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Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
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Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Avgolemono Cream Sauce

From the cookbook Athens: Food, Stories, Love . These Turkey Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Avgolemono Cream Sauce bring a fresh twist to Greek comfort food. Inspired by the contemporary food scene in Athens and featured in my book Athens: Food, Stories, Love, this recipe uses lean ground turkey (a modern staple in Greek-influenced everyday cooking) and combines it with the classic egg-lemon sauce—elevated here into a rich cream version. It’s an elegant, hearty dish that also links seamlessly with other leftover-turkey recipes on my site: try the Easy Greek Leftover Turkey Avgolemono Soup for a soup version, the Greek Leftover Turkey Salad for a fresh lunch, or the Turkey or Chicken Salad Baguettes… for a sandwich-friendly option. Whether you’re cooking fresh turkey or repurposing leftovers, this recipe adds a Greek twist and makes the most of simple ingredients.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course main course
Cuisine Greek
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

For the Cabbage Rolls

  • 1 large cabbage head or 2 medium (about 5 lbs total)
  • 2 Tbsp extra-virgin Greek olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 large yellow onions finely chopped
  • 1½ lbs ground turkey or chicken
  • ⅔ cup short-grain rice
  • 1⅓ cup chicken stock
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ cup chopped fresh dill
  • Salt & pepper to taste

For the Avgolemono Cream Sauce

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 scant Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Blanch the Cabbage
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cut into the cabbage at the base to remove the stem and core. Gently plunge the cabbage into the salted boiling water and simmer 8–10 minutes, until the leaves are softened and translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool enough to handle.
  • Prepare the Filling
    In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter until the butter melts. Add chopped onions and sauté ~8 minutes until translucent and soft. Add the ground turkey and cook, turning, until it changes color and is mostly cooked through. Stir in the rice, coating it in the oil and combining thoroughly with the meat. Add chicken stock, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the rice absorbs most of the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley and dill. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • Roll the Cabbage
    When both the cabbage leaves and filling are cool enough, gently separate the leaves. If leaves are large, you may halve them. Trim the tough central ribs so the leaves roll more easily. Oil the bottom of a large, wide pot. Lay torn or too-small leaves (from trimming) on the bottom of the pot as a base layer. Place about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of the filling (depending on leaf size) onto each leaf. Fold in the edges and roll into a cylinder, placing seam side down in the pot. Pack snugly; if necessary, create a second layer.
  • Cook the Rolls
    Pour enough water or stock into the pot to cover the rolls by about an inch. Place an inverted plate on top of the rolls to keep them submerged. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer gently for about 1 ½ hours, or until the cabbage is very tender and the rice is fully cooked. You should aim to end up with about 1½–2 cups of cooking liquid remaining—this will be used for the sauce.
  • Make the Avgolemono Cream Sauce
    Whisk the egg yolks until very frothy then whisk in the lemon juice. Take a ladleful of hot cooking liquid from the pot and add it drop by drop, whisking constantly, into the egg-lemon mixture (this tempers the eggs). Add a second ladleful and any remaining pot juices using the same method. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Whisk vigorously ~3–4 minutes. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream, stirring until warm. Reduce heat and gradually whisk in the tempered egg-lemon mixture into the cream mixture, stirring constantly. Season with salt & pepper. Immediately pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls in the pot, tilt the pot so the sauce distributes, and serve immediately.

Notes

Tips for Success
Removing Cabbage Leaves
  • Cut the cabbage stem deeply—this helps loosen the inner leaves in boiling water.
  • After ~8–10 minutes of blanching, test by peeling a leaf: if it separates easily and is flexible, it’s ready. If not, return to water 1–2 more minutes.
  • Trim the thick rib or vein in each leaf if it prevents smooth rolling.
Rolling Techniques (Dolmades Style)
  • Don’t overfill—leave room for rice expansion.
  • Fold in the short edges before rolling the leaf forward so filling stays secure.
  • Pack the rolls snugly in the pot and keep them submerged with the plate—this helps them hold shape and cook evenly.
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Keyword Athens cookbook recipes, avgolemono cream sauce, cabbage roll recipe Greek style, Greek cabbage rolls, Greek turkey recipes, leftover turkey ideas, modern Greek comfort food, Turkey stuffed cabbage rolls
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