Vegan Cabbage Roll Pasta

This recipe is for everyone who loves cabbage rolls but has little time and patience, because with this recipe we skip the rolling of the roulades and prepare all components in one large pot – how clever! We swap the potatoes with pasta and combine cabbage, plant-based ground, and sauce in one large pot. Why make it complicated when it can be this, this quick?

Kohlrouladen, Krautwickel, Krautrollen – What Is That Actually?

Cabbage rolls are a true classic of European cuisine and appear in basically every country under a different name. In Southern Germany and Austria, they're called Krautwickel or Krautrollen, in Poland they're known as Gołąbki (little doves – cute, right?), and in Russia they're called Golubtsy. But the principle is similar everywhere: cabbage leaves are blanched, filled with a hearty filling – traditionally often (plant-based) ground and rice – rolled up, and then braised. The result? Comfort food at its finest!

Why Savoy Cabbage Is So Great:

Savoy cabbage is one of those vegetables that's often underestimated. But it's so versatile! Unlike white cabbage, savoy cabbage has tender leaves and a milder, slightly sweet flavor. It's perfect for hearty dishes like our cabbage roll pasta because it doesn't become too dominant, but still brings enough bite and color. If you've never cooked with savoy cabbage before: give it a try! It's super quick to prepare and tastes really good in other dishes too, like with dumplings and seitan or Colcannon.

What's So Special About the Homemade Nut Ground?

The texture and flavor are just that good! When you crush walnuts and sunflower seeds in a mortar and then sauté them with soy sauce, tomato paste, mustard, nutritional yeast, and liquid smoke, you create a mixture that not only tastes like "ground" but also brings this slightly smoky, savory note.
For your plant-based nut ground to turn out well, the quality of ingredients plays a major role. We use the walnuts and sunflower seeds from Kluth, because they have premium quality that you don't just see, but also taste. Especially in a recipe like this, where the nuts and seeds play the leading role, that makes a huge difference! Walnuts with lower quality can sometimes taste bitter, and with broken sunflower seeds you lose a lot of the texture.

A Few Final Tips for Success:

First, make sure the nut ground is nicely seared. Take a few extra minutes for this, so it gets nice roasted aromas and a good consistency. Second, we recommend preparing the savoy cabbage so it still has some crunch and doesn't get too mushy, then it'll taste even better at the end. And third, liquid smoke is an absolute game-changer for the nut ground. If you don't have any at home, you can also use smoked paprika powder, but liquid smoke really makes a difference and gives the plant-based ground that typical, smoky note.

If you love the homemade nut ground as much as we do, then you can find maaaany more recipes with plant-based ground on our blog, like tacos with walnut ground or try our plant-based pierogi with the plant-based nut ground.