Roasted red cabbage is a simple side dish that is easy to make and full of flavour. Seasoned with fragrant Baharat, salt, and olive oil this dish is suitable for vegans and people following a gluten-free diet.
Hm, what should I do when I have been given 4 red cabbages, each one weighing at least 2.5kg?
Decide to spotlight a few amazing red cabbage recipes, of course. And then try 10 different cabbage recipes in 10 different ways.
And then do the very hard job of eating all the finalists and narrowing it down to the three that would make it into the spotlight. Oh yeah. Being a food blogger is a hard job, but someone has to do it.
The first in line is this simple roasted red cabbage, which is perfect really as winter sets in and red cabbage abounds. OH loves it simply on top of this herb and chilli pizza along with some anchovies.
About that word I just used: ‘simple.’ I sometimes worry about using it when describing recipes because I fear some people hear ‘simple’ and think ‘boring’ or ‘bland.’
Simple, to me, means few ingredients but still maximum flavour. This roasted red cabbage recipe may not have 20 ingredients, but the flavour is still fantastic.
When roasted, red cabbage becomes even slightly sweeter than it naturally is already and becomes a perfect accompaniment to slightly tangy dishes.
Roasted red cabbage also has a fantastic texture. It’s not boring or soggy like some people may think of when they think of cooked cabbage – this roasted red cabbage has a light crunch to it.
So let’s talk about how to make simple (but certainly not boring or bland) roasted red cabbage.
Making Roasted Red Cabbage is Easy – Here’s How
Making roasted red cabbage can be done in a few easy steps:
Step 1. Cut cabbage into 8 equal wedges. (Some people refer to these as ‘steaks.’) Keep the core as this keeps the wedges intact.
Step 2. Place wedges on a lightly oiled baking tray or pot and brush olive oil on the wedges.
Step 3. Sprinkle Baharat and salt on the wedges. (I love fragrant Baharat so it’s my Christmas choice, but you can add spices to your taste.)
Step 4. Place in a pre-heated oven (fan-assisted 180C / 200C / 400F / gas 6) for about 20 mins until the cabbage is softened and the edges begin to brown.
Step 5. Remove cabbage from oven and drizzle with lemon juice.
Step 6. Add toppings as desired. I like to add toasted nuts – walnuts in this case – and chopped spring onions (scallions).
Roasted Red Cabbage is a Perfect Dish for Vegetarians and Vegans
Although roasted red cabbage is light in calories, it can serve as a main dish or part of the main dish. It’s perfect for vegetarians and vegans – try topping it with a grain like bulgur, quinoa, or brown rice.
5 Red Cabbage Benefits
Red cabbage isn’t just a pretty and brightly coloured veg – it comes with quite a few health benefits too. To name a few red cabbage benefits:
- It’s high in fibre. That means it keeps our digestive system running well.
- It’s rich in Vitamin K. 45g (1/2 cup) of red cabbage contains as much Vitamin K as an adult needs in a day. Vitamin K assists the blood in clotting – very important for those of us who spend a lot of time in the kitchen using sharp knives.
- It can provide probiotics when fermented. When cabbage is fermented (‘kimchi’), healthy probiotics that are good for our gut are produced.
- It’s loaded with Vitamin C. 90g (1 cup) contains about as much Vitamin C as an orange.
- It’s low in calories. How low? I’m glad you asked – read on to the next section.
Calories in Cabbage
Calories in cabbage: 28 calories per 90g (1 cup)
Red cabbage is ‘guilt free,’ so eat as much as you’d like. 90g (1 cup) of chopped red cabbage contains a mere 28 calories. You probably won’t be eating cabbage as a low-calorie dessert anytime soon, but it’s quite tasty for so few calories.
How Many Carbs in Cabbage?
Carbs in cabbage: 5.1g net carbs per 90g (1 cup)
I know lots of people these days are on low carb diets. If you’re one of them, you’re probably wondering how many carbs are in cabbage. I am happy to report that red cabbage is quite low in carb.
There are 7 grams of carbohydrates in 90g (1 cup) of chopped red cabbage, but once you subtract the dietary fibre (1.9g), you’re left with 5.1g ‘net carbs.’
(No, this post has not been sponsored by the ‘Cabbage Council,’ if there is such a thing. Just a cabbage fan here.)
A Few Red Cabbage Christmas Ideas
Roasted red cabbage is a perfect Christmas recipe, but it’s not the only red cabbage recipe you can eat for Christmas. If you’d like to have a ‘red cabbage Christmas,’ here are a few other ways to enjoy red cabbage for the holiday:
- Make a green cabbage-red cabbage Christmas slaw for a festive-looking side dish. Because ‘red’ cabbage is more purple than red, you’ll have to pretend a bit here, but it’s Christmas… make-believe is both allowed and encouraged.
- Or make stir-fry red cabbage with kale. The red cabbage still won’t be red, but the kale will certainly be green. If you can get the kiddoes to try it, add a dusting of parmesan cheese on top for a little snow-like effect.
- Go for something sweeter like braised red cabbage and apples. Adding cinnamon, cardamom, and anise will give it a delicious flavour.
More Red Cabbage Recipes
If you liked this roasted red cabbage recipe, you’ll love these:
Roasted red cabbage pesto and crunchy veggie rainbow salad – both as mouth-watering as they sound. Now go enjoy some roasted red cabbage.
Thank you for reading my how to roast red cabbage recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you.
Don't forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Roasted Red Cabbage! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I'd love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.
Roasted Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 medium red cabbage loose outer leaves removed
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Baharat spice blend
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- toasted nuts optional topping
- spring onions scallions, optional topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to fan-assisted 180C / 200C / 400F / gas 6.
- Cut red cabbage into 8 wedges, making sure to leave the core as this keep the wedges intact.
- Place the wedges on a lightly oiled baking tray brush the oil over the wedges.
- Sprinkle on the Baharat and salt.
- Bake cabbage in the pre-heated oven for about 20 mins until the cabbage is softened and the edges start to turn brown.
- Remove cabbage wedges from the oven, drizzle on the lemon juice, add any topping and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Your article has answered the question I was wondering about! I would like to write a thesis on this subject, but I would like you to give your opinion once 😀 baccaratsite
First of all, thank you for your post. slotsite Your posts are neatly organized with the information I want, so there are plenty of resources to reference. I bookmark this site and will find your posts frequently in the future. Thanks again ^^