Cabbage Steaks are roasted to perfection in the oven and then topped with toasted walnuts and an easy-to-make herb sauce called Chermoula. Serve as a vegetarian main or a filling and robust side dish.
Cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables and for good reason. It’s affordable, lasts for weeks in the fridge, is loaded with health benefits, and can be enjoyed fresh in salads or used to make things like cabbage soup, sauteed cabbage, or this Cabbage Steak recipe. And let me just say, this is not your average Cabbage Steaks recipe!
You only need 15 minutes of hands-on time to make these nutty, herbal cabbage steaks that everyone in the household will love — especially your vegetarian friends.
Simply, slice a head of cabbage into 1-inch thick pieces, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast the cabbage steaks in the oven. While it roasts toast some walnuts and make the chermoula, a North African herb sauce made with parsley, cilantro, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and a handful of spices. It comes together in your food processor in minutes, and it makes this cabbage steak recipe pop!
Once roasted the cabbage becomes tender with crisp edges. The walnuts add texture, toasted warmth, and heft, while the sauce dresses up this simple vegetable to main dish status. You will never look at cabbage the same way again. You’re in love now. Just accept it.
Table of Contents
What You Need to Make Cabbage Steaks
The recipe is pretty simple to pull together. A well-stocked spice drawer, some fresh herbs, walnuts, cabbage, and lemon are all you need to take this rather plain vegetable and turn it into kitchen royalty, which makes you kitchen royalty by default. Take a bow. You deserve it.
- Green Cabbage: The star of the dish, turns tender and caramelized when roasted, creating a hearty, flavorful base for the chermoula and toasted nuts.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The silky binder that adds richness and helps everything crisp up beautifully, is also used in the chermoula to help loosen it and add flavor. We have loads of olive oils that are high in polyphenols in our shop. Any will work in this recipe
- Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper: The dynamic duo that enhances every bite with just the right seasoning. Salt makes every other flavor stand out, and pepper adds a touch of warmth.
- Fresh Herbs (Parsley & Cilantro): The zesty, aromatic foundation of the chermoula adds bright, fresh flavors to balance the richness of the roasted cabbage steaks.
- Garlic Cloves: Is a bold flavor booster that adds a little spice to the chermoula.
- Spices (Coriander, Red Pepper Flakes, Sweet Paprika, Ground Ginger): This blend of spices adds flair, brightness, and a subtle heat. I based my version of Chermoula on this Chermoula recipe, but mine is less spicey and less lemony because my kids don’t like a lot of heat but if you do, by all means, use the recipe linked above if you like things spicy!
- Lemon: The citrusy zing that brightens the dish and balances the richness.
- Walnut Halves: I love walnuts in this because it adds texture, another layer of flavor and some healthy fats and who doesn’t want healthy fat?
Ingredient Spotlight: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil is the heart and soul of Mediterranean cooking, loved for its rich flavor and amazing health perks. A good extra virgin olive oil is packed with antioxidants and healthy fats that help support heart health. Plus, its bold, versatile taste makes it a kitchen must-have—perfect for everything from drizzling over salads to sautéing veggies.
- READ MORE: Everything You Need to Know About Olive Oil, Cooking with Olive Oil, and even Baking with Olive Oil. (As you can tell we really love the stuff and we are happy to help you love it too!)
- TRY IT: Our Everyday EVOO Bundle is a great way to explore them all, but if you’d rather start with a smaller sample then our mini bottles should do the job.
How to Make Cabbage Steaks
Don’t skip the Chermoula on this recipe! It really does make it the dish extra special and flavorful. Whip out your food processor and it’s ready in minutes.
- Get ready: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
- Prepare the cabbage: Peel off any damaged outer leaves and trim the stem, but leave the core intact. Cut 1 large head of cabbage into 1-inch thick slices. You should have 6–7 cabbage steaks.
- Season the cabbage: Place the cabbage steaks on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each side with extra virgin olive oil and season with 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast: Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the cabbage steaks for 25 minutes. Flip them and roast for another 10 minutes until firm but fork tender.
- Make the chermoula: In a food processor, combine 1 packed cup fresh parsley, 1 packed cup fresh cilantro, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, the zest of 1 lemon, juice of 1/2–1 lemon (to taste), and 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until combined but textured. Taste and adjust flavor with more salt, olive oil, or lemon juice as needed.
- Toast the nuts: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast ¼ cup walnut halves, chopped, for 3–5 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
- Assemble and serve: Transfer the roasted cabbage steaks to a platter. Pour the chermoula over the steaks and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts. Enjoy!
What to Serve with this Cabbage Steak Recipe
This is often a stand-alone meal for me, but my husband likes to enjoy it as a side. When that’s the case, I will often pair cabbage steaks with Whole Roasted Chicken, Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic or Crispy Breaded Chicken Cutlets.
I lived as a vegetarian until I was in my late 20s and was in my 30s before I ate red meat. Although, I eat meat, fish, and seafood now, I still enjoy a predominantly plant based diet. You could also use these cabbage steaks to anchor a vegetarian feast and pair them with: Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Crema, Cauliflower Steaks, and Pepperonata with Crusty Olive Bread. YUM!
More Cabbage Recipes to Love!
Sides and Small Plates
Braised Cabbage and Carrots with Fennel Seed and Orange
Soups and Stews
“Detox” Cabbage Soup with Turmeric and Ginger
Sides and Small Plates
Sautéed Cabbage with Garlic and Lime
Sides and Small Plates
“Sexy” Crispy Roasted Cabbage Recipe (with Dukkah and Tahini)
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Cabbage Steaks Recipe with Green Chermoula and Toasted Walnuts
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cabbage
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Chermoula
- 1 packed cup fresh parsley, ends trimmed
- 1 packed cup fresh cilantro, ends trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup walnut halves, chopped, to finish
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with olive oil and set aside.
- Prepare the cabbage: Peel off any damaged outer leaves and trim the stem, but leave the core intact. Set the stem side down and cut 1-inch thick slices top to bottom through the core. You should end up with 6 to 7 cabbage steaks.
- Season the cabbage: Place each cabbage steak on the prepared baking sheet. Brush each side with olive oil, and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Roast: Place the sheetpan in the oven and roast the cabbage steaks for 25 minutes. Carefully, flip them over and roast for another 10 minutes until the cabbage is firm, but fork tender. A few outer peels might come loose when you flip it, that’s Ok. Just roll with it.
- Make the chermoula: While the cabbage roasts make the chermoula. To the bowl of a food processor, add the parsley, cilantro, garlic, coriander, red pepper flakes, paprika, ginger, salt, zest of one lemon, juice of half a lemon, and the extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until the mixture is combined, but you should still see some texture.
- Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Taste it. If you’re satisfied with the flavor, transfer the chermoula into a pourable container. If you think it’s too lemony, add a pinch of salt and 1 additional tablespoon of olive oil, and pulse again. If you think it needs more lemon, go ahead and squeeze in the other half. Two to 3 tablespoons of lemon juice is the sweet spot for me. If you think it's too thick, add more olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Toast the nuts: Set a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped walnuts. Toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant. Set aside.
- Assemble and serve: When the cabbage is finished cooking, remove it from the oven and transfer the cabbage steaks to a platter. Pour the chermoula over the steaks (you may not use all of it) and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams and spices.
- To Reheat: You can reheat this in an oiled skillet over medium heat or zap it in the microwave until it’s warmed through. If you plan to meal prep this, I would keep the chermoula in the fridge, reheat your cabbage steaks as needed then top with chermoula and nuts as needed. I tend to store toasted nuts in a jar on my countertop, so I always have them available to top my salads or vegetable dishes.
