Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls (Easy Cabbage Roll Cake)

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These Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls give you all the cozy flavors of classic stuffed cabbage without the tedious rolling! Incredibly juicy, savory, and stunning.

Sliced Bundt pan cabbage roll cake on a serving plate, showing the layered filling of rice, vegetables, and savory vegan meat inside

Stuffed cabbage rolls have always had a special place in my heart. However, let’s face it: making them can feel like a whole afternoon project. Moreover, between boiling leaves, prepping the filling, and rolling each little parcel until your fingers ache, it takes serious time. Therefore, it’s rarely something you whip up on a busy weekday.

Enter the Bundt pan. Instead of playing cabbage origami for an hour, you just layer everything in the pan, bake it, and flip out a stunning savory cake. It’s basically all the cozy flavors you crave, with zero of the rolling drama.

▶️ Video Tutorial

❤️ Why You’ll Love These Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls

🙅‍♀️ Zero rolling drama
In fact, there is no delicate folding, no toothpicks, and no torn cabbage leaves. Instead, you just layer everything in the pan and let the oven do all the hard work.

✨ Instant showstopper
Flip it onto a plate and boom—it looks like a fancy, gourmet centerpiece. People will think you spent hours assembling it.

🍅 Incredibly juicy and flavorful
Baking in a Bundt ring traps all the steam, while the tomatoes and creamy sauce slowly soak straight down into the filling, making every slice tender and melt-in-your-mouth.

🍴 Slices like a dream
No messy casserole scooping! It holds its shape beautifully and cuts into clean, gorgeous wedges that make weeknight leftovers feel exciting.

🧺 Ingredients for Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls

For the Cabbage Cake:

🥬 Green cabbage – 1 large head (about 3–3.5 lbs / 1.2–1.5 kg)

🥩 Vegan ground meat – 1 lb (450 g)

🍚 Partially cooked rice – 1 cup (from about ⅓ cup / 70 g dry rice)

🧅 Yellow onion – 1 medium (about 150 g), finely diced

🥕 Carrot – 1 medium (about 100 g), grated

🫒 Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp (30 ml), divided

🧂 Salt – 1 tsp (5 g), or to taste

🌶️ Black pepper – ½ tsp (1 g), or to taste

🍅 Tomatoes – 2 medium (about 250 g), sliced into rounds

🌿 Fresh parsley – for garnish

For the Sauce:

🥣 Vegan sour cream – ½ cup (120 g)

🥫 Tomato paste – 2 tbsp (30 g)

🧄 Garlic powder – ½ tsp (1.5 g)

🧂 Salt – ¼ tsp (1.5 g), or to taste

🌶️ Black pepper – ¼ tsp (0.5 g), or to taste

📋 How to Make Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls

Prep the oven and cabbage.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch (22-cm) Bundt pan with a little oil. Soften the cabbage leaves in boiling water or microwave the cored head for 5–7 minutes until flexible. Trim the thick raised ribs off the leaves. Parboil the rice, and sauté the diced onion and grated carrot in 1 tbsp of oil until soft.

1. Make the savory filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the parboiled rice, sautéed onion and carrot, vegan ground meat, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands until fully blended.

Mixing the vegan ground meat, rice, sautéed carrot, onion, and spices in a glass bowl.

2. Line the Bundt pan. Arrange the softened cabbage leaves inside the greased Bundt pan, overlapping them over the bottom, the fluted sides, and the center tube, leaving excess leaf hanging over the outer rim.

Lining a Bundt pan with tender green cabbage leaves covering the bottom and center tube.

3. Add the first layer of filling. Spoon half of the rice and meat mixture into the cabbage-lined pan. Spread it evenly all around the center tube and gently press it down with the back of a spoon.

Adding the first layer of rice and meat filling into the cabbage-lined Bundt pan.

4. Add middle cabbage layer and second filling layer. Place a single layer of cabbage leaves over the filling to separate the tiers. Add the remaining meat mixture on top and smooth it down evenly.

Adding a middle layer of cabbage leaves and spreading the remaining filling on top.

5. Seal the cabbage cake. Cover the filling with another layer of cabbage leaves, then fold all the overhanging outer and inner edges inward to tightly enclose the cake.

Covering the top with cabbage leaves and folding overhanging edges inward to seal the cake.

6. Add tomato slices and creamy sauce. Arrange the tomato slices evenly over the folded leaves. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegan sour cream, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then spread the sauce over the tomatoes.

Topping the cabbage cake with tomato slices and spreading creamy tomato sauce on top.

7. Bake, rest, and invert. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 45–50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10–15 minutes. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes, then place a serving plate over the pan, carefully flip it over, lift off the pan, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Baked cabbage cake in the pan and flipped onto a serving plate.

A whole baked Bundt pan cabbage roll cake on a round serving platter, garnished with fresh chopped parsley

👩‍🍳 Cooking Tips for the Best Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls

🔪 Trim the thick cabbage ribs
Always shave down the thick, raised vein running down the center of each leaf. Flatter leaves will bend smoothly along the ridges of the Bundt pan without tearing or snapping.

🍚 Don’t fully cook the rice beforehand
Parboil your rice just until it begins to soften, but still has a slight bite in the center. It will finish cooking inside the cake, soaking up all the savory juices without turning mushy.

⏳ Never skip the 15-minute rest
Resist the urge to flip the pan immediately straight out of the oven! Letting it sit for 10–15 minutes allows the juices to redistribute and the filling to firm up so your cake holds its gorgeous shape when sliced.

🥣 Pour off excess liquid before flipping
Cabbage and tomatoes naturally release plenty of steam and juice while baking. Tilt the pan slightly over a small bowl before inverting to pour off extra liquid so it doesn’t splash when you flip.

🥬 Cabbage may seem humble, but it has a way of turning simple meals into pure comfort. Budget-friendly, hearty, and endlessly versatile, it bakes into something sweet, tender, and deeply satisfying. If you’ve ever wondered why cabbage deserves a permanent place in your kitchen, there’s a nice little read you might enjoy.

🔀 Recipe Variations

🌾 Swap the grains
Swap the white rice for cooked brown rice, nutty quinoa, pearl barley, or even bulgur for extra fiber and a chewier, rustic bite.

🍄 Mushroom & lentil filling
If you prefer whole foods over store-bought vegan meat, substitute cooked brown lentils mixed with finely chopped sautéed cremini or shiitake mushrooms.

🌿 Add fresh herbs and spices
Stir in fresh chopped dill, parsley, or a pinch of smoked paprika and crushed caraway seeds into the meat filling to bring out a deeper European flair.

🥬 Try Savoy cabbage
Swap regular green cabbage for Savoy cabbage. Its crinkled leaves are naturally more pliable, tender, and create a gorgeous lace-like textured pattern on the finished cake.

🫙 Storage & Make-Ahead

🧊 Storage

Store any leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. In fact, the flavors meld together and taste even richer the next day!

⏳ Make-ahead tip

You can assemble the entire Bundt pan cake with the cabbage, filling, and sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Keep it tightly covered with foil in the fridge, then simply bake straight from the refrigerator (just add 5–10 extra minutes of bake time).

🔥 How to reheat

Warm individual slices in the microwave for 1–2 minutes, or arrange them on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and heat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–15 minutes until warmed through.

❄️ Can You Freeze Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls?

Yes! Once fully cooled, wrap individual baked slices tightly in plastic wrap and foil, or place in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

A slice of Bundt pan cabbage roll cake lifted on a spatula, showing the tender cabbage leaves and savory rice filling inside

🍽️ What to Serve With Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls

🍄 Rich Mushroom Sauce
Pour a warm ladle of this savory Mushroom Sauce right over your slice. The earthy, velvety sauce takes the cozy cabbage and rice filling to a whole new level!

🥒 Crisp Cucumber Tomato Salad
A classic, juicy Cucumber Tomato Salad brings a refreshing, crunchy bite that cuts through the richness of the baked cabbage cake.

🥗 Protein-Packed Chickpea Cucumber Salad
For an even heartier meal, pair it with a bright and zesty Chickpea Cucumber Salad for extra plant protein, vibrant herbs, and crisp texture.

💡 My Tip

Patience is your best ingredient here!

Resist the temptation to flip that Bundt pan the second it comes out of the oven. Giving it 10–15 minutes on the counter isn't just about not burning your fingers—it lets all the hot juices settle back into the filling so your cake slides out in one gorgeous, proud ring instead of collapsing into a messy heap. Use that waiting time to chop your fresh parsley or sneak a taste of the creamy sauce. Trust me, the grand reveal is worth every single minute of waiting!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Bundt Pan Cabbage Rolls

Can I make this without a Bundt pan?

Yes! If you don't have a Bundt pan, you can assemble this as a layered casserole in a deep 9-inch round cake pan or an 8x8-inch baking dish. Simply line the dish with cabbage leaves, layer the filling and leaves lasagna-style, fold over the top, and bake.

What size Bundt pan works best?

A standard 9-inch (10-to-12 cup) Bundt pan is ideal. Make sure to grease it well with a little oil before lining it with cabbage leaves so the cake releases effortlessly when flipped.

Why is my cabbage cake watery or loose?

Cabbage and tomatoes naturally release juices as they steam in the oven. To prevent a soggy cake, pat your softened cabbage leaves dry before assembling, tilt the pan slightly to pour off excess liquid before inverting, and always let it rest for 10–15 minutes before flipping.

Close-up cross section of a sliced Bundt pan cabbage roll cake, displaying the hearty rice and plant-based meat filling with baked tomato base

📝 Final Thoughts

Cooking comfort food should feel fun, creative, and completely rewarding—never stressful. This Bundt Pan Cabbage Roll Cake gives you all the nostalgic flavors of home-cooked stuffed cabbage rolls without spending your entire afternoon rolling leaves at the kitchen counter. It’s comforting, vibrant, and guaranteed to turn heads at the dinner table.

If you give this recipe a try, please leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below! Hearing how it turns out in your kitchen truly makes my day, and it helps other readers find this recipe too. Happy cooking!

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🥬 Have Leftover Cabbage? Try My Most Popular Recipe!

If you have leftover cabbage from making this cake, don’t let it sit in the crisper drawer! These tender-on-the-inside, crispy-edged roasted cabbage steaks are hands down one of the most loved recipes on the blog. They take minutes to prep and completely change how you think about everyday cabbage.