I think most vegetables taste best when roasted with oil, salt, pepper, and maybe a few other spices. It’s hard to beat freshly-roasted, crispy vegetables straight from the oven, so I prepare almost all my vegetables this way. It’s foolproof and delicious – what’s not to love?
Cabbage has a bit of a bad rap because people have only ever eaten it boiled, which makes it limp and slimy. A tragedy! It’s a well-kept secret that cabbage is one of the most delicious vegetables when it’s prepared well. Roasting brings out its wonderful natural sweetness, giving it the same kind of sweet-salty umami flavor typically found in fancy restaurant Brussels sprouts. I promise you’ll like it even if you think you don’t like cabbage.
The dry heat from roasting crisps the cabbage and turns it a deep, dark, caramelly purple. Roasted in simple spices and a liberal amount of oil, it’s irresistible. Seriously. When my boyfriend tried it, he exclaimed “FUCK ME SIDEWAYS THAT IS SO GOOD.”
So, friends and enemies, here’s a cabbage recipe that can make self-respecting young men go into fits of passion. Maybe I should have started with that.
The BEST Crispy Roasted Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 red cabbage
- 3 tbsp avocado oil or other high heat oil
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage. Rest it on the flat side and cut vertically down the middle. Each half has a triangular fibrous white stem near the bottom; cut along each side of the stems and use your fingers to tear them away. Discard the stems.
- Lay each half flat-side down on the cutting board and cut crosswise into very thin strips.
- Add the cabbage to 2-3 baking sheets, breaking it apart with your fingers. Toss with the oil and spices, including salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a liberal amount of salt.
- Roast for 10 minutes, then stir the cabbage around for even roasting. Roast an additional 5-10 minutes until deeply colored and crispy.
- Serve hot as a side dish. I love this cabbage with roasted chicken!