Cabbage with Rice is one of our favourite vegetarian rice dishes to serve at an Italian feast.
Our cheesy Cabbage and Rice recipe is quick and easy to make, ready to serve in under 45 minutes!
Fork through this fluffy rice dish featuring flavourful olive oil, onion, long grain rice, butter, black pepper, parmesan cheese, savoy cabbage, lemon zest and fresh basil.
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Simple Cabbage with Rice Recipe
This Cabbage Rice recipe is the perfect example of a last minute meal you can make with simple and affordable ingredients.
The Italian-inspired recipe features common kitchen ingredient stables and is very versatile so a great way to use up foods loitering in your fridge and pantry.
When most people think of an Italian rice dish they immediately think of risotto, a creamy and hearty dish prepared with short grain rice.
In this Cabbage and Rice recipe we use long grain rice, which when cooked and gently stirred with a fork is both light and fluffy.
Butter and parmesan add a lovely creamy and cheesy flavour while onions and chopped cabbage offer tender nibbles.
Heaps of cracked black pepper and lemon zest give the dish a final zing!
Enjoy as a bowl on its own for a simple lunch or last minute dinner, or pair with a fresh salad for a well rounded vegetarian meal.
Or serve as a side dish at a large Italian dinner party with your favourite seafood, grilled meat and pasta dishes.
Travel to Italy by Cooking Cabbage and Rice at Home
I love traveling to Europe!
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland,Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, Turkey and Italy.
What I love most about traveling to Italy is the opportunity to sample unique dishes in each region and city. The dishes in Tuscany (Florence, Pisa, Volterra, Saturnia, Pitigliano, Sorano, Montalcino, Siena) are unique from what you’d find in Venice, Modena, Milan, Rome, and Amalfi Coast.
Once back home from an Italian holiday you’ll have a newfound appreciation for the regional flavours of Italy and can impress friends and family by making this easy cheesy Cabbage with Rice recipe!
Where To Eat Cabbage with Rice
If you live in a large city in Canada or America you’ll likely have access to a local Italian restaurant that serves Cabbage Rice.
Haven’t traveled to Italy before? It may be helpful to first sample Cabbage and Rice at a local Italian restaurant to better understand how the dish is served. You can also assess the ideal texture of the rice, cabbage to rice ratio and amount of shredded cheese to make the dish perfectly creamy.
In Toronto, popular Italian restaurants in Yorkville, King West and Ossington that may serve Cabbage with Rice as a side dish include Bar Vendetta, Buca, Superpoint, Amano, Fabbrica, Oretta, FIGO, Nodo, Locale Mercatto, The Good Son, Taverna Mercatto, Ascari Enoteca, Il Fornello or Gusto 101.
My Family Loves Cabbage and Rice
I love cooking Italian food for my family.
I first made this Cabbage with Rice dish on a winter weekend at our cottage in Muskoka.
I knew my family would fall in love with Cabbage and Rice as my parents love carbs and cheese. They love eating out at Italian restaurants to fork through creamy risotto and pretty pasta bowls.
Each steaming spoonful is a gastronomic delight! In each bite you’ll enjoy hints of al dente long grain rice, vibrant lemon rind, cheesy parmesan, creamy butter, tender cabbage and herbaceous basil.
We love serving this dish with fresh salads and grilled beef, pork or chicken.
Health Benefits
Our cheesy rice recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
Onions are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Nearly 50% of the people in the world get over 50% of their daily calories from rice. If eating brown rice featuring nutritious bran you’ll enjoy health benefits like cancer risk reduction and diabetes control.
An excellent source of vitamins K and C, cabbage helps keep your bones, blood, and immune system healthy.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
The eugenol in basil can block calcium channels, which may help to lower blood pressure. The essential oils in the herb can help to lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. Basil also contains magnesium, which can help to improve blood flow by allowing muscles and blood vessels to relax.
A rich source of phytochemicals and vitamin C, lemons help boost your immune system and neutralize free radicals that cause disease and skin aging. Lemons also protect against heart disease and help improve blood flow to the brain.
Cooking Tips
This simple vegetarian Italian rice recipe is a quick and easy comfort food to make at home.
- Use a high quality Dutch Oven to prepare cabbage and rice.
- You can use any long grain rice, like basmati or jasmine.
- We’ve used a Spanish cooking onion but you can substitute for white onion, shallots or sweet Vidalia onion.
- We’ve used savoy cabbage in this recipe but you could use napa cabbage or green cabbage.
- Slice the cabbage as thinly as possible, preferably using a mandolin, to ensure there aren’t any large chunks of cabbage in the dish.
- We’ve garnished the dish with fresh basil but you can substitute with parsley or chives if you prefer.
- We’ve used Parmigiano Reggiano in this recipe but you can substitute for another aged cheese like Gouda, Boschetto al Tartufo, Bonnechere, Vache Maigre, Gruyere, Parrano Uniekaas, Migneron de Charlevoix, Piave Stravecchio, Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar, Louis d’Or, Ossau-Iraty Brebis, Manchego, Beemster XO and Mimolette.
- Feel free to add an additional crunch to your Italian rice by garnishing each plate with toasted or roasted pine nuts or hazelnuts.
What To Serve with Cabbage and Rice
There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up to a bowl of cheesy rice.
For a light lunch pair a simple bowl of Italian Cabbage and Rice with with fresh salads like Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad, Roasted Beetroot Salad, Garlic Lemon Chickpea Avocado Salad and Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad.
If you’re hosting an Italian-themed dinner party we suggest serving Cabbage Rice alongside:
- Negroni Spritz Cocktail
- Amaretto Disaronno Sour Cocktail
- Aperol Gin Cocktail
- Italian Prosecco and Gin Cocktail
- Sartu Di Riso Italian Baked Risotto
- Vegetarian Gorgonzola Risotto al Radicchio
- Crispy Roast Chicken and Leek Risotto
- Ndunderi Amalfi Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi
- Maccheroni al Ferretto Pasta with Beef Ragu
- Creamy Prime Rib Pasta
- Crispy Roast Chicken and Leek Risotto
- Easy Caprese Gnocchi Cheese Bake Casserole
- Fresh Fig Prosciutto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Homemade Corzetti Pasta
- Burrata Bruschetta Crostini with Tomato Chutney
- Culurgiones Sardinian Cheese & Potato Stuffed Pasta
- Caramelized Shallot Pasta in Cream Sauce
- Involtini di Pollo with Prosciutto, Pine Nuts, & Cheese
- Creamy Parmesan Ditalini Soup
- nstant Pot Short Rib Ragu Recipe
- Italian Porridge Cheesy Polenta
- Pici Cacio e Pepe Pasta
You May Also Enjoy These Rice Recipes…
- Healthy Adas Polo Persian Lentil Rice
- Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice
- Vegan Curry Leaf Rice with Cashews
- Khao Pad Sapparod Thai Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice
- Vegan One Pot Indian Thakkali Tomato Biryani
- Spicy Gukbap Korean Rice & Beef Soup
- Turkish Mint Yogurt Corbasi Soup
- Romanian Soup Ciorba de Perisoare
- Spicy Pork Bibimbap
How To Make Italian Cabbage Rice
Cabbage with Rice
Equipment
- saucepan
- Frech knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Wooden Spoon or Spatiula
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Spanish Onion chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Long Grain Rice
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 3 cups Boiling Water
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 4 oz Parmesan Cheese grated
- 4 cups Savoy or Napa Cabbage shredded
- 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
- 1/4 cup Basil chopped
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 8-10 minutes, until soft and translucent.
- Add the rice and half the butter to the saucepan and stir gently for a minute. Then begin adding the boiling water a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly, ensuring that each ladle is absorbed before adding the next. Once you have used 1/3 of the water, check the rice to see if if is cooked through. Continue stirring and adding water until the rice is cooked to your liking.
- Add the pepper and parmesan and stir rapidly to ensure the mixture is creamy and smooth. Stir in the cabbage, lemon zest and remaining butter. Mix well then take the pan off the heat and ladle into serving bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and top with chopped basil. Serve hot.
Nutrition
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