I’ve been on a kick lately trying to recreate the cozy Eastern-European comfort foods I grew up around… but lighter. This one scratches that haluski-style buttery cabbage craving without the noodles and without the calories.
I call it a Ukrainian “Fried” Cabbage Bowl (even though it’s mostly sautéed/steamed). It’s ridiculously filling because of the cabbage, has that smoky kielbasa flavor, and the little bit of butter at the end makes it taste like real comfort food.
The whole bowl comes out to roughly ~200 calories depending on the kielbasa you use, and it’s honestly enough to fill a dinner bowl.
Ingredients
* 2 cups green cabbage, chopped
* 1 large carrot, shredded or sliced
* Spices to taste (I usually do garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, maybe paprika)
* 2 oz turkey kielbasa, sliced
* 1 tsp grass-fed butter (optional but recommended)
Directions
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Add the cabbage, carrot, spices, and a splash of water to a pan.
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Sauté/steam over medium heat, adding a little water as needed so nothing burns.
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Cook until the cabbage is soft and the water cooks off.
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Add the sliced turkey kielbasa and warm it through.
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Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
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Stir in 1 tsp butter while it’s hot.
The butter melts into the cabbage and gives it that classic haluski vibe even though there are no noodles.
Why I like it
* Huge portion for very low calories
* Cheap ingredients
* Really filling because cabbage has so much volume
* Feels like Eastern European comfort food without the heaviness
Honestly if you grew up eating buttery cabbage dishes, this hits the same nostalgic spot.
Curious if anyone else has low-cal cabbage comfort food recipes like this? I feel like cabbage is the most underrated diet ingredient ever.
by MokaMama