Italian Cabbage and Rice is a fantastic recipe for a beginner cook. Not only are measurements not important, but this is one of the best comfort food dishes, ever. It’s so nutritious and low fat, too!
Originally published March 15, 2012.
My grandmother used to make this in Italy. It’s a simple, peasant-type meal, but this is the sort of food I love. It was probably a meal which made the ingredients stretch further, however, it’s a really healthy meal, and tasty too, so it’s a winner all around!
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The other great thing about this Italian Cabbage and Rice recipe is that it is a great dish to try for those who want to learn to cook. If you have absolutely no confidence in the kitchen, this is for you as there’s really no way to mess it 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.
You can use any rice you like, but for the best results for this recipe, I recommend Arborio or Carnaroli rice.
Italian Cabbage and Rice
recipe passed down from my Nonna
Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- one medium onion, diced
- 1 or 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3/4 cup tomato puree (or fresh tomatoes, pureed in a blender) I use Mutti in glass jars
- 4 to 5 cups of water
- one medium sized Savoy cabbage
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 to 1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice (or any other rice)
- Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (to serve)
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 puree 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, 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. I used about 5 cups of water and 3/4 cup rice.
Make sure to serve Italian Cabbage and Rice with plenty of grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano) cheese!
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. Italian Cabbage and Rice is just easy-peasy!!
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Italian Cabbage and Rice...Simple, Healthy and Delicious
A super simple, Italian comfort food recipe that's inexpensive, hearty and delicious.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- one medium onion, diced
- 1 or 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3/4 cup tomato puree (or fresh tomatoes, pureed in a blender) I use Mutti in glass jars
- 4 to 5 cups of water
- one medium sized Savoy cabbage
- salt and pepper
- 1/3 to 1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice (or any other rice)
- Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (to serve)
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 puree 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, 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. I used about 5 cups of water and 3/4 cup rice.
Make sure to serve Italian Cabbage and Rice with plenty of grated Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano) cheese!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 bowlAmount Per Serving:Calories: 122Total Fat: 7gCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1.5g
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I tried this tonight, hoping to end up with a rice dish I could add to my dinner rotation. I will not be doing that (unless someone can tell me what I did wrong). The results were very blah. I followed the directions, except for the celery (I didn’t have any on hand). Although the dish was edible, the sauce/soup was very watery and the whole thing had very little flavor.
I can guarantee you didn’t have enough salt, Matt, especially if you had a lot of liquid you’d need extra salt, maybe even more tomatoes. Please give it another try and keep adding salt a little at a time until it tastes GREAT, because this is such a tasty dish. And Parmesan adds another delicious layer of saltiness/flavor (not sure if you had any?) Thanks for letting me know and not just letting it go. None of my recipes should ever be “blah.” Stay safe.
Try using chicken broth instead of water
It would be useful to know the weight of the cabbage, please could you add this info in the recipe? thx!
Oh no, that defeats the purpose of this super easy recipe! I wouldn’t put any measurements if I could, MarCas. When I get a cabbage next time I will give an idea of the weight of what I use, but honestly, try not to worry about weights and measurements with this recipe. Use more rice if you like more rice, less liquid for a heartier dish, it’s totally a flexible recipe. (P.S. due to lockdown, cabbages haven’t been available when I put my grocery order in, so I don’t know when I will get one.) Thanks, and happy cooking!
I realize you’ve had this posted for quite some time, but our newfound time at home has me exploring traditional Italian meals to fight the sadness we have from our cancelled Italian adventure we had booked. We had been planning and saving for this for 2 years, so cooking will be our new adventure for that 4 weeks, and a dish like this fits the bill as also a dish that has ingredients that I can still come by.
Anyhow, what would this look like as a meal? I see when dining out, there are multiple courses. Do you eat meals at home in courses, too? Or would it be traditional to serve this with cheese alone?
Appreciate your blog and time!
Hi Renee, first of all, I am SO sorry that you won’t be able to go to Italy after planning and saving for so long. I think when we all are able to travel again, we will just appreciate it so much more. I love how you’re dealing with it by cooking authentic Italian dishes, too! That’s brilliant! We learn so much through food. I was supposed to be in Italy the entire month of June, so I’m right there with you. :(
I don’t know if you have seen my cucina povera list of recipes yet, but what I wanted to say is that, although, yes, this would be served as a course (not alongside anything else), it’s a peasant dish, therefore, it would probably be the only one course. You might be served this dish at at agriturismo, but probably not at a restaurant. That said, at your house, serve it as you like, especially during these trying times!
Thanks so much for your note and let’s keep our eyes set on when we can travel again.
Stay safe, CC
Delicious! I made it with white cabbage and sushi rice and 1 T. tomatoe paste and the last bit of tomato sauce from a jar–pandemic cooking.
Brava! Very resourceful, and so happy you liked it! (Please leave a star rating inside the printable recipe card?) Thank you!!
HI! I’ve come over from Facebook to let you know that I heeded your advice not to go with coleslaw for the first attempt – and we waited, and we used cabbage :-) DELICIOUS!!! We all polished off our bowls.
I *DID* tweak slightly – added a chicken stock cube, and since minced garlic; and then my bowl got a couple of drops of sriracha (You know, that well known Italian hot sauce!! hahahaha!) because I fancied it :)
The pot we made will feed us again tonight, and PROBABLY supply some lunches. It was HUGE!!!
This is awesome to hear, Wendy! Fantastic! I’m so happy you and your family liked it so much! Try hot pepper (cayenne) powder or cayenne next time if you like it spicy. Enjoy and thanks for the lovely review! CC
We made this again and added crumbled Italian sausage. All I can say is Fantastico!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, John!
We have made this recipe several times and it is the best! True peasant Italian food that is so much better than the red sauce joints that pass for Italian. I can picture this dish being made over an open fire in Southern Italy. Thank you for sharing and keep up the great work!
I really needed to read this comment tonight, John. Thank you so much! I’m wondering why I’m bothering to share these types of recipes when it seems most Americans are flipping out so much more over “Cake Mix Popcorn” type recipes (yes, with RAW cake mix dumped in). It’s disheartening to see this type of “food” being targeted to children instead of having them enjoy a lovely bowl of cabbage and rice. Thanks again, perfect timing! 💜
[…] Here’s another recipe which uses Savoy cabbage. […]
Loved your Nonnas’ Italian Cabbage and Rice recipe! I followed the recipe as written using your 3/4 c. rice for 5 c. water ratio and add a spoon of chicken Better Than Bouillon. It was perfectly saucy but not soupy, I topped it with plenty of Romano Cheese and black pepper. Delicious! I will definitely make it again and told my daughter she must try it. She and her family also loved it.
Oh you made my day (and my mother’s, too), MaryLou! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know and sharing the recipe with your daughter and her family. I do like it as you described, saucy, but not soupy, but you can make it more dry or wet, too. Hope you find some other recipes on my site which you’ll enjoy. :) CC
Waited for days to try….just a tad disappointed. Mine was too bland. I did throw crushed fresh garlic in also. Never used this type of cabbage…doesn’t seem to be as flavorable as reg cabbage??
Easy fix, not enough salt. Savoy cabbage should be really flavorful. Did you use some sort of stock or bouillon, Judy?
Didn’t see stock or boullion on list…but that would help! Thanks…I’ll try again next week!
And Thank you! Love your recipes!!!
Sorry, I should have added that it’s optional, but I do sometimes add it for a little more flavor if it’s too bland. I’ll update the recipe! Thank you!!
I love this. I have everything in the kitchen and I’m going to try it! :-)
Oh yay! Let me know what you think, Valentina! :)
Hello Christina, I really love your website and stories, so down to earth. I was born in Fabrizia, Calabria, both my parents Italian, They brought us (3 siblings) to Victoria, Australia I was 5yrs. young, so we could have a better life. Now all grown up and over 60. I am not so great with computer, but, needed to tell you I have never really cooked rice and cabbage this way, I shall though! very soon, sounds so yummy, so do the arancini balls, yum! Thank you for the e-mail and many blessings to you and yours. Kind Regards Giuseppa Cirillo nee Monteleone.
Ciao Giuseppa! How lovely your comment is! Thank you so much for the note. I know you will love the cabbage and rice made this way; don’t forget lots of grated cheese on top! Have you been back to visit Italy? I hope so! I also hope you find a few other recipes to enjoy! Grazie mille, Christina :)
Sounds easy, looks delicious…and healthy too!
Yes, yes and YES!!
Looks heartwarming and delicious!
It really is! Thank you!!
I adore Savoy Cabbage and can’t get enough of it just now. Never seen it mixed with tomato so intrigued to try it – looks fabulous, Christina. Nothing to beat good old family recipes handed down like this. Precious indeed and good of you to share and pass it on! Have a super time in Catalina Island, lucky duckies. Love to the family x
Oh you’d love this on a cold or rainy day, Jill and I bet your whole family would, too! Let me know if you give it a try!
This one is new to me, Christina! All our favorite flavors AND comfort food? Sold!
I hope you try it, David! I think you’d love it, especially on a cold day. :)
This sounds delicious, but what could I serve for the protein in this meal? We have some that would love this and some that want some meat with their meal.
is there an other name for “Italian Cabbage”? Not quite sure I recognise it from this picture.
Not sure I understand the question, Tom?
Looks so warming and lovely on a frigid day like today. Funnily enough I was thinking of blogging on this dish this week, having half a cabbage leftover from a boiled dinner made over the weekend… (!) But I think I’ll just whip up a few bowls enjoy it’s homey goodness with my (vegetarian) house guests. Happy New Year Christina!
Happy new year to you too, Frank! Yes, this is one of my favorites on a cold day! We just haven’t had any yet, but expecting our very first rain of the season on Monday! FINALLY!
[…] 6. Cabbage and Rice […]
Some of my favorite foods to make at home are comfort foods from Italy. I don’t know if I make them the authentic way, but I like to make pasta e fagioli, ribollita, minestrone, etc., especially when it starts to get cold out. I also love cabbage in soup, so I will try this soon! I love the focus on non-fussy but tasty food on your site!
It looks delicious! A hearty meal my whole family will enjoy!
absolutely, Sabrina!
This looks really nice. Simple and homey, yet delicious! I love rice dishes like this. I bet it would be great to stuff inside peppers as well!
I bet you could, Debi. Just cut down the liquid first. :)
Oh this looks so comforting and really healthy. I”m after something other than soup for lunch as the weather cools down substantially in Yorkshire so this looks perfect for me!
Yes, it’s a perfect cold weather dish, Jo!
With the weather turning cooler, this looks like the perfect bowl of soup to cozy up to! my mother always made cabbage and rice when we were growing up so I can’t wait to try it in soup form!
Yes, it’s really good as a soupy dish, Megan! Perfect for cold winter days!
Such a simple and comforting dish! I will have to give this recipe a try
Great! I’m sure you’ll love it!
This sounds delicious! It looks simple and hearty as well. I’ll bet you can add a bit of italian sausage as well?
Absolutely, Cynthia!
My husband and I made this for lunch today. We altered it a bit and added some Italian seasoned ground turkey to it. It was delicious! I think my kids would even eat it. Thanks for the great recipe!
Wonderful, Christina! So glad you liked it, and yes, kids usually do like this kind of dish!
I always love your recipes! This one looks like a keeper for us! I am allergic to celery, (and carrots) Do you have any ideas for a sub?
Oh thank you, Debbie! I’d just add extra onion and skip the celery. It will still taste great, in fact I had no celery last week and made it without. Enjoy! CC
Loved this! I bookmarked it months ago after stumbling upon your site. This looked exactly like something my nonna used to make – which means it is pure comfort food for me! I love all of the simple ‘peasant’ food she used to make. I am so happy I finally got around to making it! My house smelled heavenly – just like hers did:) Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I ended up using 1 cup of rice and 6 cups of water approx. It made enough to feed my husband and I for two meals, and I also froze some (to see if it would freeze well). Can’t wait to try your other recipes. Please keep them coming!!
Wonderful, Vittoria! I’m so happy you found this recipe and tried it, too! Yes, there’s nothing like the food Nonna used to make! Please keep in touch! CC