Chou Farci (French Stuffed cabbage) is cozy, comforting, and packed with flavor! Layers of tender cabbage leaves and a delicious filling make this French Classic perfect for chilly evenings.
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If you are a cabbage roll fan, you'll love Chou Farci. Serve this French family-style dinner with a glass of Rose wine for a savory meal.
During the cold winter months, I crave comfort food like Venison Ragu, Instant Pot Deer Chili, and Acorn Squash Stuffed with Apples and Sausage.
Your kitchen will smell so good while this stuffed cabbage is baking away in the oven. I like to serve it family-style with sides like Boursin Mashed Potatoes and Parsnip Au Gratin.
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🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Not your average cabbage roll. Tender cabbage is layered like lasagna with a flavorful meat filling in a large Souffle dish.
- It's the perfect recipe for chilly nights. Buttery cabbage and a meat filling seasoned with warming spices are savory, hearty, and delicious.
- Healthy. This stuffed cabbage is low in carbs and high in protein.
❓What is a Chou Farci?
Chou Farci is a classic French recipe meaning "stuffed cabbage." You will see this recipe in the shape of cabbage rolls or layered in a round baking dish.
Savoy cabbage is traditionally used in French stuffed cabbage. It's a beautiful cabbage with delicate leaves and a stunning green color.
🧾 Ingredients and Substitutions
Here is a visual overview of the Stuffed Cabbage Ingredients. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
Cabbage - Savoy cabbage makes the best-stuffed cabbage. The outer leaves are dark green and delicate, making it a perfect choice for wrapping around meats.
Finding Savoy cabbage can be difficult so if you are looking for a swap green cabbage or Napa cabbage are good second choices.
If you are looking for more ways to enjoy cabbage, my Air Fryer Cabbage Wedges is a great side dish.
Ground Meat - Equal parts of ground beef and pork sausage are used for the best flavor. Ground pork adds fat and ensures the French Stuffed Cabbage is moist and not dry.
You could use 100% ground beef or a combination of beef, pork, and veal.
Onions - Use white or yellow onions in this recipe and finely dice them.
Carrots - Diced carrots are a traditional vegetable in all Chou Farci recipes.
Aromatics - Fresh garlic, bay leaves, and fresh thyme add flavor to the meat filling.
Egg - After the filling has cooled down the egg is used as a binder to hold everything together.
Tomatoes - A small amount of crushed tomatoes are added to the meat filling for richness and depth.
Allspice - Imparts a slightly warm, sweet, and spicy flavor to the cabbage filling.
Butter - Melted butter is used to grease the Souffle dish and to brush the layers of cabbage leaves.
See recipe card for quantities.
👨🏻🍳 How To Make Chou Farci (Stuffed Cabbage)
I've provided step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the complete printable instructions and ingredient quantities, please scroll to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Prep the Cabbage and make the Filling
Savoy cabbage is traditionally used to make Chou Farci. The outer leaves are bright green and delicate making it the perfect cabbage for stuffed cabbage.
Step 1. Using a small knife, cut around the core in a circular motion about 2-3 inches deep to remove it. Carefully peel away the leaves, being mindful not to tear them.
Step 2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook cabbage leaves in batches for 5 minutes or until tender.
Step 3. Place cabbage leaves on a baking tray lined with paper towels
Step 4. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook the onions and carrots until softened, 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, sausage, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, salt and pepper. Cooked until the meat is browned and cooked through.
Add in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Add the egg and mix.
Assemble the Chou Farci
Like assembling a lasagna, this recipe has layers of filling and blanched cabbage leaves.
Step 5. Coat the bottom and sides of a 7-inch souffle dish with melted butter. Line the dish with blanched cabbage leaves, allowing a few inches to hang over the edges.
Step 6. Spoon in ⅓ of the meat filling.
Step 7. Cover the filling with 2-3 cabbage leaves, then brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat this process two more times.
Step 8. Fold the overhanging cabbage leaves into the center to enclose your French stuffed cabbage.
Cooking Instructions
Step 9. Place the stuffed cabbage into a 350°F oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Let rest inside the souffle dish for 15 minutes to allow things to set.
Step 10. Place a cooling rack or large plate over the top of the souffle dish and invert and unmold the Chou Farci. Slice into wedges and serve with a glass of Rose wine.
Kitchen Tip - I unmold the Chou Farci onto a cooling rack to allow the residual liquid to drain away.
👨🏻🍳 Equipment Needed
💭 Chef Tips
- For a beautiful presentation, reserve a large balanced cabbage leaf and lay it over the baked Chou Farci for a vibrant color.
- If you boil cabbage leaves too long they will tear, so only blanch for 5 minutes.
- Let your baked stuffed cabbage rest for 15 minutes in the Souffle dish before unmolding it.
📋 Recipe FAQ's
Chou Farci is served family-style with sides like mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, creamy polenta, and rice.
French stuffed cabbage will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave on 70% powder for 5 minutes or heat in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
Yes! Replace the ground beef with ground turkey and use pork sausage to keep the meat mixture moist.
🥬 Related Recipes
If you tried this Chou Farci Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Chou Farci (French Stuffed Cabbage)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head of savoy cabbage
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- ¾ pound ground beef
- ¾ pound ground pork sausage
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 large egg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cabbage. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil, then season generously with salt. Core the cabbage and remove the outer leaves. You'll need about 20 cabbage leaves. Working in batches, blanch the leaves in the boiling water for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well and arrange them in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking tray to cool.
- Filling. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook the onions and carrots until softened, 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, sausage, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is browned and cooked through.
- Add in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Discard the thyme and bay leaf. Add the egg and mix.
- Assemble. Butter a 7-inch souffle dish. Line with blanched cabbage leaves, allowing a few inches to hang over the edges. Spoon in ⅓ of the meat filling.
- Cover the filling with 2-3 cabbage leaves, then brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Repeat this process two more times. Fold the overhanging cabbage leaves into the center.
- Cooking. Bake for 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. To unmold, place a plate over the souffle dish, flip the plate and dish, and remove the mold. Cut into slices and serve.
Notes
- For a beautiful presentation reserve a large balanced cabbage leaf and lay it over the baked Chou Farci for a beautiful color.
- If you boil cabbage leaves too long they will tear so only blanch for 5 minutes.
- Let your baked stuffed cabbage rest for 15 minutes in the Souffle dish before unmolding it.
Nutrition
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Mike Cleavenger says
Chou Farci is a satisfying winter dinner that everyone will love!