EASY ONE POT GREEK CABBAGE AND RICE STEW

Greek cabbage and rice stew (lahanorizo) is a traditional thick stew with sweet, tender cabbage, tons of seasonal veggies, and herbs thickened to perfection along with rice.

Meanwhile, somewhere on the planet … “Cabbage? Ewwww! No way”.

I hear you. I know what you are thinking. “A vegetable smelling so horrible cannot be tasteful”. Allow me to disagree and prove you wrong. Get out of your cooking comfort zone and you are going to kill it with that recipe. Bonus tip: it is even tastier the following two days, so you may enjoy it for lunch the next day.

Why this recipe works

This cabbage and rice stew dish is a classic Greek dish, quite popular in Greece. It is simple, quick, and easy to make: the cabbage, the herbs, the olive oil, and one handful of rice. That's it!

It is the sort of food you crave during long and cold winter days, the food that is hearty, filling, nourishing, and unquestionably delicious. It is a perfect recipe for home cook beginners and those who want to incorporate more veggies into their nutrition.

You will enjoy a delicious meal in about 30 minutes while reaching your daily vegetable intake. It is an amazing main meal, an excellent side dish, and even an appetizer at the same time. It's up to you to decide. How awesome is that?

The Mediterranean way of eating

This dish is an excellent representative of Mediterranean cuisine, a peasant-type meal made from the most humble ingredients. So, let’s cook like a Greek in a village back in the 1950s-1960s.

Go to your garden (grocery store for most of us), grab the freshest veggies and herbs (I know it's expensive, especially the organic ones), and throw them in a big pot. Stew them with olive oil and finish them up with some rice. Done!

Let’s jump into the details and make this delicious Greek cabbage and stew rice together.

Pick the best cabbage

Even though there are many varieties on the market today, this recipe calls for green cabbage and you have to purchase the best around your place (even better if it is organic).

To begin with, check out the cabbage’s surface. It has to be shiny, with crisp, fresh leaves, and without holes, cuts, dark spots, or scrapes. Pick one. It should be heavy, dense, firm to the touch, and the leaves tight against one another.

Keep your perfect cabbage whole until you use it. Wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in a plastic bag and store it in the fridge for about two weeks.

Cabbage cooking time

The time has come. Remove the cabbage from the fridge and discard as many outer leaves as necessary to reach the shiny, fresh layer.

Cut the cabbage into quarters, cut the stem off from each quarter, and then cut the cabbage into big square chunks. This is the secret behind a perfect cabbage stew and rice. Smaller chunks will melt during simmering and not only the main ingredient is gone but overcooking cabbage produces weird flavors and repulsive aromas. You know, this cabbage-like smell and taste we detest. Not good.

If you want more crispiness and less cabbagy (is that a word?) flavor, soak the chunks for a few minutes while you prepare the other veggies and herbs. But this is optional and maybe more necessary in raw cabbage recipes than in stewed cabbage.

More veggies and herbs

This is the fun part. It’s time to play with flavors, textures, colors. I particularly enjoy it when I have prepared my fresh greens and herbs. My kitchen smells like a vegetable garden and reminds me of my grandmother’s kitchen.

So, when the children are home, I call them in and prompt them to smell, touch, and taste the raw veggies and herbs. And when there is extra time, they are my sous chefs. I wish they have the same pleasant memories as me and maybe, just maybe, cooking and eating whole food with their kids will be their fun game too.

As always, there are countless variations of this traditional dish. The most “basic”, “traditional” version calls for onion, carrots, dill, and lemon which is the king of the plate. I should mention the addition of tomato and/or tomato paste too.

My version is very close to both and I suggest you start with this one especially if you are new to this kind of dish. Then, feel free to use your imagination and other favorite vegetables or herbs and make your favorite cabbage and rice stew version.

Add leeks, peppers, garlic, spring onions (scallions), mushrooms, zucchini, parsley, mint, thyme. Variations with sausages and meat are very popular but let’s stick to the vegan-vegetarian version for now.

My favorite Greek cabbage and rice stew combo calls for celery, leeks, and tomato paste. If you aren’t friends with celery, you may replace it with dill. Additionally, add more tomato paste or tomato sauce, if you like. It is going to be delicious either way. I highly recommend leeks for extra sweetness.

The rice

You may skip it or use less BUT keep in mind that the rice is important if you want this meal to keep you full and give you the energy you need. Half a cup of rice among tons of veggies and herbs doesn’t make this dish an unhealthy choice. Or you may skip the rice and add quinoa. I am not a quinoa fan but this food blog is no judgment area and you can do your own thing.

It is well-known that brown rice is generally considered much healthier than white. However, I don’t recommend brown rice for this recipe. The texture will be a sticky, gummy mass and this is a serious no-go for me. I like to taste and feel the texture of every single ingredient. But, again, this is me and you can make a different choice.

I use white parboiled rice in my stew because it gives the perfect almost creamy texture and it’s far less likely to clump together. For extra fluffy rice, I suggest rinsing it before cooking.

How Greeks serve cabbage and rice stew

Well done! I am so proud of you. Do you see how easy it was? Taste it. Isn’t it just heavenly delicious?

My vegan friends should be served immediately and sit at the dinner table. The rest of you, take a piece of feta cheese (or crumbles) or a spoonful of yogurt and surrender yourself to all that sweetness and sourness flavorful contrast.

It is also superlative when paired with a piece of toasted bread like my homemade country bread or pita bread, of course. Add more veggies with a delicious salad like this lettuce salad (maroulosalata) or this black-eyed pea salad. Don’t forget to serve it with a flavorful Greek white wine like Moschofilero or Assyrtiko.

Your Greek cabbage and rice stew is a perfect side dish for grilled meat and chicken, and I would recommend it as an appetizer. It is even better the following day and that’s why it is an ideal lunch. Just add some water to reheat it and enjoy your delicious meal.

I love your feedback. It keeps my kitchen alive and my spirits high. Save this recipe and leave your rate and comment below, or take a photo with your Greek cabbage and rice stew and tag me on Instagram with #30daysofgreekfood and Facebook with @30daysofgreekfood.

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