My family calls me the cabbage queen, and honestly, I’ve earned the title. Once you learn what this vegetable is truly capable of, you’ll never look at it the same way again. Cabbage is finally trending, and I am here for it!
Why Cabbage Deserves to be the Hero
As someone who was born and raised on the Mediterranean and has devoted my career to sharing the heart of this region through my cookbooks and recipes, I’ve learned not to overlook humble ingredients. Few ingredients are more unfairly overlooked than cabbage — though judging by what’s showing up all over my social media feeds lately, the rest of the world is finally catching on!
I’ve been cooking cabbage my entire life, from the Egyptian kitchen where I grew up to my own kitchen here in the States, and I can tell you with complete conviction that this vegetable has more range than almost anything else in the produce aisle. I’ve cooked it into soup, roasted it until caramelized, shredded it into salads, pickled it, and stuffed it. Every time, it delivers.
What I Love About Cooking With Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the most budget-friendly, widely available, and nutritious vegetables you can buy, and in a moment when everyone is looking for ways to eat well without overspending, that matters more than ever. A single head of cabbage can anchor a meal for four, act as a canvas for bold spices or sauces, and transform completely depending on how you treat it. Given high heat, it caramelizes. With a long braise, it turns silky and sweet. Dressed in a good vinaigrette, it stays vibrant and crunchy for days.
What I love most about cooking cabbage is the same thing I love about Mediterranean cooking in general: it proves that the simplest ingredients, treated with a little care and a generous pour of good extra virgin olive oil, can become something spectacular. These cabbage recipes span the full range of what it can do.
Whether you’re looking for a fast weeknight side, a hearty one-pot dinner, a make-ahead salad, or a showstopping vegetarian main, these cabbage recipes will change how you think about this humble, hardworking vegetable for good! I promise you, that sad, untouched head in the back of your crisper drawer is going to start looking like pure potential.
Silky Cabbage Soup & Crunchy Cabbage Salads
Red Cabbage Salad
Crisp red cabbage, tart apples, toasted walnuts, and shallots come together in a homemade apple cider vinaigrette. Unlike a delicate green salad, this one can be dressed hours ahead and arrives at the table just as vibrant and crunchy as when it was made, making it a hero of picnics or parties.
Easy Cabbage Soup
This warmly spiced, vegan one-pot soup is a favorite I return to anytime I need a healthy reset. Turmeric, cumin, coriander, and fresh ginger transform a head of green cabbage into something deeply nourishing. Ten minutes of prep, one pot, and dinner is done. Serve it with freshly-baked pita bread for a complete meal.
Mediterranean Cabbage Salad
A Mediterranean coleslaw that puts the mayo-based version to shame — shredded cabbage, radishes, herbs, and toasted almonds in a zippy sumac-Dijon vinaigrette that stays crisp for days. It’s also perfect alongside grilled chicken kabobs on a warm evening.
Easy Cabbage Sides
Sautéed Cabbage with Garlic and Lime
Fifteen minutes in a hot cast-iron skillet with olive oil, garlic, Aleppo pepper, and a squeeze of lime transforms shredded cabbage into something tender, nutty, and bright. The fastest proof that high heat is cabbage’s best friend! Serve it alongside garlic shrimp or spiced baked chicken thighs.
Quick Pickled Cabbage
If you’ve never kept a jar of pickled cabbage in your fridge, this recipe will change that! It’s a vivid, jewel-toned condiment that lasts for weeks and makes everything it touches—especially falafel wraps or Turkish-style baked potatoes—better.
Cacio e Pepe Cabbage
Inspired by the Roman pasta classic, this 15-minute side dish shows that cabbage and Pecorino Romano were made for each other. Bold, deeply savory, and so satisfying that, topped with an egg, it could easily be dinner on its own. I love it with lemon chicken or broiled salmon.
Sexy Roasted Cabbage Wedges
High heat brings out cabbage’s hidden sweetness. Roasted in wedges, the outer leaves become crispy and caramelized while the interior stays tender. Finished with creamy tahini sauce and a scatter of dukkah, it’s a low-carb, vegan, and visually stunning side dish.
Mains Where Cabbage is the Star
Greek Cabbage Rice
Lahanorizo is a beloved Greek one-pot comfort dish wherein cabbage, leeks, carrots, and rice simmer together in tomato broth. Finished with lemon and feta, the result is a satisfying vegetarian meal. Pair it with a simple horiatiki salad or fasolada to round out the meal.
Mediterranean Beef and Cabbage Skillet
One pound of beef, a whole head of finely shredded cabbage, a bold Middle Eastern spice blend, and one pan, and you’ve got (a low-carb, gluten-free) dinner on the table in 30 minutes! If you do want a carb, serve it over Lebanese rice.
Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
All the deep, savory pleasure of traditional stuffed cabbage—spiced ground beef, rice, and silky cabbage—without the step of rolling. The cabbage becomes tender and sweet as it cooks slowly in the rich tomato sauce. Make a big batch (it’s even better the next day), and serve it with a tangy orzo salad.
Cabbage Steaks
Cut into thick slices and roasted, cabbage stays surprisingly substantial. The edges caramelize while the interior turns tender, creating “steaks” that feel hearty enough for a vegetarian main, especially once blanketed in vibrant North African chermoula and scattered with toasted walnuts. Serve them alongside turmeric rice and butter beans with garlic and lemon for a complete meal.
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