filling ingredients, in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together until they’re evenly incorporated.
- Cut the root end off the cabbage head. Working very carefully, because the leaves are delicate, gently separate the leaves from one another and lay them out on paper towel-lined plates.
- To fill the rolls, spoon about ¼ cup of the filling onto a cabbage leaf, over the stem, nearest the cut end. Carefully roll the cabbage towards the thinner uncut end, folding the sides over the center as you work. Place the stuffed roll seam side down in a 9 by 13-inch, or similar sized, baking dish. Repeat this process for the rest of the meat mixture and cabbage leaves. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- For the almond sauce, heat the sesame oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the coconut aminos, almond butter, vinegar, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine and bring to a simmer. Note that the sauce will thicken after simmering for a few minutes - this is when it's done. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Spoon about half of the almond sauce over the rolls.
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the almond sauce on top starts to darken.
- Plate with additional almond sauce spooned over the top and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.
Notes
Approximate Calories & Macro Breakdown (based on 3 rolls with 2 extra tablespoon sauce per serving)
For the rolls: Calories: 333; Protein: 24 g; Fat: 21 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g
For the sauce: Calories: 159; Protein: 4 g; Fat: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g
Nutrition
Calories: 700kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1825mg | Potassium: 1373mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4309IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 3mg