I have to say right off the bat that this post was solely inspired by a photo I saw in the beautiful new cookbook by Mimi Thorisson, A Kitchen In France. In fact the recipe name she calls it is, Chou Farci.
Instead of individual rolls of stuffed cabbage like most of us are use to seeing, her recipe was made and molded into a cake-like form by building layers of meat and vegetable filling and then wrapping it all into a beautiful little package of lacy savoy cabbage leaves.
After reading her recipe, which I’m sure is  quite delicious, I thought it would be fun to make my Italian style version of this stuffed cabbage cake just the way I make my own stuffed cabbage.
 You’ll need a round, deep souffle or casserole dish because you’re going to layer the bottom and sides with the cabbage leaves as well as each layer of filling and the top. After it’s baked together you let it rest a bit, then invert it onto a serving plate.
 All the filling stays neatly contained inside the wrapped cabbage leaves. It looks like there’s a cute little tree on top doesn’t it?
 But I just couldn’t keep it unadorned, so I decided to embellish it with warm marinara and freshly grated parmesan cheese, just like frosting on a cake!
 This way of presenting stuffed cabbage takes a simple meal and elevates it to something very special. You can try Mimi’s version, or use a filling that your own family would like, the sky’s the limit!  Just follow the directions for the cabbage layout and you’re good to go.
NOTE AND UPDATE
For some reason I’m not able to edit my recipe but please note to add in the rice along with the meat, #4 in the instructions.
Here’s my Italian style version.
- 1 head of savoy cabbage, it has pretty lacy leaves
- 1½ pound of good quality ground beef or turkey
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 small red pepper, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup of grated romano or parmesan cheese
- ½ cup of marinara sauce plus extra for topping mold and plating
- 1 cup of cooked rice
- 1 egg
- olive oil
- fresh chopped basil and parsley, a small bunch of each
- salt and pepper
- Core and separate the leaves from the savoy cabbage, then cook them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, pat dry and set aside.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a deep souffle type dish and then arrange the prettiest and largest leaf on the bottom. Place another leaf on top of that and up the sides of the dish all around.
- In a large saute pan cook your meat until you see no pink, if it needs to be drained of added grease do so and set aside.
- Add olive oil to the pan and cook the onions, carrots, garlic and diced red pepper until soft, then toss it all together with the cooked meat.
- Add the grated cheese, marinara and fresh herbs, toss til well coated, let it cool then toss in the egg.
- Put your first layer down, about ½ inch then layer a cabbage leaf on top. Repeat until you reach the top or run out of filling.
- Finish with cabbage on top making sure to tuck it in the dish all around.
- Drizzle the top with olive oil, salt and pepper and a sprinkling of romano cheese all over.
- Bake at 350 for around 40 minutes.
- Let it rest then invert a serving plate over the souffle dish, then flip it over.
- Cut into slices and serve with additional warmed marinara and more grated cheese.
Â
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
So very good and a huge hit. I made it vegan with Impossible grounds, aquafaba for the egg, Violife parmesan, and Napa cabbage from my garden. Beautiful and tasty! Thank you!
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Can one use Impossible Meat? Also Flaxseed is a good substitute for egg allergies
Sure why not, I’ve never had it but I heard it was good, give it a try!
It’s fabulous, although I made it vegan with Impossible grounds, aquafaba, and Violife Just Like Parmesan cheese and cabbage from my garden.
Hi,
First time on your blog. I love the pictures and the presentation. Could I make this without the the rice and use extra veggies instead? Thanks. Luisa
I don’t see why not Luisa, let me know how it turns out!
Hi Marie just discovered your recipes and blog – I am in Heaven right now I am cooking your chicken cacciatore as I type this and it looks and smells fantastic so I guess I did everything right – I am going to try this cabbage cake next but I have a question for you do I have to add an egg? I know it is for binding but my husband is allergic to eggs will it still hold? He would love this recipe – thanks for your beautiful pictures they inspire me and because they look soooooo delicious I will be trying a lot of your recipes my family loves Italian food so this is very exciting for us. Can’t rate the cabbage cake for taste yet because I haven’t made it but it gets the 5 stars for looks . I just tasted the chicken cacciatore and it is definitely 5 stars it is ymmy, ymmy – annette
It’s only one egg Annette, don’t worry about it, maybe add a bit more rice to help bind it, it should be fine, and a big welcome to my blog!
I am absolutely addicted to this recipe. The only thing is that in the instructions, it doesn’t say when to add the rice. Therefore I didn’t realized it until after I had It all put together that I never added the rice. I looked back at the recipe but I didn’t see it in your instruction. It held together great and taste amazing. Thank you!
Sorry Joanna, I will change that, but so glad you liked it!
OMG! I can’t wait to try this recipe out – it looks positively yummy!
Terrific! Really great directions! I made this for company and all of us loved it. I used a ceramic round soufflé dish and sprayed it with pam. I t just popped out perfectly. Thanks for the recipe and the great directions. Diane
Hello!
This looks wonderful! I was wondering, do you think this would work with
a Dutch Oven if I left the lid off? Or a deep rectangle cake pan?
If so how would you suggest I cook in regards to heat and time?
I don’t see why not as long as it’s not too big, it should work, let me know if you try it!
Would it work with regular cabbage? I would love to try this for supper tomorrow but only have the regular white cabbage on hand.
Oh I’m sure it would work with regular cabbage, no problem
Looks great – what size deep dish do you recommend?
That was a deep 8 inch dish, like a souffle dish John
My husband made this for dinner last Saturday night.
It was so delicious. The three of us enjoyed it so much.
My son stopped by on Sunday and he was it and asked
if he could try a piece. Needless to say he loved it
also.
Another great recipe of yours tha we love.
.
Love stuffed cabbage. Marie, this looks gorgeous! Thank you!
Brilliant! And festive too. Thanks for sharing — it’s going on the menu.
Marie, I hope you had a terrific birthday – with a cake frosted with buttercream. My, but this is absolutely glorious. What a wonderful idea, and I just love how the cabbage leaves look. This is a dish for a real celebration. I have to try this.
when do you add the rice, i dont see on instructions
Sorry I have to fix that! Just add the cooked rice in with the meat mixture Pat.
Hi Marie,
I will be trying this for sure, it looks wonderful. Can you add a link to save it to Pinterest? After December 10th Ziplist will not be supporting the site. I love your recipes!
When do you put in the rice? Do you mix it with the ground beef?
This recipe looks wonderful. I am part Polish and make cabbage rolls once in a while, but this is a more sophisticated looking presentation. Love it.
Yes Judy, mix it in with the beef mixture, hope you like it!
Marie – I do love cabbage and I will definitely be making this! I will have to substitute the rice though because of diabetes, so cauliflower rice it will be, and I think it will be fine as a sub. Thanks for another great recipe.
That’s a great idea with cauliflower rice, it will be delicious!
I love cookbooks and I’m forever inspired by them. The dish looks delicious and what a nice surprise when you cut into it.
This looks fabulous, Marie! I think it looks even easier to make it this way than doing individual rolls, and it certainly makes a beautiful presentation!
I could not decide what category this should be pinned under. I settled on dinner, but I think it really should have a category of its own. I love good cabbage rolls, but this makes them glamourous.
Oh this is gorgeous Marie. It’s almost a shame to cover up that cute “tree” of cabbage veins. I have been wanting to make something similar, but using salmon instead of the ground meat. You’re always so inspiring.
You just brought me back to my childhood, when my Mutti would make stuffed cabbage. I loved it! It has been many, many years since I’ve made stuffed cabbage. What a glorious presentation! I need to invite a couple over for a dinner party. I want a good reason to make this! Beautiful job.
I have this bookmarked from Mimi’s book……………but I think I will try your version w/ the tomato sauce! My grandmother made a stuffed cabbage w/ sweet & sour tomato sauce w/ raisins, and I loved it.
I can’t help myself…I have to make this. It’s BEAUTIFUL!