Spicy Asian Pork Cabbage Rolls

4.65 from 102 votes

Spicy Asian Pork Cabbage Rolls are a bold, flavor-packed twist on classic cabbage rolls! Tender cabbage leaves are filled with juicy ground pork, ginger, garlic, and savory Asian seasonings, then baked in a sweet-spicy sauce for a restaurant-quality meal that’s surprisingly easy for weeknights. Perfect for meal prep, low-carb dinners, and anyone craving takeout flavors made fresh at home.

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Total Time1 20

Course: Beef

Cuisine: Asian

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Sauce

1 1/2 cups water
1/2 can (3-ounce) tomato paste
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce preferably Lee Kum Kee brand
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce or to taste
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons corn starch

Cabbage and Filling

Oil or non-stick cooking spray
Salt
1 large head of green cabbage
1 container (12-ounce) broccoli slaw
1 pound ground pork
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 bunch scallions white and light green part only, chopped, divided
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 large egg beaten
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Instructions

Sauce

Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan until the cornstarch dissolves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened.
Transfer 1/4 cup of the sauce to a bowl large enough to accommodate the filling you will be mixing up. Set remaining sauce aside to cool.

Cabbage and Filling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil or spray a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Remove 12 outer leaves from the head of cabbage, being careful not to tear or break the leaves.
Place three leaves at a time in the boiling water and cook 1-2 minutes or until pliable. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to drain and cool. Repeat with the remaining leaves.
Alternately, boil the entire head of cabbage and remove the leaves with a knife as they become pliable.
Keep the water boiling and add the broccoli slaw. Drain immediately in a colander and cool under cold tap water. (You just want it softened slightly so it's easier to roll into the cabbage leaves.)
Combine the broccoli slaw, pork, brown rice, all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and egg in the bowl with the reserved sauce and mix well.
Cut the thick vein out of each leaf of cabbage in an upside-down V-shape. Place 1/12th of the filling in the center of each cabbage leaf.
Pull the bottom "flaps" up and over the filling, overlapping them slightly. Fold in the sides and roll up.
Place in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolls.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of each roll registers 165 degrees. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Spoon any sauce that settled in the bottom of the baking dish back over the rolls. Garnish with reserved 2 tablespoons scallions and sesame seeds.

Notes

SUBSTITUTIONS:

Can also use ground beef, turkey or chicken.

TIPS:

Broccoli slaw is typically found near the prepped vegetable section of the produce department. It is shredded broccoli stems, cabbage and carrots.
Hoisin sauce can vary by brand and some are heavy on five-spice. I use Lee Kum Kee hoisin sauce with no overwhelming five-spice note.
Unseasoned rice vinegar is also called "natural" and does not have salt or sugar.

MAKE-AHEAD:

Can be assembled 12 hours ahead of time. The safety of ground meats is short after grinding, so keep that in mind.

FREEZER-FRIENDLY:

Bake, cool completely, divide into desired portions and place into an airtight container. Freeze 1-2 months.
Thaw in the refrigerator. To reheat, can be microwaved or reheated in a toaster oven or oven.

Nutrition