LENTIL STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS

As the war in Ukraine weighs heavily on each and every one of us, I wanted to share a traditional dish. This is a vegan dish (and could be a Passover-safe dish, if you eat rice or skip the rice). #prayforukraine 🇺🇦

​INGREDIENTS
6 cups water
8 cabbage leaves
1 24-oz. jar tomato sauce, low sodium
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 12-oz. can or box (Trader Joe’s has an excellent pre-cooked box) lentils, drained and rinsed
1 cup brown rice, cooked
Salt and pepper, to taste
​
PREPARATION
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the cabbage leaves and cook for about 2 minutes each, or until soft. Set aside and discard the water. Pour in the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat.

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the onions and sauté 6–7 minutes, or until the onions begin to brown.
Add the lentils and cook for 1 minute.
Add the cooked rice, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Spread out the cabbage leaves on a clean surface and place a large spoonful of the lentil mixture in the center of each, on top of the stem. Roll the cabbage leaf up over the filling, burrito-style. Place all the rolls seam-side down in the pot with the tomato sauce and simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes.
Makes 2 main-dish servings or 4 side dish servings.