Cabbage Casserole (Kaalilaatikko) is another Finnish classic I want to introduce you to! It’s up there with my favourite Finnish foods, it’s such a hearty dish that highlights simple and cheap ingredients. This recipe is perfect for bigger families, but my two-person household has no trouble finishing it as it’s ever so delicious and you won’t get tired of eating it! Make sure to serve the cabbage casserole with lingonberry jam though, the flavour combination is a killer!
Cabbage Casserole
🍴 Servings: 6 – 8
🕒 Hands-on: Up to 30 minutes
🎛 Cooking time: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
For the rice
- 125g pudding rice
- 400ml water
- 1 tsp salt
For the veggies
- 1kg white cabbage, cut into long strips
- 2 – 3 (250g) carrots, peeled & grated
- 1 – 2 tbsp oil
- 5 – 6 tbsp golden syrup
For the mince
- 500g beef mince (12% fat)
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- ½ – 1 tbsp oil
- 1 – 1.5 tsp salt
- ½ – 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1.5 tsp marjoram
Plus
- ½ – 1 beef stock cube
- 400ml water
- 25g butter
- 20g fine breadcrumbs
- lingonberry jam, to serve
STEPS
1 Start by chopping the cabbage: to do this, first cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the core from each half and place the halves cut side down. Then simply cut into thin strips (about 0.5cm wide). Also peel and grate the carrots.
2 Heat a glug of oil in a deep pan, once hot add the cabbage strips. Cook for 10 minutes on a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the grated carrots, then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 more minutes. Mix in the syrup and set aside.
3 Next, put the rice into a saucepan with cold water. Bring to a boil, then add the salt and give the rice a stir. Cook covered over a low heat until all water is absorbed, this should take about 15 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add chopped onions. Cook on a medium-low heat until soft, for about 5 minutes. Then push the onions onto one side of the pan and turn up the heat. Once the pan is slightly hotter, add the mince. Break it up with a wooden spatula, season and fry until brown.
Turn the oven on now, preheat it to 180℃, also grease your oven dish!
5 To assemble, add the cooked mince, rice and vegetables into your oven dish. Add them in a couple of batches so it’s easier for you to stir.
6 Then, put the empty mince pan back on the heat and add water and stock cube. Once the stock cube has dissolved, pour the stock over the casserole.
7 Finally, add small knobs of butter on top and lightly coat the casserole with breadcrumbs.
8 Cook in 180℃ (fan) for about one hour. If the top gets too dark, you can cover the dish with aluminium foil half way through. Alternatively, you can lower the temperature after 30-40 minutes and finish cooking the casserole in 160℃.
9 Serve the cabbage casserole with lingonberry jam! You are missing out if you don’t, lingonberry jam is a must!
Notes:
- Pan — If you don’t have a pan big enough, you may need to cook the cabbage in two batches or in two pans. It will shrink when you cook it but stirring it is impossible in a small pan. You can also cover the pan with a lid from the beginning, the steam will help to soften the cabbage
- Rice — Don’t worry if the rice is not fully cooked when all water is absorbed, it will finish cooking in the oven. For best results I’d recommend using pudding rice, I’ve never tried to substitute it
- Stock — You can always use ready-made beef stock, if substituting skip step 6 and pour it straight over the casserole
- Lingonberry jam — If you are based in the UK you can get lingonberry jam from Ikea. And some online shops, like Ocado, also sell it
ALLERGEN & DIET INFO:
🔷 This cabbage casserole recipe contains butter and breadcrumbs, therefore it’s neither gluten nor dairy-free. However, neither of these ingredients are an absolute must for a tasty cabbage casserole, so feel free to leave one or both of them out if needed!
Main equipment:
Large stockpot (ideally 5L) → veggies
Saucepan (2L) + lid → rice
Large frying pan → mince
Chopping board + knife
Peeler
Box grater
Measuring cup/jug (optional)
Measuring spoons (optional)
Large oven dish (2.5L)
Other recipes you might like…! ⤵︎
