Roasted Red Cabbage is my favorite way to take simple ingredients and create a great side dish that everyone will adore. Sprinkle with pistachios and serve the cabbage wedges as a main meal to rave reviews…Every.Single.Time. Winner, winner roasted cabbage steak dinner!
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Finally, a red cabbage recipe that’s easy to make, super delicious, and gorgeous too! You’ll love how these cabbage wedges have crispy edges and tender centers. Serve as a low carb vegan main dish or a terrific gluten-free side dish.
Purple cabbage, green cabbage, red cabbage….oh, they’re all good and roasting cabbage wedges will make this low calorie vegetable dish easier to digest too!
If you have a head of red cabbage, this is one of the best ways to enjoy it!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cabbage: Any kind or a combo will work well in this recipe. I love how beautifully purple the red cabbage becomes when roasted. Roasted savoy cabbage is soft and buttery and regular green cabbage softens up beautifully when roasted.
- Pistachios: Chop your favorite nuts to add another dimension to this easy side dish. For a nut-free version, sprinkle on some sesame seeds, sunflower seeds or chopped pepitas.
- Olive oil: Just a bit of olive oil or avocado oil is all that’s needed for crispy roasted cabbage.
- Spices: Keep it simple if this is your first time making roasted cabbage. A sprinkle of sea salt and a grind of black pepper is all that’s needed, but you can experiment too and add your favorite spice blend. A sprinkle of garlic powder If you’re cutting back on sodium, try my no salt taco seasoning.
- Optional: A sprinkle of garlic powder or onion powder, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a splash of maple syrup could be added to enhance this simple dish.
Health Benefits of Cabbage
- Nutrient rich: Even after cooking, cabbage will still retain several essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin C, Vitamin K and folate.
- Digestive support: Cooked cabage remains a good source of dietary fiber, which aids digestion and promotes regular bowel movements.
- Anti-inflammatory: Cruciferous vegetables including cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower contain a unique combination of phytochemicals, sulforaphane, and antioxidants that help neutralize and reduce inflammation.
- Heart Healthy: consuming cooked cabbage supports healthy blood pressure levels.
- Weight management: Cooked cabbage is low in calories and carbs and high in fiber making it a great addition to a weight management program.
- Fiber: this plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy gut microbiota that helps regulate the immune system and decrease inflammation.
How to cut cabbage into steaks
You will need a sharp knife and a wooden cutting board to easily turn a head of cabbage into steaks that will roast up beautifully.
First, break off any outer leaves that are damaged or wilted. Then rinse the cabbage under running water and pat dry.
Place the cabbage head upside down (with the stem side facing up) on the cutting board. Halve the cabbage, making sure to cut through the core.
Next, place one half of the cabbage cut side down and cut that in half straight through the core.
Now, continue to cut into slices about ½″ thick. You will get about 8 cabbage steaks out of each half, depending on how large your head of cabbage is.
How to Roast Cabbage Steaks
I think it’s easiest to cut cabbage into steaks and then roast them. When you cut cabbage into wedges you can lay the whole piece flat side down. You could use a large cast iron skillet to cook the cabbage, but you’ll get more space using a large rimmed baking sheet.
It’s important that the cabbage slices fit in a single layer, so use two pans if needed.
Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes in preheated 425 oven.
Then, sprinkle on chopped nuts and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes. The cabbage will be golden and tender and the pistachios will be crunchy with a perfectly roasted flavor.
How to serve Roasted Red Cabbage
- Roasted red cabbage tastes great hot, straight from the oven. You can also serve it at room temperature, making it the perfect make ahead side dish. I love to eat the leftovers straight from the fridge as a salad.
- Sprinkle on some fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and transfer cabbage steaks to a platter.
- If you’re looking for another vegan steak option, try my cauliflower steak with chimichurri.
- Or, toss well, letting the strips of roasted cabbage fall off their wedges. Serve in a bowl as a simple side dish or chilled as a salad with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- A scoop of roasted cabbage is the perfect addition to your grain bowls.
Storage
- Meal Prep: This is a great make ahead recipe because you can serve it room temperature or cold, straight from the fridge.
- Store: In an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Reheat: You can re-crisp
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this red cabbage dish. The texture will be altered and it will taste watery.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- For those who find raw cabbage hard to digest, this is a wonderful alternative. Start slow, eating smaller amounts, until you build up your tolerance to this uber healthy cruciferous vegetable.
- You can use parchment paper to line your baking trays if desired, but I like the crispy underside roasted vegetables develop while cooking straight on the pan.
- Thick slices of cabbage will be easier to serve as cabbage steaks, thinner slices will be easier to mix up as a salad or healthy side dish.
- Total cooking time will be about 20-25 minutes, but it will vary depending on how thick your cabbage slices are. Obviously thick pieces will need longer to cook.
- Try my dairy-free parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top….next level, I promise!
FAQs
Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage are high in sulfur and can cause gas and bloating.
Cooking cabbage softens the fiber and reduces the sulfur, which can make it easier to digest.
You can also start by eating small amounts of cruciferous vegetables and slowly building your tolerance, and drink plenty of water to help digest the fiber.
Soaking cabbage in salted water is a good way to soften cabbage that you intend to eat raw. You can also toss it in a bit of salt and pepper and let it sit (without water) to soften. If you’re going to cook the cabbage, it will soften while cooking so soaking is not necessary.
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Red Cabbage
Rate this RecipeIngredients
- 1 head red cabbage cut into ½" thick wedges
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425
- Cut through center core of cabbage to halve. Then cut each half into ½" wedges.
- Arrange cabbage wedges in a single layer on large rimmed baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle on pistachios.
- Roast for another 5-10 minutes, until golden and caramelized.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Refrigerate any leftovers and serve cold.
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Elizabeth
Loved the addition of pistachios! Thanks for the recipe!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome…I love the added crunch!
Gloria
This is the perfect side dish for dinner tonight. It will pair well with pork tenderloin.
Debra Klein
Love making this as a simple side.
Megane
We love this dish. The pistachios with the cabbage are perfection. Absolutely recommend this recipe.
Debra Klein
Thanks so much…I totally agree.
Helen at the lazy gastronome
This cabbage is amazing. It’s sweet and savory and the pistachios add a perfect crunch!
Debra Klein
Thanks Helen!
Tina
I love how easy to make this red cabbage dish is! I sprinkled mine with pistachios as suggested and it was amazing.
Debra Klein
Thanks Tina…so glad you enjoyed it.
Deb
How do you make this , or any of your recipes oil free?
Debra Klein
For this roasted red cabbage, I would brush on a little mild vinegar (like rice vinegar) instead of drizzling with the oil. You can sort my recipes by dietary category and be taken right to the no oil recipes if you’d like. Otherwise, I usually give substitutions and instructions in recipes to accommodate.
Deb
Would brushing on with rice vinegar be good for all roasted veggies? Would a spray work as well? Can you give alternatives such as this to the regular recipes? I like it when you mention how cutting the sweetener is an option! Thanks!