Black Eyed Pea Cabbage Rolls

Black Eyed Peas are traditional to eat at the end of the year/beginning of the new year and they happen to be one of my favorite beans so I am getting a head start now. These could also be wrapped up in blanched collard greens for a more Southern approach.


Tender black eyed peas, bell peppers, carrots, garlic and herbs wrapped up tightly in large cabbage leaves and braised in a spicy tomato sauce.

Creole Tomato Sauce
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tbl creole seasoning
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1-15oz can tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable broth

Saute the shallot and garlic in olive oil until soft and translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the herbs and seasonings and cook 1 minute more to toast. Add the tomato sauce and broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and pour the sauce into a 8x8 casserole dish.

Black Eyed Pea Cabbage Rolls
makes 9 rolls
1 head green cabbage
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large white onion, small dice
1 carrot, small dice
1 orange bell pepper, small dice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small zucchini, small dice
1-15oz can black eyed peas, drained
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3 tbl chopped fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Submerge the entire whole cabbage in the water. Boil for 10 minutes then flip the cabbage over and boil 10 minutes more. Remove from the water. Once cool, trim off the stem end and peel apart large cabbage leaves. Carve out the thick stem in the middle of each leaf then overlap the leaf onto itself so there is no gap.
Saute the onion, carrot and bell pepper in oil until the vegetables start to become tender, 7 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, pepper, salt and red pepper flakes. Add the zucchini and peas and saute 5 minutes more. Add the broth and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 4-5 minutes. Add the parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Fill the bottom third part of each cabbage leaf, fold in the sides then roll up like a burrito. Place each cabbage roll, seam side down in the casserole dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 30 minutes more.

Hearty Mushroom & Potato Cabbage Rolls, Braised Green Beans

For all the mushroom lovers out there, this is the meal for you! I wanted to make cabbage rolls for dinner but with a less traditional mushroom based sauce instead of tomato. These rolls are filled, braised and smothered in cremini mushrooms, homemade stock and mushroom gravy.

Tender cabbage filled and rolled up with seitan, smashed yukon golds, cremini mushrooms and fresh zucchini. Braised in homemade mushroom stock and smothered with mushroom gravy studded with more creminis, the rolls are then served with a side of crisp braised green beans.

My mushroom stock recipe is one of my most prized recipes. I suggest doubling or tripling this recipe and keeping the extra in the freezer or fridge for future use. It packs incredible flavor and would be great to use instead of commercially made stock.

Mushroom Stock-Yield 4 cups
1 carrot, cut into large chunks
1 onion, cut into large chunks (peel, core and all!)
1 leek, green parts only, stem and leaves, in large chunks
1/4 lb white button mushrooms, halved
1 cup cremini mushrooms, halved
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4c fresh parsley, torn
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 tbl dried sage
1 tbl dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 tbl sea salt
1 tbl pepper
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and add all stock ingredients. Toss with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned with crispy edges.
Transfer all of the ingredients to a large stock pot and fill with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Continue to add one cup of water at a time every 30 minutes as the stock reduces up until the last 30 minutes of cooking. (Three cups total)
Drain the stock from the vegetables and pour stock back into pot. Set aside.

Cabbage Rolls
1 head savoy cabbage
2 large yukon gold potatoes, medium dice
3 tbl vegetable broth
2 tbl olive oil
1/2 white onion, minced
1 pack seitan, shredded
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup small diced zucchini
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup vegan sour cream
2 cups mushroom stock
1/4 lb green beans, ends trimmed

Fill a large pot half way with water and bring to a boil. The pot needs to be big enough to fit the entire cabbage head. Cut out the core from the bottom of the cabbage, and add the cabbage to the boiling water on its side. Boil for 10 minutes, then flip to the other side and cook 10 minutes more. Remove with tongs and let rest until cool enough to handle. Remove the leaves and cut the thick inner stem from each leaf. Set aside and make the filling.

Bring a pot of salted water and the diced potatoes to a boil and cook until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes with vegetable broth half way so they are still chunky. Set aside.
In a large pan, heat the oil and saute the onions until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the seitan, salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium-high heat until the seitan is crispy, 10 minutes. Add the garlic, zucchini, mushrooms and herbs saute 5 minutes more. Taste and season more if needed.
Add this mixture to the smashed potatoes and sour cream and mix to combine.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Overlap each cabbage leaf on the cut end. Add 1/3 cup of mixture to each leaf and roll up like a burrito (sides in first then roll up and away from you).
Pour 1 cup of mushroom stock in the bottom of a baking dish. Tightly pack all of the rolls together and pour the remaining cup of stock on top. Cover and bake for 40 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the green beans on top of the rolls and in all the crevices and baste one last time.
Top with mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, small dice
1 cup thinly sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1 fresh thyme sprig
4 tbl whole wheat flour
2 cups mushroom stock, warm
1 tbl soy sauce

In the same pan you cooked the roll filling in, saute the oil and shallots until soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add the mushroom and cook until they are golden brown. Add the salt, pepper, bay leaf and thyme. Whisk in the flour to coat the mushrooms and continue to whisk for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Whisk in the warm mushroom stock and soy sauce and cook over medium-low heat until the gravy thickens, 2-3 minutes.