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4.48 from 17 votes

Italian Cabbage and Rice

There's really no way to mess this up. Make it more soupy (add more water) for wintertime, or more dry for the hot summer weather. There's no right or wrong amount of vegetables, and as long as the rice is cooked, the length of cooking time can vary greatly too, and will not affect the final outcome in a significant way; it's a very forgiving meal!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Christina Conte

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 or 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 3/4 cup tomato purée or fresh tomatoes, pureed in a blender
  • 4 to 5 cups water
  • 1 medium Savoy cabbage
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt more or less to your preference; you can always add more later
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 to 1 cup arborio rice or any other rice
  • grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese to serve, optional

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot, over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion and celery when hot. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until onion starts to become opaque.
  • Remove the core from the cabbage (I eat this part, it's very yummy and good for you too!) and chop into thin strips.
  • Meanwhile, add the tomato purée to the celery and onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Next, add the water (you can always add more later) and salt; then add the cabbage. Stir often, and bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, still continuing to stir occasionally.
  • Then add the rice. Use less for a more soupy dish, more for a drier result.
  • Stir well, and continue to simmer for 30-40 minutes, until rice is cooked.
  • Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano) cheese!

Notes

This is a perfect crock pot meal too. Just sauté the veggies, then transfer to the crock pot, adding the rest of the ingredients. Let cook all day. Easy-peasy!!

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 7.8mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1.1mg