Garlic Soy Napa Cabbage Rolls Recipe
Garlic Soy Napa Cabbage Rolls are a delicious fusion dish featuring tender napa cabbage leaves filled with a savory mixture of ground beef, mushrooms, and aromatics, all glazed with a flavorful garlic soy sauce. The cabbage leaves are lightly blanched to soften, then rolled with a rich filling and pan-seared until golden, making for a comforting and healthy meal with Asian-inspired flavors.
- Author: Isla
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 15 cabbage rolls, serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
For the cabbage rolls:
- 15 napa cabbage leaves
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds for garnishing
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tsp chili sauce
- Prepare the cabbage: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the napa cabbage leaves and cook for 2.5 to 3 minutes until just softened. Remove the leaves, pat dry with a clean towel, and set aside.
- Make the filling: In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced red onion, chopped mushrooms, and ground beef. Sauté until the ground beef is no longer pink and the mushrooms have released their moisture, stirring occasionally to break up the meat.
- Make the sauce: While the filling cooks, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and chili sauce in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth.
- Combine filling and sauce: Pour most of the prepared sauce into the pan with the cooked filling mixture. Stir well and let everything simmer together for 2 to 3 minutes to meld the flavors. Remove from heat.
- Assemble and cook cabbage rolls: Trim the thick stem base from each softened cabbage leaf. Place 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of the beef and mushroom filling near the base of each leaf. Roll the leaf tightly like a dumpling, folding in the sides as you roll. Return the pan to medium heat, add a touch of oil if necessary, and cook the rolls for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly browned and heated through.
- Serve: Arrange the cabbage rolls on a serving plate. Drizzle with the reserved sauce and garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- These cabbage rolls pair wonderfully with a side of steamed vegetables or a light salad for a balanced meal.
- You can alternatively bake the assembled rolls covered with foil in a baking dish for 25 minutes at 180°C (350°F) for a hands-off cooking method.
- For a saucier version, add extra soy sauce or a bit of tomato sauce or broth while cooking the filling or baking the rolls.
Keywords: Napa cabbage rolls, ground beef recipe, garlic soy sauce, Asian cabbage rolls, savory cabbage rolls, mushroom beef filling, pan-seared cabbage rolls