Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2

Place the chopped cabbage on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the cabbage with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of the paprika, and some salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Roast in the oven until tender and browning on the edges. Start checking on the cabbage at the 15 minute point and give it a flip and toss. In my oven it takes up to 40 minutes, but others have pulled theirs at 15 minutes.

Step 3

Heat a heavy bottomed pot or braiser over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the remaining olive oil and swirl it around. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes. If the onions start browning too fast, lower the heat. Add the garlic, dried thyme, and remaining paprika. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 4

Add the lentils, rice, and walnuts, and give it a stir. Add the tomato paste to the pot. Keep stirring and cooking this out for 1 minute, just to get rid of some of the raw “tin” flavour. Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock to the pot and stir. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5

Place a lid on top of the pot, slightly askew. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then simmer until the lentils are tender and the rice is cooked, about 35-40 minutes. Keep checking in to stir it often, scraping the bottom of the pot. If you find that you need to add more vegetable stock, add it by the ½ cup.

Step 6

Once the lentils and rice are cooked, stir in the sugar, Tamari, and apple cider vinegar. Check the sauce base for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir in the roasted cabbage to combine.

Step 7

Serve the cabbage roll skillet with vegan sour cream and chopped dill/parsley. Enjoy!