Bebotok – Indonesian Steamed Cabbage Rolls with Ground Beef
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Bebotok is a flavorful Indonesian dish made with seasoned ground beef wrapped in cabbage leaves, then steamed until tender. It’s savory, slightly sweet, and has a subtle hint of spice. These rolls are comforting and a little unexpected if you haven’t had Indonesian food before.
These rolls are perfect served warm with steamed rice and a light side like cucumber acar (pickled vegetables). You can enjoy them for lunch or dinner, and they make a great addition to a larger Indonesian-style meal.
How to Make Bebotok
First, blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling water to soften them, so they’re easy to roll. Then, mix the ground beef with onion, garlic, chili, spices, grated coconut, and a beaten egg to make a flavorful filling. Spoon the mixture onto the cabbage leaves, fold, and roll tightly. Steam the rolls for about 25–30 minutes until cooked through and tender.
Continue below for the full recipe with ingredients and step-by-step instructions.
Steamed Cabbage Rolls with Ground Beef (Bebotok)
This bebotok recipe wraps spiced ground beef in cabbage leaves, then steams them into soft, savory bites.
Fits gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo diets.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 8–10 large cabbage leaves (white or green)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 red chili, finely chopped, or 1 tsp chili paste (sambal oelek)
- 1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander (ketoembar)
- 1/2 tbsp ground cumin (djinten)
- 6 candlenuts (kemiri), finely chopped and toasted (or substitute with macadamia nuts)
- 1/2 tsp ground galangal (laos)
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or brown sugar (gula djawa)
- 3 tbsp grated coconut (fresh or desiccated)
- 1/4 tsp shrimp paste (terasi)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the cabbage leaves for 1–2 minutes until soft and pliable. Drain and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, chili or sambal, coriander, cumin, chopped candlenuts, galangal, coconut sugar, grated coconut, shrimp paste, salt, and beaten egg. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Place a spoonful of the beef mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf. Fold the sides over and roll up tightly. Secure with a toothpick or piece of baker's twine.
- Arrange the rolls in a steamer basket. Steam over boiling water for 25–30 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked and the cabbage is tender.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze the cooked rolls for up to 1 month. Reheat by steaming again for 5–10 minutes or microwaving covered until warmed through.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 3051Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 1186mgCarbohydrates: 675gFiber: 233gSugar: 342gProtein: 169g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated. These figures should be considered estimates.
Customization Options:
- Use napa or savoy cabbage if regular cabbage leaves are too firm. Also remove the thick center ribs to make rolling easier.
- Adjust spice level by using more or less sambal or chili.
- If you can’t find candlenuts (kemiri), use macadamia nuts.
