Boca Essentials Speedy Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Zesty Sauce

I am so excited to share the mouth-watering recipe with you. The folks at Boca sent over some boxes of their new tasty Boca Essentials vegetarian burgers for me to sample. I used to eat the original Boca Burgers in college but these new Boca Essentials are waaaay better! I am talking about flavor packed, protein rich, deliciousness!

Here’s some info for ya:

New Boca Essentials is a line of vegetable- and grain-based patties that offers a source of “complete protein” to people looking for meatless meal options. Complete protein refers to the nine essential amino acids that the human body needs, but cannot produce on its own.
While many of these amino acids are typically found in meat, each new Boca Essentials flavor contains all nine, in the correct proportion, to offer a protein-packed and delicious choice for those looking for meat alternative meal options and energy to help fuel their days.

My lunch today: Boca Essentials Burgers with steamed edamame
and sweet and sour dipping sauce.

My favorite is the Chile Relleno, with green chile peppers, black beans, and rice. I like these simply heated and dipped in a sauce. But for today, I wanted to go out of the box and create a recipe you would never think of as vegetarian much less filled with Boca Burgers {and trust me you don’t miss the meat!}.

And that friends is how I dreamed up Speedy Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Zesty Sauce.

I have had cabbage rolls before and they are usually made with ground beef and take a long time to prep and cook {we’re talking 2+ hours}. But by using cooked rice, Boca Essentials Burgers, and steamed cabbage they bake in about 30 minutes! Top with a zesty tomato sauce and you have got yourself one healthy, protein packed meal!

Ingredients:

Makes 4 servings

Cabbage Rolls

1/2 head green cabbage, 8-10 large leaves and 1 cup chopped
2 packages Boca Essentials Burgers (8 burgers total), thawed and diced
2 cups rice, cooked (I used Yellow Saffron)
salt and pepper, to taste

Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare the cabbage leaves.

Wash the cabbage then place the cabbage in the microwave for 6 minutes. The leaves will be tender and perfect for rolling. Optional: you can also blanch the leaves for 1-2 minutes in boiling water then cool in an ice bath.
Cut out as much of the core as you can from the bottom of the cabbage, then carefully separate the leaves from the head. You will need 8-10 leaves for this recipe.
Chop some of the remaining leaves to make 1 cup of chopped cabbage and reserve.
Mix the diced Boca Burgers with the cooked rice then add salt and pepper.
Divide this mixture into 8-10 cylinder shapes. Place a cylinder of filling near the bottom of a cabbage leaf. Begin to roll it up, folding both sides over the filling, and finish rolling to enclose the filling, like an eggroll. Continue, filling and rolling all the cabbage leaves.
Meanwhile, over medium heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Sauté the diced onion until soft and golden. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, then add the reserved chopped cabbage and sauté briefly.
Add the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower and simmer for 5 minutes.
Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan with a layer of sauce. Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, on top of sauce.
Top cabbage rolls with remaining sauce then cover the whole pan with tin foil.
Bake for 30 minutes then serve hot with sauce ladled on top.

Recipe adapted from http://parsleysagesweet.com

I used two varieties of Boca Essentials for this recipe {you can use one or all three, it’s up to you!}.

Here’s a quick way to prepare your cabbage leaves.

Wash the cabbage then place in the microwave for 6 minutes.

The leaves will be tender and perfect for rolling.

Cut out as much of the core as you can from the bottom of the cabbage.

Carefully separate the leaves from the head. You will need 8-10 leaves for this recipe.

Chop some of the remaining leaves to make 1 cup of chopped cabbage and reserve.

I cooked a package of yellow saffron rice and let cool slightly.

I used about 2 cups cooked rice for this recipe.

Dice up your thawed Boca Essentials burgers.

Mix rice, diced Boca burgers, and salt and pepper together in a bowl.

Divide this mixture into 8-10 cylinder shapes. Place a cylinder of filling near the bottom of a cabbage leaf. Begin to roll it up, folding both sides over the filling, and finish rolling to enclose the filling, like an eggroll.

Continue, filling and rolling all the cabbage leaves. I ended up making 8 large rolls.

Meanwhile, over medium heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Sauté the diced onion until soft and golden. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, then add the reserved chopped cabbage and sauté briefly.

Add the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower and simmer for 5 minutes.

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan with a layer of sauce.

Place cabbage rolls, seam side down, on top of sauce.

Top cabbage rolls with remaining sauce then cover the whole pan with tin foil.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve cabbage rolls hot with extra sauce ladled on top.

Meat-free has never looked-or tasted- so good!

Since 2000, the Boca brand has been providing veggie burgers and meatless products to vegetarian and health-conscious consumers. Check out their website here.