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Turn the humble cabbage into a tender, caramelized, and deeply flavorful dish with my cabbage steak recipe! They’re the best way to convince my family to eat their veggies.
If your family needs more vegetarian mains, try my eggplant rollatini, chipotle sofritas, stuffed sweet potatoes, or zucchini fritters next.
Table of Contents
Okay, I know the steak-obsessed are probably fuming at the thought of me calling cabbages ‘steaks,’ but hear me out…
Like cauliflower steak, they’re called “steaks” because the cabbage is cut into thick slabs before being dressed in garlic butter and roasted in the oven. While they aren’t succulent and juicy hunks of meat, they make for an over-the-top vegetarian side dish or main course.
Why I love this recipe
- Healthy. In addition to being low in calories, these bad boys are high in fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.
- Quick and easy. Simplicity is key here, and I made sure this wasn’t an overly time-consuming recipe.
- Versatile. These steaks can be the supporting actor for the main course, or you can doctor them up with all sorts of toppings. There is no one way to serve them.
- Multiple cooking methods. I prefer oven-roasting the cabbage, but I’ve included my tested air fryer and grill options, too.
Key Ingredients
- Cabbage. The cabbage you choose should feel heavy for its size and also be vibrant in color with very little to no loose leaves. I used green cabbage to make this recipe, but you can certainly make red cabbage steaks with red cabbage if that’s what you prefer.
- Olive oil. The oil is crucial because it’s what tenderizes the cabbage slices as they bake.
- Butter. It’s melted and stirred with the other ingredients. The crave-worthy garlic butter sauce is what makes the roasted cabbage so irresistible!
- Garlic. Fresh cloves are a must. For even more garlic flavor, add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Salt and pepper. To tie the flavors together.
- Toppings. I chose to garnish the roasted “steaks” with chopped pecans and parsley, but this is where you can be as creative as you want.
How to make roasted cabbage steaks
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven. Assemble the ingredients.
Step 2- Make garlic butter. Combine garlic, butter, and oil in a small bowl.
Step 3- Prep the steaks. Slice the cabbage into thick slices, discarding loose leaves, and place them on the sheet. Brush with the oil mixture and sprinkle salt and pepper.
Step 4- Bake. Bake until the cabbage turns golden and crispy.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Cut the steaks evenly. Cabbage steaks that are all the same size will cook evenly and at the same time.
- Mask the bitterness. Depending on if my cabbages are in season, sometimes they will have a bitter flavor. If you notice this, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- Bake the cabbage on a wire rack above the baking dish. While this is optional, I find it helps circulate the heat so both sides get equally crispy.
- Mix up the seasonings. Whisk fresh parsley, paprika, red pepper flakes, or onion powder into the garlic butter.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, but depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you’ll need to work in batches. To air fry, prepare and season the cabbage as normal and lay it in the basket. Air fry at 360F/182C for 8 minutes or until the edges are slightly crisp.
Yes, to grill, preheat the grill to medium-high heat and prepare the cabbage. Once hot, lay the cabbage steaks on the grill grates. Cook for 5 minutes per side or until both sides are crisp and tender.
More low effort veggie dishes
- Sauteed Broccolini
- Curried Cauliflower
- Keto Coleslaw
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Sauteed brussels sprouts
- Or any of these side dish recipes
Cabbage Steaks
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large cabbage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, butter, and garlic.
- Slice the cabbage lengthways into 1-inch ‘steaks’. Discard any excess leaves and place the portions on the lined sheet. Brush the tops of each ‘steak’ with the garlic butter oil mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the cabbage steaks for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and crisp around the edges.
This prepared today. It was amazing really.
This is perfect for me. Cabbage is maybe my favourite veggie!