My Greek-inspired Mediterranean Cabbage Rolls- (Lahanodolmathes) are not what I would consider 100% traditional by Greek standards, however, they are completely delicious comfort food made of cabbage, ground lamb, feta cheese, onions, dill, oregano, lemon juice and Greek White Wine with a lavish egg and Lemon Sauce.
Almost every ethnic background has their “Traditional Cabbage Roll” recipe that makes it way into ovens come the long-awaited cooler weather. I decided to make a “Greek-inspired Cabbage Roll” this time, changing the traditional recipe into one of my own.
In Greek cuisine, the word dolma usually refers to the stuffing of vegetables most commonly found in the Middle East, Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia, as well as Cyprus. The most common vegetables to stuff are tomatoes, peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant, and garlic.
The stuffing for dolmas may or may not include meat. Meat filled Dolmas are usually plated warm, the most common way they are served is with an avgolemono (egg and lemon) sauce, others prefer a tomato sauce over theirs. Stuffed vegetables are also common in Italian cuisine, and are often called ripieni. Below you will find our version of Stuffed Mediterranean Cabbage Rolls – Lahanodolmathes
Mediterranean Cabbage Rolls – Lahanodolmathes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 and 1/4 cup chicken stock, plus 1/4 cup
- 1 cup rice
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound of ground lamb
- 4 ounces of feta cheese
- 1 whole egg
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill weed
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh Greek oregano
- Juice of one lemon +more
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 of a cup Greek white wine
- 1-2 heads of cabbages, cored
Directions for Cabbage Rolls
- In a medium saucepan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 and 1/4 cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil, then add 1 cup of rice and a dash of kosher salt. Stir rice well, let it boil 5 minutes uncovered. Place a tight-fitting lid on rice and turn the burner to lowest setting, till water is absorbed about 10-12 minutes. Turn off heat, remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, in a large stockpot filled with boiling salted water,(the stockpot should contain enough water to completely cover the head of cabbage. Do not overfill the pot) place cored cabbage, as the outer leaves cook, remove larger leaves one at a time with long metal tongs, place on plate till ready to use.
- Once the rice has completely cooled mix the cooked rice, ground lamb, feta cheese, 1 whole egg, finely chopped onions, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, finely chopped fresh oregano, juice of one lemon, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix ingredients thoroughly.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Cut away a portion of the center vein of cabbage, place even amounts of filling (about 3 tablespoons) on each cabbage leaf toward the center bottom, (just above the removed portion)
- Roll the leaf around the filling, by beginning from the cut end of the leaf, roll each leaf up and over the filling, tucking the leaf underneath itself tightly. Tuck the ends underneath and fold the open ends of each leaf underneath them to prevent the roll from unraveling. Place in oven safe glass casserole dish or Dutch oven seam side down. Pour Greek White Wine and Chicken stock over cabbage rolls. Cover tightly.
- Bake tightly covered Cabbage Rolls in 350-degree oven 40-45 minutes.
Egg Lemon sauce – untraditional Avgolemono
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon of heavy cream
- Juice of 5 lemons
- 1 cup Chicken stock or juice from the casserole
- 2 ounces feta crumbles
- 1 tablespoon of flour
Directions
- Whisk the egg yolks and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Slowly temper in 1 cup heated chicken stock or juice from Cabbage Rolls into the egg yolks, add the lemon juice, feta cheese, and flour, whisking thoroughly. Cook on very low heat constantly stirring till slightly thickened, about 3 – 5 minutes.
- Remove cabbage rolls from oven, and pour in the Egg-lemon Sauce over the top of the Mediterranean Cabbage Rolls, cover and let sit for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavor of sauce before serving.

- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1/4 cups Chicken Stock +1/4 cup
- 1 cup Rice
- Kosher salt, to own taste
- 3-4 ounces Feta Cheese
- 1 large Egg
- 1 medium Onion, diced
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Fresh dill weed, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Greek Oregano, finely chopped
- Kosher salt, to own taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to own taste
- 1/4 cup Greek white wine
- 1-2 heads cabbage, steamed and cored
- 5 large Egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon Heavy cream
- 5 Fresh Lemons- juice of
- 1 cup Chicken stock
- 3 ounces Feta Cheese
- 1 tablespoon Flour
-
In a medium saucepan add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 and 1/4 cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil, then add 1 cup of rice and a dash of kosher salt. Stir rice well, let it boil 5 minutes uncovered. Place a tight-fitting lid on rice and turn the burner to lowest setting, until water is absorbed about 10-12 minutes. Turn off heat, remove from heat and allow to cool.
-
Meanwhile, in a large stockpot filled with boiling salted water,(the stockpot should contain enough water to completely cover the head of cabbage. Do not overfill the pot) place cored cabbage, as the outer leaves cook, remove larger leaves one at a time with long metal tongs, place on plate until ready to use
-
Once the rice has completely cooled mix the cooked rice, ground lamb, feta cheese, 1 whole egg, finely chopped onions, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, finely chopped fresh oregano, juice of one lemon, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix ingredients thoroughly.
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
-
Cut away a portion of the center vein of cabbage, place even amounts of filling (about 3 tablespoons) on each cabbage leaf toward the center bottom, (just above the removed portion)
-
Roll the leaf around the filling, by beginning from the cut end of the leaf, roll each leaf up and over the filling, tucking the leaf underneath itself tightly. Tuck the ends underneath and fold the open ends of each leaf underneath them to prevent the roll from unraveling. Place in oven safe glass casserole dish or Dutch oven seam side down. Pour Greek White Wine and Chicken stock over cabbage rolls. Cover tightly.
-
Bake tightly covered Cabbage Rolls in 350-degree oven 40-45 minutes.
-
Whisk the egg yolks and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Slowly temper in 1 cup heated chicken stock or juice from Cabbage Rolls into the egg yolks, add the lemon juice, feta cheese, and flour, whisking thoroughly. Cook on very low heat constantly stirring till slightly thickened, about 3 – 5 minutes.
-
Remove cabbage rolls from oven, and pour in the Egg-lemon Sauce over the top of the Mediterranean Cabbage Rolls, cover and let sit for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavor of sauce before serving.
My mom has been making stuffed vine and cabbage leaves for years and honestly yours look really good and very similar to hers. She does not add the feta or wine and adds raisins, but I am thinking she would enjoy your version too. I also love how you have started giving history on things here, my husband loves reading about it and sometimes getting a few laughs as well.
Thank you Dina for the sweet compliments!!!
I might make a few changes for my dietary needs but this looks very good and I love how it has an egg lemon sauce.
Awesome let me know how it turns out Mary!!!
This sounds so delicious, Heidy. I have never tried anything like this before!
Thank you Nicole, they are outstanding <3
These look awesome Heidy! I think my family would enjoy this. I just recently made stuffed swiss chard leaves. 🙂
That sounds fantastic, did you blog it? if so I am going to have to check this recipe out!!!!
Your cabbage rolls sound so good. I have a few heads of cabbage left from the garden and was wondering what to do with them. This recipe would be perfect! Thanks for sharing.
Blessings,
Shari
Thank you Shari, my waistline is crying they were so good! Let me know how yours turn out <3
G’day Love cabbage rolls and so reminds me of childhood Heidy!
Thanks Joanne, glad you enjoyed the recipe
These look wonderful! I really love the sauce as well as the flavorful combo for the stuffing!
I have never seen this dish before but I definitely want to try it! It looks fabulous! Thanks for a great recipe, Heidy.
Your version of cabbage rolls sounds delicious! One of my favorite cheese is feta! Glad you added it to your recipe I will be on the lookout for Greek wine!
This looks so good! I’m drooling right now. Pinned. We had so much fun partying with you at our last party. We hope to see you tonight’s party at 7 pm. We love to see what you have been working on! http://loulougirls.blogspot.com/
Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls
We will just love your Mediterranean Cabbage Rolls, they look fantastic! I am really looking forward to tasting this dish. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you real soon!
Miz Helen
This looks really great!!!! I love cabbage rolls! Thank you for linking with us at #FoodieFridays!!! Always glad to see new faces! And yours looks like it’s going to be one of my faves!
G’day These look delicious Heidy! pinned!
Cheers! Joanne