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–+ servings
Cabbage Casserole recipe varza a la cluj de post

Cabbage Casserole

A hearty Romanian-style casserole layering tangy pickled cabbage with rice, buckwheat and smoky soy chunks in a crushed tomato sauce. Completely vegan comfort food, ready in about 1 hour 20 minutes and even better the next day.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Choose Serving Size 6

Ingredients 

  • 6 cups cabbage pickled, shredded, divided
  • 2 cups rice cooked
  • 1 cup buckwheat cooked
  • 1 cup textured soy protein chunks
  • 1 cup vegetable broth hot, or water
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil divided
  • 2 onions chopped, divided
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 Tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 3 Tbsp dill chopped, divided
  • 2 cups tomatoes canned, crushed, divided
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, add the soy chunks and the hot vegetable broth. Stir to combine and set aside to soak.
  • Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add half of the chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).
  • Heat another skillet over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil, then the cumin, the remaining chopped onion and the crushed garlic. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.
  • Drain the excess liquid from the soy chunks and add the soy to the skillet. Add the buckwheat and stir to combine.
  • Cook for about 5 more minutes. Add the smoked paprika, 1 cup of the crushed tomatoes, half of the chopped dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook until all the liquid is absorbed and the flavors are combined.
  • Add the nutritional yeast, give it a stir, cover and set aside.
  • Grease a baking dish with the last Tbsp of olive oil.
  • Add a layer of cooked cabbage to the bottom of the dish (use ½ of the cooked cabbage).
  • Layer the cooked soy mix on top.
  • Next, layer the cooked rice and add the remaining cooked cabbage as the final layer.
  • Top with the remaining 1 cup of crushed tomatoes and the remaining chopped dill. Bake for about 30 minutes.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

If your pickled cabbage is very salty or sour, rinse and drain it well before cooking. The casserole tastes even better the next day and freezes well.