I first made this Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts a few months ago after a video popped up on my screen while I was scrolling on TikTok. It was a time when I was being recommended a lot of cabbage videos, and despite not knowing how the algorithm got me there, I believe the intention was to get me to eat more cabbage. Well, it worked.
a cabbage renaissance
I won’t go into cabbage’s infamous reputation and the after-effects of eating it – although I did notice a lot of comments on those videos that I promptly chose to ignore. It is my belief the general population is not particularly fond of cabbages.
Having said that, cabbage seems to be undergoing something of a renaissance. More people are choosing to embrace what was once considered peasant fare. Even I, a food lover and cabbage-eater, never really understood cabbage’s appeal.
That changed on a winter trip to Poland, where I had so many cabbage-centric dishes I had no choice but to fall in love with the vegetable. The dishes actually blew me away.
Simplicity and sourcing fresh ingredients are the secret to great food, after all. And cabbage, a vegetable that boasts so many health benefits – from vitamins A, B, C, and K, fiber, iron, potassium – is inexpensive and incredibly versatile.
It can be used raw in salads, sliced thinly and sautéed in a hot skillet with olive oil and garlic, or turned into a thick, hearty stew. Add some Asian influences and you have seared cabbage with miso butter.
Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts
This recipe, a lazy sheet pan dish, is so simple and cheap – a welcoming aspect, especially now with all this inflation. It’s also easily customizable. I got my inspiration from a dish I saw on Smitten Kitchen and then made some minor modifications.
You can check her post and see where she got the original inspiration and modifications she has made herself – plus lots of useful tips!
The biggest change I made was the cabbage. Instead of using savoy, a variety that has tender leaves, I used green cabbage – the most basic and common of cabbages. It works great, too, because the leaves are tightly packed, so the wedges won’t fall apart. I also like its sweet nature and how they get a nice crisp.
I like the idea of keeping it entirely vegetarian, but adding anchovies would also add another layer of complexity and flavor. What I like most about this Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts is its simplicity, though, so I tend to stick with the basic ingredients.
The parmesan cheese is a lovely way to add a salty kick, but you can skip it, and just keep it vegan. For simple dishes like this, I like adding a generous amount of salt and acid to the dressing, so make sure to adjust to taste as you go.
If necessary, add a little bit of honey to balance out the flavors.
If you make this Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts please be sure to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you and I love responding to every comment. And don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram. I’d love to see your photos!
Ingredients
1 large head green cabbage
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
black pepper
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 large lemon
red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 475ºF.
Remove any damaged outer leaves of cabbage and cut it 8 to 12 wedges. Coat a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Arrange cabbage wedges in one layer, and drizzle them with 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Roast for 10 minutes, until charred underneath (if you see a few thin black edges; don't worry, they’re going to taste amazing). Using a spatula, flip each wedge over and roast for 8 to 10 more minutes, or until the edges of the cabbage are dark brown.
Meanwhile, place nuts on a smaller baking dish and roast them next to the cabbage for about 5 minutes. Remove and transfer onto a cutting board. Coarsely chop. Add walnuts to a small bowl. Finely grate the zest of lemon and the garlic, and to the same bowl.
Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to walnuts, a few pinches of salt and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Allow it all infuse as it cools, while the cabbage roasts.
When ready, squeeze the juice of the lemon in and stir to combine. Adjust flavors to taste, adding more salt, lemon, and honey, if needed - you want this dressing to be robust.
When the cabbage comes out of the oven, spoon the walnut dressing over the wedges. Grate parmesan all over, adding more to taste. Serve immediately, while piping hot.
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