These Mexican-inspired vegan cabbage rolls are filled with brown rice, flavorful plant-based chorizo, and topped with Mexican cashew cheese and plenty of salsa. Absolutely delish!
Wash the cabbage leaves and fill a soup pot about ⅓ full with water. Bring water to a boil and submerge the cabbage leaves. Cook for about 2 minutes. Carefully remove with tongs and place the leaves on a tea towel to dry.
If the chorizo isn't already crumbled, pulse it in a food processor until ground, or finely chop by hand.
Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the onion until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chorizo plus a splash of water (to prevent sticking), and cook for 2 minutes. Add more water as necessary. Add the kale, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until the kale is wilted.
Stir in the cooked rice and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
Spread salsa in the bottom of a baking dish (my 8x10" dish holds six rolls, but you can also use a 9x13" casserole dish; you'll have enough filling to make 7 or 8 rolls).
Place a cabbage leaf on your cutting board and fill the center with the chorizo mixture. Fold in the sides so that they overlap. Then, fold in the bottom and top. Place folded side down in the baking dish. Repeat until you've used up the filling or your baking dish is full. Spoon about half of the remaining salsa onto the cabbage rolls. Set aside.
Make the cheese:
Combine the cheese ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a small sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. This happens quickly, so don't walk away! As soon as it thickens, remove from heat and spoon cheese onto the cabbage rolls.
Bake:
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese has browned slightly. Top with cilantro and avocado and enjoy!
Notes
Chorizo options: Try my seitan chorizo or if you need a gluten-free option, try this recipe for Easy Tofu Chorizo.Cabbage rolls will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheating in the microwave is the best/easiest option, as the oven will dry out the cheese and filling.