🥬 High-Protein Turkey & Beef Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

For the cabbage rolls

• 1 large green cabbage
• 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
• ½ cup cooked brown rice or cauliflower rice
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt

For the tomato sauce

• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup beef or chicken broth
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Prepare the cabbage:
   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully remove the core from the cabbage.
2. Soften the leaves:
   Place the cabbage in the boiling water for about 2–3 minutes. As the leaves soften, carefully peel them off with tongs. Continue until you have about 12–14 large leaves. Pat them dry.
3. Make the filling:
   In a large bowl, combine the ground beef or turkey, cooked rice or cauliflower rice, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined.
4. Make the sauce:
   In a bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
5. Fill the cabbage leaves:
   Place approximately ¼ cup of filling near the bottom of each cabbage leaf. Fold the sides inward and roll tightly into a cylinder.
6. Arrange the rolls:
   Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of a baking dish. Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in the dish.
7. Add sauce:
   Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the cabbage rolls.
8. Bake covered:
   Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
9. Finish uncovered:
   Remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the filling reaches 160°F (71°C) for ground beef/turkey.
10. Rest and serve:
    Let the cabbage rolls rest for 5–10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with extra tomato sauce.

💪 Approximate Nutrition

For 4 servings:

• Calories: ~400–450 per serving
• Protein: ~35–40 g
• Carbohydrates: ~25–30 g
• Fat: ~17–20 g
• Fiber: ~6–8 g

High-protein tip: Use extra-lean ground turkey or beef and cauliflower rice instead of regular rice to increase the protein-to-calorie ratio while keeping the dish lower in carbohydrates.