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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John says
Do you need to skewer them to hold together?
Kelly says
No, if you cut them thick enough, they should hold together fine. You just need to be careful handling and flipping. You could skewer if you want though!
Moi says
The flavor is wonderful but if you think for one moment that they will come out looking like the photos, you’re living in a dream world. They will fall apart and you will eat grilled, shredded cabbage.
Kelly says
Hey Moi, not sure what happened, but I’ve never had this problem. All cabbages are different, but we want to make sure you are cutting them thick enough so they hold together. Glad you enjoyed the recipe though and thank you for trying!