This keto stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is not just easy and delicious; it is also insanely low-carb and nutritious. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll have an unbelievably tasty keto dinner ready to serve in no time.
These low-carb stuffed cabbage rolls are loaded with beef, some veggies, and spices that enhance their flavor. They are also rice-less, making them perfect for the keto diet. And of course, they're also topped off with some tomato paste and mozzarella cheese, making this keto recipe impossible to resist.
There are multiple ways that you can make these stuffed cabbage rolls. I prefer to bake them in the oven, but you can also bake them in an Instant Pot cooker. If you prefer to do the latter, I’ve also included that cooking method for this recipe below.
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Are Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Low Carb?
The first question that everyone has before deciding to make stuffed cabbage rolls is whether they are keto-friendly or not. Well, the answer is both yes and no.
If you'd be cooking stuffed cabbage rolls following a traditional recipe, you would notice that it includes rice. Since rice is full of carbs, it's a huge no-no for those living on a keto diet. Thus, a traditional stuffed cabbage roll recipe is not an option.
On the other hand, the stuffed cabbage rolls that I make don't include rice. Of course, if you want to substitute it with something, you can use cauliflower rice. But personally, I think there is no need to include any kind of rice in the cabbage rolls.
Instant Pot Cooking Method
If you have an Instant Pot cooker, you can use it to make these keto stuffed cabbage rolls. Even though it may sound complicated at first, it is actually surprisingly easy.
Almost everything is the same as when cooking the stuffed cabbage rolls in the oven. The only difference is that instead of the oven, you’ll use an Instant Pot. Here are detailed step-by-step instructions on how to cook keto stuffed cabbage rolls in an Instant Pot:
- Boil the whole cabbage in a large pot of salted water for about 15 minutes.
- Core the cabbage, remove the leaves, and cut out the center vein of each leaf.
- Prepare the filling. Take a bowl and combine the ground beef, eggs, onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Place about two tablespoons of the filling on a cabbage leaf and roll it. You should make seven cabbage rolls out of the ingredients listed in the recipe card.
- Place a trivet inside your Instant Pot, and put the cabbage rolls on the trivet. Using a pastry brush, spread some tomato paste over each of the cabbage rolls.
- Pour in 1 cup of water, close your Instant Pot, and seal the lid.
- Cook on Low-Pressure mode for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes after the timer goes off.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or some shredded mozzarella cheese.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot cooker, I do recommend you get one. It is unbelievably easy to cook various meals in it, no matter whether you are following the keto diet or not. And it takes only a few minutes to clean an Instant Pot, so it's a great time saver.
Storing Tips
I doubt there would be any leftovers since this keto stuffed cabbage rolls recipe is impossible to resist. But if there are any, you can store them in your refrigerator for up to four days.
What I love about this recipe is that it is also freezer-friendly. I like to have a meal stored in my freezer, ready for those days I’m not in the mood to cook but still want something delicious.
To freeze these keto stuffed cabbage rolls, you’ll need to follow almost all of the recipe steps up until cooking. It is best to freeze these cabbage rolls uncooked. So whenever you want to have a low-carb cabbage roll, you’ll simply need to place the frozen ones into your oven and cook them for 80 minutes.
Serving Options
When choosing what to serve with these keto cabbage rolls, I usually go with a slice of my favorite low-carb feta bread. But if you're not in the mood to bake bread, you can serve this keto dinner with a slice of store-bought low-carb bread.
It may sound strange, but I also like to add some homemade guacamole on the side when serving these cabbage rolls. I feel like guacamole goes perfectly with almost anything, which is why I always have it in my refrigerator and eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Recipe
Keto Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lean beef
- 1 large cabbage
- 2 large eggs
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 small carrot grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 6 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Take a large baking dish and evenly spread the olive oil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the whole cabbage and boil for 10-15 minutes (depending on its size). Turn it from time to time to make sure that the leaves are equally soft from the bottom to the top.
- Core the cabbage, separate the leaves, and cut out the center vein from the cabbage leaves. Set seven cabbage leaves aside.
- In a separate bowl, make the filling. Combine the ground beef, eggs, onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper. Put about two full tablespoons of the filling in the center of the cabbage leaf, fold the sides, and tightly roll it up.
- Place the cabbage rolls side by side in the baking dish and pour in the water on the bottom of the dish. Put some tomato paste on each of the cabbage rolls. Cover it with foil and bake for 1 hour.
- Take the cabbage rolls out of the oven, top them off with some mozzarella cheese, and place them back in the oven for a few minutes. Garnish with some chopped parsley before serving.
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