Looking for a new cabbage recipe? Try these easy and flavorful Grilled Cabbage Steaks – only 4 ingredients and topped however you like, they make a simple and crowd-pleasing vegetable side dish. Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, low-carb, and Keto friendly.
Don’t know what to do with cabbage besides your typical coleslaw?! I got you covered with these super easy grilled cabbage steaks!!
Day 2 of ETGveggies and we are using cabbage! If you have no idea what ETGveggies, it’s a 5 day veggie challenge encouraging you to eat some more veggies! Feel free to check out the post to read more about it.
I don’t know about you, but I love cabbage. Every time I have it, I’m like why don’t I eat more of this?! It crunchy, pretty neutral in flavor so you can do a lot with it, packed with vitamins and minerals, and super inexpensive to buy!
But every time I use it, it is usually the same way – coleslaw or thinly sliced in a salad. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some coleslaw, but I wanted to get more creative. And what better way than grilling it! It’s summertime here (at least it feels like it already) and there isn’t anything much better than delicious food hot off the grill!
To keep Cabbage Fresh
Another thing I love so much about cabbage is how well it stores. When I asked what some of your objections or challenges were with eating more veggies, some of y’all said they go bad too fast. Well don’t look any further, because cabbage is for you.
If handled and stored properly, it can last from 3 week to 2 months in your fridge. Yes, really!! I know I’ve had cabbage for 2-4 weeks in my fridge and they stay fresh just like the first day I picked them up. It’s nice to have one on hand and keep in your fridge for times when you are running low on veggies.
To store cabbage, just keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use. I usually keep mine in a plastic bag to help keep the moisture in. Try not to bruise it – the outer leaves are tougher to help protect the inner more tender leaves. And don’t wash it until you are ready to use. All of those things will help keep it fresh for a long time!
How to Grill Cabbage
The beauty of grilled cabbage steaks is they are so so easy to make. You need minimal ingredients (seriously 2 plus some salt & pepper) and they take minimal time. And the grilling just does something magical to them – they are tender while being nice and caramelized with charred edges. So dang good. Here is what you need:
- a head of cabbage
- oil – I used avocado oil
- salt & pepper
- sauce for topping or whatever you want to put on top of them!
First light your grill and let it up to temperature. I grilled these on medium high to make sure we got some good char on the outsides and grill marks. While the grill heats up, prepare the cabbage by slicing it into steaks and seasoning it with oil and salt and pepper. I use this reusable spray bottle to coat the steaks with avocado oil, but you could also just drizzle it on them.
When the grill is up to temperate, add the steaks and grill for 5-6 minutes, flip, and grill for another 3-4 minutes. Be careful flipping them as some of the outer leaves may try to loosen and break away from the head. The time to cook them will depend on how thick your steaks are.
You want them to be tender, but have a nice char and get crispy on the outside. Keep a close eye on them as you don’t want to overcook them. Grilled cabbage totally transforms the flavor and I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Once they are done, top them however you like! I left that part up to you, but some good ideas are ranch dressing, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, fresh herbs, chimichurri, or mustard. Really whatever kind or dressing or sauce you like will work.
Cabbage Nutrition
Another thing that makes cabbage so great is how nutrient dense it is! It’s loaded with vitamin C which helps your body make collagen, helps absorb iron, and is a super powerful antioxidant and can help protect against cancer.
It also is a great source of vitamin k, vitamin B6, folate, and fiber, and even has a little protein. Foods high in fiber help improve digestion and keeps your bowel movements regular. It’s also a low calorie and carbohydrate food. For the price point – about $2-3 per head – you really can’t beat it!
To Make Cabbage Steaks in your Oven
If you don’t have a grill, no worries. You can also make cabbage steaks in your oven as well. Simply follow the directions for preparing the cabbage and instead of lighting your grill, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and roast for 30-35 minutes until tender and crispy around the edges.
What to serve with Grilled Cabbage
I made this recipe yesterday and just topped them with ranch and ate it with some cut up carrot and a can of tuna, but it’s so versatile you can eat it with anything! Here are some ideas:
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Meatballs
Grilled Steak with Pistachio Pesto – the pesto would be bomb on the cabbage too!
Easy Vegetable Recipes
Cinnamon Chipotle Grilled Carrots
Grilled Cabbage Steaks
ingredients
- 1 large head cabbage (about 970 grams)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: ranch, BBQ sauce, fresh herbs, balsamic dressing...
instructions
- Light grill to medium-high heat and let it come up to temperature.
- While the grill heats up, prepare the cabbage. Trim off a small part of bottom of the cabbage so it can stand up. Careful not to trim off too much as the stem is what helps it stay together. Standing the cabbage up, slice cabbage into 3/4-1 inch thick pieces. Cover both sides with oil and salt and pepper. I used a reusable spray bottle to evenly coat them with oil.
- Place cabbage directly on the grill. Grill cabbage for 5-6 minutes, carefully flip, and grill for another 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness and until tender on the inside, but crispy on the outside.
- Top with fresh herbs and sauce/condiment of choice. Enjoy!
notes
nutrition
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Kari says
I remember watching a food show where the restaurant served grilled cabbage and the critic was so disgusted that someone thought grilling cabbage was a ‘thing’ to do. He obviously had no taste. 😉
Kelly says
Hahaha!! It is so good! Glad you agree!
Hannah Flack says
I like making breakfast with my kids. I tend to be a bit of a control freak in the kitchen, though. I often find it best to point them in the right direction, then move to another room of the house until they need help witg something.
Kelly says
Hope you guys enjoy these for breakfast!
Catrina says
Loved this recipe!! I bought purple cabbage by mistake and it turned out great! Made some homemade ranch to top it with, yum!! Thanks for another great recipe Kelly!!!
Kelly says
I love the idea of using purple cabbage! So glad you liked it Catrina and thank you for trying it!
Sara says
I made this for my family last night and it was a hit! It’s simple to make and delicious. While the cabbage was grilled I reduced a mixture of balsamic vinegar, garlic powder and pepper. I’m trying to incorporate more veggies into EVERY meal. I’m going to add this to my rotation.
Kelly says
I love that sauce Sara! So glad you liked them and thanks for trying it!
Kara says
I’ve made these twice in the last week. Did mine in the oven. They’re great!
Kelly says
So glad you liked them Kara! Thanks for trying it!
Jessica Hawkins says
We have yet to try a recipe from Kelly that wasn’t a win for the whole fam, which says a lot considering I have an autoimmune disorder I manage through a limited diet, my husband is very gluten FORWARD and we have a two year old 🙂 Not one bite was left from our dinner and our daughter loved it so much, I had to make extra after dinner for her lunch the next day! We topped ours with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, some shredded chicken thighs and a tahini vinaigrette. Pretty sure this will be on our menu at least every other week, if not more often!
Kelly says
Thank you so much Jess!! That means the world to me and I’m so glad you liked them. And I absolutely love how you topped it – I’m going to have to try that!
Suzanne says
What is white sauce on top in first photo?
Kelly says
Hi Suzanne! I just used Tessemae’s ranch! It’s so good!! You can find it at a decent amount of grocery stores too!
Debbie says
An alternative is a grill pan on top of the stove. Get the grill marks.
Kelly says
Oh yes! I didn’t even think of that. We don’t have one but I hear that are awesome. Thank you Debbie!