What’s Inside: If making dumplings at home sounds intimidating, let me blow your mind. These dumpling-esque Paleo Cabbage Rolls are simple, delicious, and easy to make in the comfort of your own kitchen and inspired by delicious Dim Sum.
Paleo Cabbage Rolls Are Perfect for the Lunar New Year and beyond
Paleo Cabbage Rolls ARE HERE just in time to celebrate The Lunar New Year — Dim Sum style, baby.
Living in Queens, NYC, my hubby, friends, and I always would go get some soup dumplings around this time of year, and I’ve been missing it since eating more paleo. Well, as it turns out, steamed cabbage leaves are basically nature’s gluten-free dumpling wrappers … so that’s GOOD NEWS.
The even better news? THEY’RE SO EASY AND TASTY. On top of being low-carb, Whole30, and AIP-friendly, this stuffed cabbage rolls recipe will be your new favorite. While you can stuff them with anything your heart desires, I do ask that you give this stuffing a try because it’s mega flavorful and delicious.
How To Cook Cabbage Leaves
Flash boiling a hear of cabbage (yes the whole head) and then peeling back each leaf is a breeze. This vegetable is sturdy and holds A TON of goodies inside.
I’m so excited to do more with them, but this simple boiled and then steamed recipe is such a fresh and nutrient-dense way to get those veggies and protein into your system.
Time-saving Reader Tip: If you’d rather save time on the rolls, you can try this as a deconstructed bowl with cooked cabbage and the meat laid over top for the same delicious flavors!
How To Make the Paleo Filling
I mixed 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground pork with scallions, carrots, cilantro. While this is scrumptious all on its own, this is Dim Sum, and so that means you need a sauce to dunk them in. This sauce is made healthy with coconut aminos and lots of fresh flavors. Learn how to make it below!
Coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil (skip for AIP), and honey (skip for Whole30) with lots of lime juice is a tangy and rich dip with all the UMAMI.
And just to make it fancy, I tossed some seaweed flakes mixed with sesame on top.
How To Make the Best Paleo Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Video: Watch How To Make The Recipe
Dim Sum Paleo Cabbage Rolls
4.64 from 41 votes
A Paleo stuffed cabbage rolls recipe that uses steamed cabbage leaves = nature's gluten-free dumplings! Dip these in my tasty soy-free sauce for all the UMAMI power — Dim Sum style.
1Tbsptoasted sesame oil(sub olive oil or coconut oil for AIP)
1-2Tbspfresh lime juice
1-2 tsphoney (I used Mike’s Hot Honey which has a bit of chili in it for heat!)(skip for Whole30, plain honey for AIP)
Instructions:
Bring a large, heavy-bottomed pot with water to boil (enough water to cover the cabbage). Use a pot that can accommodate a steam basket on the top. Cover and let boil while you make the filling.
Melt ghee over medium heat in a skillet on the stove. Add sliced shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for just a few minutes until soft.
Add ground meat and break up with a wooden spoon. Season with salt, ginger, and garlic powders. Cook meat until no pink remains and the liquid is starting to absorb, approx. 5-6 minutes.
Add shredded carrot, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. Stir into the meat mixture and continue to cook until the sauces absorb for a minute or so.
Mix in the freshly chopped scallions and cilantro and remove from heat. Let rest and come to room temperature way from the stove.
Meanwhile, the water should be boiling. Prep an ice bath in a large bowl with ice and cold water next to the stove.
Using tongs, lower the whole head of cabbage into the boiling water and let it boil for approx. 1-1.5 minutes. Remove the head of cabbage carefully with a large spoon and tongs (it will be heavier now, carrying water). Keep the water on a low boil – you’ll need it again.
Add the cabbage to a large bowl, and carefully peel back the soft leaves, placing in the ice bath to stop cooking.
Repeat this process until you have at least 8 good leaves to use for rolling. Dry each blanched leaf well with a paper towel after the ice bath and lay the cabbage leaves in front of you with the core facing you.
Prep a steam basket next to you with one additional cabbage leaf lining the bottom of it. You’ll add the rolls to the steam basket one by one.
Prep your work station and add approx. 3 Tbsp of your meat mixture to the bottom of the cabbage leaf towards the core, fold the sides in, and then fold the bottom away from you to the top of the leaf. Keep the edge tucked underneath.
Add each stuffed cabbage roll to your steam basket with the folded edge on the bottom. Return the steam basket to the top of the pot with boiling water. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes on a low boil to steam.
Remove steam basket and turn off heat. Using tongs, plate each cabbage roll with dipping sauce on the side, serve! This also stores well in the fridge.
For the dipping sauce:
Combine all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk.
Diet: Chinese
Keywords: cabbage rolls, dim sum, paleo, stuffed cabbage rolls
These are awesome even made with beef because I didn’t have turkey, chicken or pork. I made each step in my InstaPot and though it took a while to make, the mess was much less than it could have been. Thank you for this wonderful recipe to add variety to my AIP diet!!
I made this yesterday and it was so easy! The idea of peeling the layers off the cabbage seemed really intimidating but I managed it with ease. Some of the centre leaves weren’t as pliable as the outer leaves so I popped them in the microwave for a minute to soften them up. I can see myself making a variation of this pretty regularly. I’ve popped them in my lunch box this week and frozen the leftovers.
I’m excited to try this!! I don’t have a steamer basket or anything that would wok like that. Could I make this is my vegetable steamer or in the oven?
This recipe is DELICIOUS. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is on the AIP diet, due to all the restrictions. However, I would suggest creating this in a deconstructed version of this. One thing I would warn is this recipe DOES NOT take only 30 minutes. It took me up to 1 hour and 45 minutes with a huge mess of a kitchen. This recipe requires a lot of dishes that you don’t realize. 1. pan to saute the meat 2. pot to boil the cabbage 3. cutting board to cut up veggies that go in the meat 4. shredder to shred the carrot 5. bowl for ice water 6. strainer/bowl for putting the boiled cabbage in to peel the leaves 7. an area to lay the leaves out to dry plus a ton of towels to dry them 8. a plate to make the rolls. My husband, who does the dishes after I cook, was not happy. It was a mess. But this is not to say it wasn’t delicious, next time I would just boil the cabbage, peel and lay out with the meat on top of it. Or even layer them like a lasagna and drizzle the sauce on top.
Thanks for the feedback and for sharing your experience! I love the idea of taking a shortcut to just lay the meat over cooked cabbage. I’m going to add that as a trick in the post for others to see. And, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Just wow! This is by far the best AIP recipe I have tried (I am a newbie but still! ). Amazingly delicious! Thank you so much! I did not have a steamer so I used a big pot of boiling water and put a strainer on top of it. It worked beautifully! Do you think I could freeze these? It takes quiet some time to cook so maybe I could cook a big batch and save it for other days?
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38 comments
Could these be placed in the oven at the end for 10 min at 375?
You certainly could if you’d like to test it out!
These are awesome even made with beef because I didn’t have turkey, chicken or pork. I made each step in my InstaPot and though it took a while to make, the mess was much less than it could have been. Thank you for this wonderful recipe to add variety to my AIP diet!!
So cool, thanks for sharing!
I made this yesterday and it was so easy! The idea of peeling the layers off the cabbage seemed really intimidating but I managed it with ease. Some of the centre leaves weren’t as pliable as the outer leaves so I popped them in the microwave for a minute to soften them up. I can see myself making a variation of this pretty regularly. I’ve popped them in my lunch box this week and frozen the leftovers.
It def. takes some practice but it’s so easy and fun – so happy you liked it!!
We love cabbage. These look amazing. Can’t wait to try them for dinner.
I like cabbage but I don’t know how to cook with them. Thank you God bless you.
I hope this recipe is a fun way of trying it for you!
My husband is going to be so excited I ran across this recipe. He is going to LOVE these. We are gf and love all things cabbage.
Oh I’m so glad to hear it – enjoy!
I’m excited to try this!! I don’t have a steamer basket or anything that would wok like that. Could I make this is my vegetable steamer or in the oven?
Totally!
This recipe is DELICIOUS. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is on the AIP diet, due to all the restrictions. However, I would suggest creating this in a deconstructed version of this. One thing I would warn is this recipe DOES NOT take only 30 minutes. It took me up to 1 hour and 45 minutes with a huge mess of a kitchen. This recipe requires a lot of dishes that you don’t realize. 1. pan to saute the meat 2. pot to boil the cabbage 3. cutting board to cut up veggies that go in the meat 4. shredder to shred the carrot 5. bowl for ice water 6. strainer/bowl for putting the boiled cabbage in to peel the leaves 7. an area to lay the leaves out to dry plus a ton of towels to dry them 8. a plate to make the rolls. My husband, who does the dishes after I cook, was not happy. It was a mess. But this is not to say it wasn’t delicious, next time I would just boil the cabbage, peel and lay out with the meat on top of it. Or even layer them like a lasagna and drizzle the sauce on top.
Thanks for the feedback and for sharing your experience! I love the idea of taking a shortcut to just lay the meat over cooked cabbage. I’m going to add that as a trick in the post for others to see. And, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Rarely does healthy food get my stomach growling, but this recipe did it! YUM!
go with your gut! it’s delish!
This was so delicious. I made it today! It was approved by my entire family! I am adding it to the rotation! YUMMMM
YAY!! So glad!
These cabbage rolls were amazing! Loved the stuffing and the dipping sauce. Perfect combo
Love that you loved it, Emily! Thanks for sharing.
I love how easy and delicious these are – I will definitely be making them again!
Wow!! These sound amazing! The cabbage filling is so flavorful and then that dipping sauce, just wow.
Just wow! This is by far the best AIP recipe I have tried (I am a newbie but still! ). Amazingly delicious! Thank you so much! I did not have a steamer so I used a big pot of boiling water and put a strainer on top of it. It worked beautifully! Do you think I could freeze these? It takes quiet some time to cook so maybe I could cook a big batch and save it for other days?
Wow is right, what a compliment!! Thanks so much, I’m over the moon you enjoyed them 🙂 They’d freeze beautifully – go for it!
Absolutely Amazing! AIP can be a challenging diet but recipes like this bring light. Super easy to make and FULL of flavor. Thank you 🙂
Absolutely agree, Shaye! I’m so happy you loved this recipe.
This looks great! Do you have a suggestion for a way to do this that is pescatarian/ vegetarian friendly ?
I’d use diced mushrooms and shrimp!
I’ve made eastern European cabbage rolls before and just use vegan beefy crumbles from the freezer section. Beyond meat, Boca etc are posible brands
I added mushrooms and it turned out great so you could possibly substitute mushrooms for the meat.
Great tip!
Sure thing! Perhaps trying some cauliflower rice and diced shrimp instead of the meat!
Oh myyyy goodness!!! Just made them, and they are amazing
YAY! So happy you enjoyed.
Oh myyyy word!!! Sooooo good!
omg these look amazing, exactly what i was looking for, wonderful pictures too like i can grab it and eat it
YAY! So happy you found it 🙂