The thing you will love about this cabbage is the idea to use cabbage leaves as the low carb vessel to hold in a ton of meat. First, swap in cabbage leaves for tortillas to cut the carbs and get an extra serving of vegetables. Second, use prepared ingredients—spicy refried beans and enchilada sauce—to add tons of flavor without a long ingredient list.

To get them ready for filling and rolling, simply cut off the stem of a large head of cabbage and carefully remove the leaves one by one so as not to tear them in the process. Give the leaves a little rinse to remove any dirt and blanch them in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute, until the leaves have softened and are pliable.

To stop the cooking process, place the leaves in ice water immediately after blanching for 20 seconds and then place on a paper towel to drain and dry. Once the cabbage leaves are blanched and ready, it’s time to fill them just like regular enchiladas.

Ingredients;

  • 1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Swerve or equivalent granulated sweetener
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
    Enchilada filling:
  • 2 1/3 cup cooked pulled chicken
  • 1 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 7 savoy cabbage leaves (from one head of cabbage)

Instructions;

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set a large pot of water to boil.
  2. Add all enchilada sauce ingredients to a medium sized saucepan and bring to a low simmer. Simmer until ready to use.
  3. Add the cabbage leaves to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from water and dry the leaves.
  4. Take a sharp paring knife and slice half of the hard middle rib off of the cabbage leaves. This is to make the leaves thinner and more pliable.
  5. For the filling, mix chicken with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
  6. Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11 x 7-inch casserole dish.
  7. Add 1/3 cup filling to the middle of a cabbage leaf. Roll the thin sides of the leaves in. Roll the rib side next, like you would a burrito. Arrange the enchiladas in the casserole dish.
  8. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella on top.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese melts.