Chicken Cabbage Rolls in Spiced Tomato Cream Sauce - Easy Budget Dinner

These cabbage rolls are the dish that will make people think you have been cooking all day. IMPRESSIVE, deeply flavourful, and built from the most humble ingredients: chicken, cabbage, a can of tomatoes, and whatever spices you have in the cupboard. The filling is caramelised until sticky and sweet, the rolls are simmered in a spiced tomato broth, and then the whole thing gets a topped with a. rich spiced cream sauce poured over the top and finished with quick pickled red onions. It is the kind of dinner you serve to guests and watch their faces change. This recipe is part of my Savvy Suppers series, where I head to the supermarket, spend under $50 NZD, and make three dinners for two to three people with leftovers for lunch. This is Wednesday night dinner, and it is an absolute winner. Let's cook!

Watch me make this on YouTube!

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 to 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes
• Serves: 2 to 3 people, with leftovers
• Makes: 10 to 12 rolls
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Large lidded pan or oven-proof dish

The cabbage leaf is doing double duty here. The leaves become the wrapper and the tough inner stalks get chopped up and cooked into the filling so nothing is wasted. The caramelisation step on the filling is the most important part of the whole recipe. Take the time to really cook it down until sticky and golden and you will be rewarded with a deeply flavourful result.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Nothing wasted: The cabbage stalks go into the filling, the leftover tomato liquid becomes the braising liquid, and even the onion is split across both the filling and the sauce. Every single thing earns its place.
• Completely flexible on the spices: Use whatever you have in the cupboard. The cumin, paprika and coriander combination here is the starting point but this dish welcomes whatever spice blend you love.
• Genuinely impressive: This is the kind of dinner you put on the table and people assume you have been cooking for hours. You have not. It is straightforward once you understand the steps.
• Two cooking options: On the stove with a lid or in the oven, whichever suits you.

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 200 to 300g chicken breast, very finely diced or minced by hand (or use a food processor to blitz it if you prefer)
• 5 mushrooms, finely diced
• 2 small carrots, finely diced
• 1⁄2 onion (brown or white), finely diced
• The inner stalks from the cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 egg
• A drizzle of oil for cooking

For the Cabbage Rolls

• 1 green cabbage, 8-10 large outer leaves removed
• 1 x 400g can chopped or whole tomatoes (break up whole tomatoes if using)
• 250ml chicken stock

For the Spiced Tomato Cream Sauce

• 1⁄2 onion (brown or white), finely diced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Pinch of salt
• 1 x 400g can chopped or whole tomatoes
• 70 to 100ml cream

For the Quick Pickled Red Onion

• 1 small red onion, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp vinegar (white wine, apple cider, or homemade vinegar works beautifully here)
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Make the pickled onions first: Combine the sugar, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then turn off the heat. Add the sliced red onion and leave to sit for at least 10 minutes. The longer they sit the better they get. Set aside.
2. Blanch the cabbage leaves: Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Cut around the stalk and carefully peel 8-10 large outer leaves from the cabbage. Blanch them in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes until just pliable. Remove and set aside to cool. Cut out any very thick central stalks from the leaves and chop these finely. They go into the filling.
3. Make the filling: Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, mushrooms, and chopped cabbage stalks. Season with a pinch of salt to help draw out the moisture. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until everything is deeply caramelised and most of the moisture has cooked off. Do not rush this step. Proper caramelisation is what makes the filling so flavourful. Add the cumin and smoked paprika and cook for another minute until the spices are bloomed and fragrant. Once cooled. Add to the diced or minced chicken, 1 egg, season and stir everything together. 
4. Roll the cabbage: Lay a blanched cabbage leaf flat. Place a generous spoonful of filling in the centre. Fold in the sides, then roll up firmly from the bottom like a parcel. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. You should get 10 to 12 rolls.
5. Cook the rolls: Place the rolls seam-side down in a large lidded pan in a single layer. Pour over the can of tomatoes and the chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, then put the lid on and cook on a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes until the cabbage is completely tender and the chicken is fully cooked through. Alternatively, transfer to an oven-proof dish, cover with foil, and bake at 180°C (160°C fan / 350°F / Gas Mark 4) for 35 to 40 minutes.
6. Make the sauce: While the rolls cook, heat a drizzle of oil in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the remaining diced onion and the pinch of salt and sweat down for 8 to 10 minutes until very soft. Add the cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the spices are bloomed in the oil. Add the can of tomatoes and let everything simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the cream and stir to combine. Use a stick blender or transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Serve: Spoon the sauce into the bottom of your serving bowls or onto a platter. Place the cabbage rolls on top. Finish with the quick pickled red onion. Serve immediately.

Chef's Tips

Caramelise the filling properly: The most common mistake with this recipe is not cooking the filling down long enough. You want the vegetables to be deeply golden and sticky with most of the moisture cooked off before the chicken goes in. This is what gives the filling its depth of flavour. Salt helps draw out the moisture. Do not skip it.

Blanching the cabbage is essential: Raw cabbage leaves crack and split when you try to roll them. Blanching for just a minute or two makes them pliable and easy to work with. Do not over-blanch or they will fall apart.

Use whatever spices you have: The cumin, paprika, and coriander combination here gives a warm Middle Eastern flavour but this dish is flexible. Ras el hanout, baharat, harissa paste, or even just a good curry powder all work beautifully. Use what you have.

The chicken: Chicken breast schnitzel works perfectly here. Dice it as finely as you can by hand, or blitz it briefly in a food processor for a finer mince. Chicken thigh mince would be even more flavourful if you can find it.

Stove vs oven: Both work well. The stove method is quicker and gives you more control. The oven method is more hands-off and great if you want to make the sauce and pickled onions while the rolls cook undisturbed.

Substitutions & Variations

• No chicken? Pork mince works beautifully in this recipe. So does a mixture of pork and beef.
• No cream? A spoonful of Greek yoghurt stirred in at the end gives a similar richness. Or leave the cream out entirely for a lighter tomato sauce.
• No fresh cabbage? Large silverbeet or chard leaves work as a substitute, though they are more delicate so handle gently.
• Want more heat? Add a pinch of chilli flakes to both the filling and the sauce.
• No red onion for pickling? Thinly sliced white or brown onion works too. The pickle is optional but it cuts through the richness of the dish beautifully. Worth the 10 minutes.

Storage

Best eaten fresh: The cabbage rolls are at their best straight from the pan when the sauce is silky and the rolls are just cooked through.

Fridge: Store leftover rolls and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce. The flavour actually improves overnight as the spices develop.

Freezer: This is best eaten fresh.

Avoid: Do not reheat on a high heat or the cream sauce will split. Always reheat gently on a low to medium heat, stirring regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, these are a great make-ahead dinner. Make the rolls and the sauce up to a day ahead, store them separately in the fridge, and reheat gently before serving. Add the pickled onions fresh just before serving.

My rolls are falling apart. What do I do?
This usually means the cabbage was either under-blanched (not pliable enough) or the rolls were not tucked tightly enough. Make sure you fold the sides in firmly before rolling, and place them seam-side down in the pan so they hold their shape as they cook.

Can I double this recipe?
Yes, this scales up well. Use a larger pan or two pans on the stove, or a large roasting dish in the oven. The cooking time stays roughly the same.

What if I do not have a stick blender for the sauce?
You can leave the sauce chunky if you prefer. It will taste just as good. Alternatively, mash it with a potato masher for a rustic texture, or push it through a sieve if you want it very smooth.

Can I use dried herbs instead of ground spices?
Ground spices work much better here than dried herbs for this style of sauce. If you do not have the individual spices, a good curry powder or mixed spice blend will work as a substitute.

How do I know when the rolls are cooked?
The cabbage should be completely tender and the rolls should feel firm when pressed gently. If you are unsure, cut one open. The chicken filling should be completely white with no pink remaining.

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3 Budget Dinners Under $50 NZD - Prawns, Dahl and Pizza. The previous Savvy Suppers episode with all three recipes and the complete shopping list.

These cabbage rolls are the recipe that will change the way you think about budget cooking. The ingredients list is short, the technique is simple once you have done it once, and the result is something that looks and tastes genuinely special. The pickled onions are the finishing touch that lifts the whole dish. Do not skip them. Make this once and it will go straight into your regular rotation.

Enjoy!

Del x

Caramelised chicken and vegetable rolls wrapped in cabbage, simmered in spiced tomato broth, finished with a blended cream sauce and quick pickled red onions. This is budget cooking at its most impressive.