Thick-cut roasted cabbage steaks with garlic butter turn tender inside while staying crispy on the edges for an easy 35-minute side dish!
These Cabbage Steaks are one of those simple sides that work with just about any meal, whether you’re serving chicken, steak, or a meatless main. Made with green cabbage, butter, garlic, salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of Parmesan, they roast in the oven until tender in the center and crisp, caramelized on the edges. I’ve found that slicing the cabbage about ¾-inch thick and brushing both sides with garlic butter helps it brown evenly without drying out, making this a dependable, flavorful vegetable side that’s easy enough for weeknights yet still worthy of serving to guests.
Reader tip: Several readers love finishing these roasted cabbage steaks with shredded or grated Parmesan or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for more flavor.
Why This Cabbage Steak Recipe Works
Garlic butter and Parmesan are the signature flavors in these oven-baked cabbage steaks, giving simple roasted cabbage a deeper, savory edge. As the thick slices roast, the garlic butter helps the edges caramelize while the centers turn tender and almost buttery. A sprinkle of Parmesan at the end adds a salty, lightly crisp finish that makes the whole pan feel a little richer and more dinner-ready than a basic olive-oil version. This recipe is a great fit for anyone who enjoys roasted vegetables with bold flavor, or for turning cabbage into a satisfying side that pairs easily with weeknight mains.
Parmesan Garlic Cabbage is another way to fall in love with incredibly flavorful cabbage, or turn the family onto another new way to love cauliflower with deliciously hearty Loaded Cauliflower Steaks!
What to Serve with Cabbage Steaks
- Weeknight meals can be amazing with simple recipes, like serving tasty, flaky Air Fryer Salmon with cabbage steaks for a beautiful and quick meal!
- Grilled Ribeye Steaks make a hearty pairing for cabbage steaks. The juicy steak and savory roasted cabbage make you feel like you’re at a steakhouse at home.
- Creamy Lemon Chicken Breast is a great match for cabbage steaks because the tangy lemon sauce balances the rich garlic butter and Parmesan flavors.
- If you’re making Balsamic Steak Roll Ups, cabbage steaks are an easy side choice since the roasted garlic butter flavors work really well with the tangy balsamic and tender steak.
Choosing the Best Ingredients
These ingredients are simple, but each one pulls its weight. Cabbage provides structure, butter helps with browning, garlic adds savory depth, and Parmesan finishes the steaks with salty richness.
Cabbage
Choose a firm, heavy green cabbage. It will have tightly packed leaves so that the slices hold together better during cutting and roasting.
Garlic Butter
Use good-quality grass-fed butter to get a richer flavor. Mince garlic cloves yourself. Jar-lic does not taste the same, and it only takes a minute to chop it yourself.
Parmesan
Block Parmesan + a microplane is the way to go. It melts beautifully over the cabbage. Shredded or grated Parmesan from the cheese counter is okay to use since it’s shredded on-site, but skip the pre-shredded bags in the meat and cheese area of the store.
How to Make Cabbage Steaks
Here’s how to make roasted cabbage steaks with garlic butter so they turn tender in the middle with crispy brown edges.
STEP ONE: Move the center oven rack down to one position lower in the oven, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. This rack placement will help keep the tops from getting over-browned.
STEP TWO: Cut the cabbage into thick slices, starting with a center cut and working out from the middle. This will give each steak the most surface area to soak up the garlic butter. Melt the butter with garlic, then brush the steaks with it before roasting for 25-30 minutes.
STEP THREE: When the steaks are done, sprinkle them with some Parmesan cheese. You can add a little chopped parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, or fresh cracked pepper for more flavor.
Roasting Tips for Cabbage
- The cabbage steaks will shrink while roasting, so be sure not to cut them thinly. About 3/4 of an inch is a good size to ensure they do not burn or fall apart when removed from the pan.
- Remember to move the oven rack down a rack setting to prevent the cabbage from burning. You can also rotate the pan halfway through cooking for more evenly roasted cabbage steaks.
What are some common mistakes when making cabbage steaks?
There are a few common problems that can arise when making cabbage steaks, but they are easy to avoid.
- Too Thin: Cut the cabbage steaks into thick slices. If the slabs are cut too thinly, they will stick to the pan and are more likely to fall apart.
- Too Little Fat: Be sure to add a generous amount of fat, like garlic butter, to caramelize the edges of the cabbage.
- Uneven Thickness: If the slices aren’t cut evenly, some areas will overcook while others remain firm rather than tender.
Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
- Parmesan cheese shredded, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Move an oven rack to one slot below the center.* Grease a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Cut 1 large head green cabbage into 4 large slices** and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small saucepan, add the 6 tablespoons unsalted butter and 3 cloves garlic and place over low heat. Cook until the butter is melted, 2-3 minutes.
- Brush the garlic butter over both sides of the cabbage steaks and then sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until the edges are browned and crisp and the centers are tender.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Yes, this is a keto recipe. To make it vegan, you’ll need to substitute vegan butter, olive oil, or avocado oil and skip the Parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast would be a great cheese substitute to keep the tangy flavor.
You can use green or red cabbage to make these roasted cabbage steaks. Red cabbage has a slightly sweeter, peppery taste, while green cabbage has a mild flavor.
Can I air fry cabbage steaks?
These roasted cabbage steaks can also be made in the air fryer as a variation, but it’s not a replacement for the oven-roasted method. Prepare the cabbage steaks according to the recipe, then lay them flat in a well-greased air fryer basket and cook for 8 minutes at 360°F. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook the steaks in batches so there’s enough airflow for them to crisp properly. Use the air fryer for smaller batches, but use the oven when you want the cabbage steaks to roast in a single layer and brown more evenly.
How to Store and Reheat Roasted Cabbage Steaks
Store leftover cabbage steaks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through. Or microwave them for a minute if you don’t mind it not being crispy.
More Vegetable Side Dishes to Try!
- Honey Garlic Carrots
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Garlic Roasted Broccoli
- Air Fryer Green Bean Fries
- Simply Delicious Blistered Tomatoes
Leave a Reply