Caramelized Cabbage
A fresh spin on a beloved St. Patrick’s Day side dish – Caramelized Cabbage. A guaranteed hit and new family favorite recipe, trust me.
I think today’s recipe is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to cook cabbage. If corned beef is on your St. Patrick’s Day menu, this caramelized cabbage makes a perfect side dish. Seasoned with caraway seed, garlic and onion powder, brown sugar, and a splash of malt vinegar, this recipe takes plain old cabbage to a whole new level.
Along with vitamin C, folate, and dietary fiber, cabbage contains substances called phytochemicals. Although phytochemicals offer no nutritional value, research suggests that they work together with other nutrients in food to protect us against disease. The phytochemicals found in cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, and collard greens, appear to have potential anti-carcinogenic properties (cancer-fighting properties). Some phytochemicals may increase levels of cancer-fighting enzymes, while others appear to protect against tumor growth.
After testing this recipe a few times and experimenting with the thickness of the slice, I really preferred the taste of the cabbage when the slices were cut a bit thinner, about a 1/2-inch thick. The seasoning mix on top penetrated the entire slice of cabbage, making each bite incredibly savory and flavorful. If you prefer a more pronounced cabbage flavor, cut thicker slices.
A medium-size head of cabbage (about 3 pounds) works really well for making six, 1/2-inch-thick slices about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. When cutting the cabbage head into slices, it’s helpful to remove the bottom of the core. This provides a flatter surface to stabilize the cabbage head when slicing. Leaving the rest of the core intact will prevent each slice from falling apart.
You will definitely have cabbage leftover after cutting the six slices called for in this recipe. Extra cabbage can be chopped up for making coleslaw, shredded for a crunchy taco topping, or simply sauteed in a pan with olive oil and a little salt and pepper.
Let me leave you with one final note about today’s caramelized cabbage. For the seasoning mix, I started with whole caraway seeds and crushed some of them with a mortar and pestle. I like the combination of whole and crushed seeds in the spice mixture. Crushing some of the seeds helps to release more caraway flavor. Leaving some seeds whole provides a nice texture to the spice topping. If you prefer to use ground caraway, that’s perfectly fine.
To your health,
Darlene
CARAMELIZED CABBAGE
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 cabbage slice
Prep: 10 minutes
Ready: 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 medium head green cabbage (3-pound head of cabbage works well)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon whole caraway seeds
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons malt vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives (optional garnish)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray.
Cut bottom of core off cabbage head. Placing the flat end on cutting board, cut cabbage head into six, 1/2–inch slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on sheet pan. Brush top of each cabbage slice with oil.
Using a mortar and pestle, crush caraway seeds, leaving some whole if desired. In a small bowl place crushed caraway seeds, brown sugar, granulated garlic, onion powder, 3/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle spice mixture over tops of cabbage slices.
Roast cabbage for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cabbage is tender and begins to caramelize. Remove from oven and season cabbage slices with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and chives, if desired. Drizzle each slice with 1 teaspoon vinegar and serve.
Nutrition Information per Serving
83 Calories, 5 g Total fat, 1 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 178 mg Sodium, 10 g Total carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary fiber, 4 g Total sugars, 4 g Added sugars, 1 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 50 mg (4%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 252 mg (6%) Potassium
© 2023 RECIPES MADE HEALTHY BY DARLENE ZIMMERMAN, MS, RD LLC
