Or, should I say “Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage”?  lol  All the sweetness, tang, crunch, and comfort you remember but haven’t had since you went vegetarian.  And, no stuffing and rolling each cabbage leaf. Over rice, so comforting on a cool day! Or, any day.  Thank goodness for air conditioning!

Cabbage- chopped chunky (careful cutting up cabbage!)

Veggie ground “meat”- 1 or 2 pouches

Onion- large, chopped

Plain tomato sauce- 2 medium cans

Chopped tomatoes- 2 medium cans

Dark brown sugar

Lemons-Vinegar-Sour Salt*- any, or all.  Depends on what you like.  I like sour salt and lemon.

Oil

Salt

Sauté onions in oil and as they start to turn opaque add “meat.”  Cook on med or med hi until “meat” and onions are a bit caramelized.  Remember, the trick to using veggie “meat” is to get it good and browned so it stays intact.

Add cabbage and stir occasionally (for just a few minutes) as the cabbage begins to soften.

Add one can tomato sauce and one can chopped tomatoes.  Want it more chunky?  Add the other can of chopped tomatoes.  Want more sauce?  Add the other can of tomato sauce.  Stir to combine.

Now start tasting.  Add brown sugar. (Ok, start with a half cup and go from there.) Sprinkle in some sour salt, and/or lemon, and/or vinegar.  Taste.

Does it need more sweetness?  Add more brown sugar.  And taste.  Needs more sourness?  Add a little sour salt or lemon or vinegar.  Needs a little salt?  Add a little salt.  Go slowly and taste along the way.  You can always add more of an ingredient!

When you think it’s just about right, let it simmer until the cabbage is at your preferred “done-ness.”  Taste one more time and correct seasonings.

Serve over rice, and enjoy!

*Sour Salt (citric acid) can usually be found in the spice section, or sometimes in the kosher section of the supermarket.