Oven Roasted Garlic Cabbage Steaks

Oven Roasted Garlic Cabbage Steaks are crispy on the edges, tender in the middle, and bursting with savory garlic flavor! This simple side dish uses just one head of cabbage, olive oil, and pantry spices to create something truly special.

Love More Roasted Recipes? Try My Maple Glazed Roasted Sweet Potatoes or this Roasted Delicata squash next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy on the edges and tender in the center, these Oven Roasted Garlic Cabbage Steaks are a simple yet flavorful side dish. Brushed with olive oil, garlic, and seasonings, the cabbage roasts to golden perfection with a delicious savory aroma. Healthy, easy, and surprisingly addictive, they pair beautifully with any main course.

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Ingredient List

Main Ingredients:

• 1 large green or red cabbage
• 3 tablespoons olive oil (or melted butter for a richer flavor)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Optional Toppings:

• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flakes
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Why These Ingredients Work

So here’s what actually happens in the oven. All that water inside the cabbage cooks out, right? And then the natural sugars start doing their thing and caramelize. It’s like when you roast marshmallows over a campfire and get those perfect golden spots. Except we’re talking vegetables, so you can eat way more without feeling guilty. Those crispy edges are honestly my favorite part – I’ve been known to pick them off the pan while they’re still hot and burn my fingers. Worth it every time.

The olive oil isn’t just there to keep things from sticking. It’s actually what creates that whole crispy crust situation. I tried being healthy once and used cooking spray instead. Big mistake. They came out dry and sad, and my husband asked what went wrong. Lesson learned – use the real oil.

Now about the garlic powder. I know fresh garlic sounds better, but hear me out. Fresh garlic burns at high heat and turns into these bitter black specks that taste gross. I found that out the hard way after serving burnt-garlic cabbage to my in-laws. Garlic powder gives you all that flavor without any risk of burning. Sometimes boring is better, you know?

The smoked paprika is honestly my favorite part. It makes people think these came off a grill or something fancy. My friend Beth was convinced I’d been secretly grilling them outside until I showed her the can of paprika. She felt pretty silly, but now she buys it too!

Thyme and onion powder just tie everything together. Like when you’re missing something in a recipe but can’t figure out what – these are usually it. They make the whole thing taste complete instead of one-dimensional.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Sharp chef’s knife (a dull one will make you cry trying to cut cabbage)
• Large baking sheet
• Parchment paper or cooking spray
• Small mixing bowl
• Pastry brush or spoon for applying oil mixture
• Measuring spoons
• Spatula for flipping
• Air fryer (optional, for the air fryer method)

How To Make Oven Roasted Garlic Cabbage Steaks

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent sticking. This step is important—you want the cabbage to release easily after roasting!

Step 2: Prepare the Cabbage

Remove any wilted or damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Place the cabbage on a cutting board with the stem side down. Using a sharp knife, slice the cabbage into ¾-inch thick rounds or “steaks.” Here’s the key: be careful to keep the core intact—it holds the steaks together like glue! You should get about 4-6 steaks depending on the size of your cabbage.

Step 3: Season the Steaks

In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, thyme, salt, and black pepper. This creates your flavor powerhouse! Brush this mixture generously onto both sides of each cabbage steak. Don’t be shy—ensure every inch is coated for maximum flavor. I like to use a pastry brush, but a spoon works too.

Step 4: Roast to Perfection

Place the cabbage steaks on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each steak. This spacing is crucial for getting those crispy edges! Roast them in the oven for 25–30 minutes, flipping them halfway through at the 12-15 minute mark. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are golden brown and slightly crispy, with some darker caramelized spots. Trust me, those charred bits are pure flavor gold!

Step 5: Serve and Garnish

Remove the cabbage steaks from the oven and let them cool for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle optional toppings like Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, or chopped parsley for extra pizzazz. Serve immediately while they’re hot and crispy!

You Must Know

That core thing I keep harping on? It’s seriously not optional. Every single steak needs to have part of that core running through it, or you’re gonna have a bad time. Think of it like the skeleton – without it, everything just collapses into mush. My friend Jenny texted me a picture of her “failed” cabbage steaks once, and I immediately knew she’d cut the cores out. Called her up and she admitted it. We had a good laugh, but now she knows better!

Also, don’t try to be healthy and cut back on the oil. Three tablespoons sounds like a lot when you’re measuring it out, but it’s divided between six steaks. That’s half a tablespoon per serving. You need that oil for the crispy texture. Otherwise you’re basically just baking dry cabbage, and that’s depressing.

Personal Secret: After I brush on all the seasoning, I grab a tiny pinch of extra salt and sprinkle it over the top of each steak. Just a little bit, not a lot. Something about that extra salt pulls moisture out and makes the edges even crispier. My mom saw me doing it once and said I was crazy, but then she tried it and now she does it too. Sometimes the crazy things work!

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• At the store, pick up the cabbage and feel how heavy it is. Heavy cabbage is fresh cabbage with lots of moisture still in there. The light ones are old and dried out, and they won’t slice as nicely. Also they just don’t taste as good.
• When you’re cutting your steaks, try to make them all about the same thickness. Otherwise some will be perfect while others are either burnt or still raw in the middle. I learned this after serving half-burnt, half-raw cabbage to my parents. Mom was polite about it, but Dad definitely noticed. Now I’m more careful.
• Keep those loose outer pieces that fall apart! Don’t throw them away. Toss them with the same oil and spices and roast them alongside everything else. They turn into these crispy cabbage chips that are honestly better than potato chips. My kids steal them off the pan before I can even plate dinner.
• Give each steak plenty of room on the pan. If they’re crowded, they steam instead of roast, and steamed cabbage is exactly what we’re trying to avoid here. Better to do two separate pans or batches if you need to.
• If you’re really stuck on using fresh garlic because you don’t like powder, fine – but wait until the last 10 minutes to add it. Otherwise it burns and makes everything taste bitter. I’ve ruined entire batches this way. It’s not worth it.

Flavor Variations / Suggestions

Curry-Spiced Cabbage Steaks: One night I ran out of paprika and panicked. Grabbed the curry powder instead and just went with it. My husband loved them even more than the regular version! Now he requests the curry ones specifically. They have this warm, almost Indian-restaurant kind of taste that’s really good.

Cajun Kick: Forget measuring out six different spices – just use Cajun seasoning and call it a day. Way faster and really flavorful. My brother who puts hot sauce on everything says these are his favorite version.

Lemon Herb: Throw some lemon zest in with the oil mixture, then squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top right before eating. It brightens everything up and tastes really fresh. I do this version in summer when I want something lighter.

Balsamic Glaze: About 5 minutes before they’re done, I drizzle balsamic glaze over the tops. The sweet-tangy thing it does is insanely good. Brought these to a potluck last month and three different people asked for the recipe. Felt pretty smug about that, not gonna lie.

Cheesy Delight: Sprinkle shredded cheese on top for the last few minutes until it melts. Because cheese makes literally everything better. My kids will only eat the cheese version, but whatever – at least they’re eating vegetables!

Italian Style: Use Italian seasoning instead of thyme, then top with fresh basil and Parmesan. Reminds me of our anniversary trip to Italy last year. Except way cheaper and I can make it in my pajamas.

Make-Ahead Options

You can totally cut the cabbage and mix up your oil the day before if you’re planning ahead. Just stick them in separate containers in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook, brush and bake. Takes like two minutes of actual work.

Here’s the bad news though – these really don’t keep well after they’re cooked. Fresh out of the oven when they’re all crispy and hot? Amazing. Next day from the fridge? Kind of sad and soft. My daughter tried packing them for lunch once and said they were “fine but not great.” If you’ve got leftovers, stick them back in the oven for a few minutes to try and revive that crispiness. It helps a little bit.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Size matters: When I say large cabbage, I mean the 2-3 pound ones. The smaller ones work fine too, you’ll just get fewer steaks. No biggie either way.

Red vs. green: I’ve made these with both kinds plenty of times. Red tastes a little sweeter and looks really pretty on the plate. But green tastes great too and it’s usually cheaper. Sometimes I buy whichever one’s on sale that week.

Butter option: Most of the time I use olive oil because that’s what I always have. But every once in a while I’ll use butter instead, and wow – they taste so rich and indulgent. Sometimes I do half and half when I can’t decide. Life’s too short not to use butter occasionally!

Temperature flexibility: My oven is old and runs super hot. Everything burns if I’m not careful. So I usually do 375°F instead of 400°F and just leave them in a few extra minutes. Figure out what works for your oven and adjust accordingly. They’re all different.

Serving Suggestions

These go with basically everything I cook. I’ve served them with grilled steaks, pork chops, baked salmon, roasted chicken, meatloaf – you name it. Last Tuesday I made them with leftover rotisserie chicken and called it dinner. My husband said it was one of the best meals I’d made all month, which made me laugh because it took zero effort.

My vegetarian neighbor makes a big batch and eats them with quinoa and chickpeas. She brings them to work for lunch and says everyone’s always jealous. For low-carb people, these work perfectly instead of potatoes or rice. My coworker Maria who’s doing keto makes them every Sunday for meal prep.

Keep the garnishes simple unless you’re feeling fancy. Fresh parsley makes them look nice for company. Parmesan adds that salty, umami punch. Red pepper flakes bring heat if you’re into that. Sometimes I squeeze lemon over them right before serving if I need some brightness, especially when I’m making fish.

I’ve made these for regular weeknight dinners and also for Thanksgiving last year instead of green bean casserole.

How to Store Your Oven Roasted Garlic Cabbage Steaks

Room Temperature: Don’t leave these sitting out for hours. They won’t necessarily make you sick, but they get soggy and unappetizing pretty fast. Just stick them in the fridge if you’re not eating them right away.

Refrigerator: They’ll keep in a sealed container for about 3 days, but I’m warning you – they lose that crispy texture completely. Still edible, just not nearly as good as when they’re fresh.

Reheating: Your best bet is putting them back in the oven at 375°F for maybe 5-7 minutes. That helps crisp them up again a little bit. If you’ve got an air fryer, that works even better – about 3-4 minutes at 350°F. Whatever you do, don’t microwave them. That just makes them limp and sad. I speak from experience.

Freezing: Save yourself the trouble and don’t bother freezing these. I tried it once thinking I could prep a bunch ahead, and they turned to complete mush when I thawed them out. Total waste. Just make them fresh when you want them – they only take half an hour anyway.

Allergy Information

This recipe is naturally:

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free (if you use olive oil and skip the cheese)
• Nut-free
• Egg-free
• Vegan (with olive oil and no cheese)
• Keto-friendly
• Low-carb
• Paleo-friendly

For those avoiding nightshades: My cousin can’t have peppers or tomatoes, so she skips the paprika and adds extra herbs instead. Oregano or basil work great.

For those avoiding garlic/onion (FODMAP): My sister has IBS and can’t do garlic or onions without getting sick. She makes these with garlic-infused olive oil and leaves out the garlic and onion powder. Says they still taste really good!

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Why did my cabbage steaks fall apart?

This happened to me the first five times I made them, no joke! It’s almost always because you either cut out the core completely or didn’t slice through it right. That core is like the glue holding everything together – without it, you’ve just got loose leaves everywhere. Also, if your cabbage was really old and had super loose floppy leaves to start with, it’s way harder to keep them intact no matter what you do.

My edges burned but the middle isn’t done. What happened?

Your oven probably runs hot like mine does. Try knocking the temperature down to 375°F and checking them a bit earlier. Also make sure you’re actually flipping them halfway through – I’ve definitely forgotten and ended up with burnt cabbage more times than I want to admit. Set a timer so you don’t forget!

Do I really need the smoked paprika?

Look, it does make a pretty big difference in the flavor. That smoky taste is what makes people think you worked way harder than you actually did. But if you don’t have it, regular paprika still works fine. They just won’t have that “wow what’s that flavor” thing going on. Sometimes when I’m feeling adventurous, I throw in a little cumin instead for something completely different.How thick should I really cut these?

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your cabbage steaks turned out and what variations you tried!