Sweet, savory, and totally cozy — these Vegan Cabbage Rolls With Lentils and Rice crockpot recipe hits all the comfort-food buttons without any animal products. Think of them as stuffed little parcels of goodness: brown rice + brown lentils + mushrooms + herbs, all wrapped in tender cabbage and slow-cooked in marinara. They make great meal prep, freeze beautifully, and somehow impress even picky eaters. Sounds like magic? It kind of is.
Why you’ll love these cabbage rolls
- Budget-friendly and pantry-friendly — beans, rice, cabbage.
- Meal-prep dream — make ahead, refrigerate, freeze.
- 100% vegan but still hearty and satisfying.
- Crowd-pleaser — guests think you slaved over them (you didn’t — slow cooker did).
Ever wonder why cabbage rolls feel fancier than they are? Because rolling looks like effort, and people respect effort. Little do they know the crockpot does the heavy lifting.
Ingredients (makes 8 rolls — exact as requested)
- 1 head green cabbage (savoy cabbage works best)
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 cups cooked brown lentils
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup diced baby portobello mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
- ¼ cup chopped dill
- ½ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 2 ½ cups marinara sauce (of your choice)
- ½ cup water
Bold tip: Use pre-cooked rice and lentils to speed things up. I often cook a double batch and freeze portions for recipes like this.
Quick recipe info
Prep Time: 30 minutes • Cook Time: 1 hour (Crockpot: 4–5 hrs high / 8–10 hrs low) • Course: Entree • Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 • Calories: 143 kcal per roll (approx.)
Equipment (simple & kitchen-friendly)
- Large pot (for boiling the cabbage leaves)
- Colander and paper towels (for draining leaves)
- 3-quart or larger Crock Pot (or a dutch oven if you prefer oven cooking)
- Large bowl (for mixing filling)
- Wooden spoon / spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
You don’t need fancy tools. If you own a crockpot, you already win.
Step-by-step Instructions for Vegan Cabbage Rolls With Lentils and Rice
Cooking the cabbage leaves
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Carefully drop the whole cabbage into the pot and boil for about 5 minutes.
- Remove and put in a colander set over a bowl to drain and cool slightly.
- Peel off the outer leaves that feel pliable. Repeat boiling/draining until you have 8 cabbage leaves.
- Lay them on paper towels and pat dry twice so the leaves don’t get soggy.
Prepare the filling
- Cook the brown rice and brown lentils separately (follow package instructions).
- In a skillet, sauté the diced onion, shallot, garlic, and mushrooms until the onion turns translucent and the mushrooms release moisture.
- Stir in paprika, thyme, dill, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cooked lentils, cooked rice, sautéed veggies, and seasonings. Mix gently until even.
Roll the cabbage
- Pour 1 cup marinara + ¼ cup water into the bottom of your crockpot or dutch oven. Stir to combine.
- Place a cabbage leaf on a work surface, outer side down. Scoop ~½ cup of filling into the center. Fold the stem about one-third of the way, fold the sides in (like a burrito), and roll snugly.
- Place seam-side down on top of the marinara in the crockpot. Repeat until you have 8 rolls, stacking in one or two layers.
Finish & cook
- Add the remaining marinara and the fire-roasted tomatoes on top of the rolls.
- Crockpot: Cook on high 4–5 hours or low 8–10 hours.
- Dutch oven (oven method): Bake at 350°F for 45–60 minutes, covered, until everything heats through and flavors meld.
Serve
- Spoon a little marinara onto each plate. Carefully transfer a cabbage roll seam-side down.
- Ladle extra sauce over the roll and garnish with fresh dill and parsley.
Serving idea: Pair with a crisp salad and crusty bread.
You may also like Next recipe
Vegan Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup (Crockpot Recipe)
Notes & Make-Ahead Tips
- Make ahead: Assemble rolls and refrigerate (covered) in the crockpot base overnight. In the morning, plug it in and cook. Life-saver for busy days.
- Freezing: Freeze fully cooled rolls in labeled bags/containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating (from frozen): Thaw completely, cover, and bake at 350°F for 30–45 minutes until hot.
- Storage: Refrigerate in shallow airtight containers for up to 3–4 days.
- Pro tip: Label freezer bags with date and contents — future you will be grateful.
Nutrition (per serving — approximate)
- Calories: 143 kcal
- Carbs: 29 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Sodium: 169 mg
- Potassium: 427 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
These rolls pack decent fiber and low fat, so they work great for balanced meal planning. Who knew comfort food could behave so well?
Variations & Flavor Boosts
- Add nuts: Stir in ¼ cup toasted walnuts or pine nuts for extra texture.
- Spice it up: Mix in ½ tsp red pepper flakes or a dash of smoked paprika.
- Greens boost: Add chopped spinach or kale to the filling for color and nutrients.
- Swap rice: Use quinoa for a higher-protein twist.
- Herb swap: Swap dill for parsley or fresh basil if you prefer.
IMO, a little smoked paprika makes the filling sing — try it once and you’ll understand.
Comparison: Crockpot vs Dutch Oven
Crockpot (slow cooker):
- Pros: Set and forget, great for busy schedules, tender results.
- Cons: Takes longer, less caramelization.
Dutch Oven (oven):
- Pros: Faster finish, more control over braise, optional browning before baking.
- Cons: Requires more hands-on time and oven space.
Which should you pick? If you want an effortless dinner while you run errands, crockpot. If you want a slightly brighter tomato flavor and faster finish, go dutch oven. Both produce comforting rolls — so really, you can’t lose.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Q: My cabbage leaves split when rolling — help!
A: Trim the thicker stem end with a paring knife and fold that trimmed edge under when rolling. Also, don’t overfill — ~½ cup filling works well.
Q: Can I use jarred marinara?
A: Absolutely. Use a quality jarred sauce or homemade — both work great.
Q: Can I make gluten-free?
A: Yes — the recipe contains no gluten if you use gluten-free broth and confirm your marinara.
Q: Can I skip the mushrooms?
A: Sure. Add extra lentils or some grated carrot to bulk up the filling.
Final thoughts (because I always have them)
I love these Vegan Cabbage Rolls With Lentils and Rice crockpot recipes because they look like something that took all day, but most of the time you just prep, stack, and let the slow cooker do the rest. They rehearse well, freeze well, and feed a crowd. Honestly, I make these when I want comfort food that behaves like meal prep too. What’s better than that?
So, are you going to try making a batch this Sunday? Bake a loaf of bread, put on a playlist, and let the smells fill your kitchen. Your future self will thank you — and your freezer will high-five you later.
Vegan Cabbage Rolls With Lentils and Rice
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cooking the cabbage leaves
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.
- Carefully drop the whole cabbage into the pot and boil for about 5 minutes.
- Remove and put in a colander set over a bowl to drain and cool slightly.
- Peel off the outer leaves that feel pliable. Repeat boiling/draining until you have 8 cabbage leaves.
- Lay them on paper towels and pat dry twice so the leaves don’t get soggy.
- Prepare the filling
- Cook the brown rice and brown lentils separately (follow package instructions).
- In a skillet, sauté the diced onion, shallot, garlic, and mushrooms until the onion turns translucent and the mushrooms release moisture.
- Stir in paprika, thyme, dill, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cooked lentils, cooked rice, sautéed veggies, and seasonings. Mix gently until even.
- Roll the cabbage
- Pour 1 cup marinara + ¼ cup water into the bottom of your crockpot or dutch oven. Stir to combine.
- Place a cabbage leaf on a work surface, outer side down. Scoop ~½ cup of filling into the center. Fold the stem about one-third of the way, fold the sides in (like a burrito), and roll snugly.
- Place seam-side down on top of the marinara in the crockpot. Repeat until you have 8 rolls, stacking in one or two layers.
- Finish & cook
- Add the remaining marinara and the fire-roasted tomatoes on top of the rolls.
- Crockpot: Cook on high 4–5 hours or low 8–10 hours.
- Dutch oven (oven method): Bake at 350°F for 45–60 minutes, covered, until everything heats through and flavors meld.
- Serve
- Spoon a little marinara onto each plate. Carefully transfer a cabbage roll seam-side down.
- Ladle extra sauce over the roll and garnish with fresh dill and parsley.
- Serving idea: Pair with a crisp salad and crusty bread
Notes
Notes & Make-Ahead Tips
- Make ahead: Assemble rolls and refrigerate (covered) in the crockpot base overnight. In the morning, plug it in and cook. Life-saver for busy days.
- Freezing: Freeze fully cooled rolls in labeled bags/containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating (from frozen): Thaw completely, cover, and bake at 350°F for 30–45 minutes until hot.
- Storage: Refrigerate in shallow airtight containers for up to 3–4 days.
- Pro tip: Label freezer bags with date and contents — future you will be grateful.
Nutrition (per serving — approximate)
- Calories: 143 kcal
- Carbs: 29 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Sodium: 169 mg
- Potassium: 427 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
Hi — I’m Rachel. I’m a wife, a mom, and a home cook who believes that food should bring comfort, joy, and compassion to the table. I live with my family — two hungry little foodies who are my most honest recipe testers — and together we’ve built a kitchen culture that’s all about good food that happens to be 100% vegan. I started this blog because I wanted a place to share the recipes that keep our days moving, the dishes that make weeknights feel a little easier, and the meals that become our little family traditions.