One Pot Rice and Cabbage Stew Recipe

Cabbage and rice stew two plates with bread

One Pot Rice and Cabbage Stew Recipe

Sweet cabbage, tender rice, olive oil, and tomato simmer together into a light yet satisfying one-pot meal that Greeks grew up eating at home. It’s naturally vegetarian, nourishing, budget-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights when you want something cozy without feeling heavy. Simple, honest, Mediterranean cooking at its best. The kind of dish you make once and crave all week.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Servings 4

Calories 360 kcal

Ingredients

1 small cabbage
⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 leeks (the white part), chopped
½ cup celery leaves, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
¾ cup (180ml) tomato sauce (passata)
2 cups (500ml) hot water or vegetable broth
½ cup (120g) white parboiled rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Serving

Fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley

Instructions

Discard cabbage outer leaves and cut into quarters. Cut the stem off of each quarter, and cut then cut it into big square chunks.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the onions and leeks. Stir well for 2-3 minutes until softened and translucent. Add carrots, celery leaves, tomato paste, and tomato sauce (passata) for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the cabbage for another 5 minutes. Stir well and season to taste.
Pour carefully hot water (or vegetable broth) to cover all the ingredients and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid. Stir occasionally, until the cabbage is soft for about 10 minutes. Don’t overcook it. Cooking time depends mostly on the size of cabbage chunks.
Meanwhile, prepare the rice and thoroughly rinse it under cool water. Drain. When cabbage is soft, add the rice in the pot. Taste and season if needed, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until rice is ready.
If you want more liquid in your stew, uncover the pot while simmering the rice, add some hot water, about ¼ cup (60ml). Repeat if needed but don’t add too much. When the rice is ready, remove from heat.
If you like thicker stews, remove from heat and keep the pot covered until the liquid is absorbed.
Serve with fresh lemon juice, freshly ground pepper, parsley, and feta cheese (for vegetarians).

Notes

The nutritional information below is an estimate and may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used, as well as preparation methods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 360kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 6gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gSodium: 400mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 5800IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 2.4mg

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