Turn Cabbage Into The Ultimate Main Course By Giving It The 'Marry Me' Treatment

Between a 1970s no-bake cake called "the next best thing to Robert Redford" and a 1980s roasted chicken meal referred to as "engagement chicken," hyperbolic recipe names have predated viral video by decades. "Marry me" chicken gained traction on TikTok with a recipe that paired tender poultry and fragrant aromatics in a creamy and rich sundried tomato sauce. You can give the marry me treatment to more than just chicken, though. Take inspiration from the basic ingredients to bulk up a side of cabbage into a delightful main course.

Interestingly, "marry me chicken" was the top Google recipe searched for in 2022, and its popularity has only grown. Cabbage makes an ideal base for a vegetable-forward version of this meal that's both delicious and nutritious. The basics of any marry me recipe call for a sauce made with cream, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, and sundried tomatoes; however, you can always swap in dairy-free ingredients to make it more accessible.

Typically, this main course begins by chopping the cabbage into wedges and pan-searing before setting the pieces aside to prepare the creamy tomato sauce. Once the sauce has combined and simmered on the stovetop, add everything to an oven-safe baking dish, spooning the sauce over the seared cabbage wedges, and baking until the cabbage becomes tender and the marry me sauce thickens. This alone is enough to inspire a desire for nuptials while leaving plenty of room for even more culinary creativity.

Searing your cabbage is an important first step; however, the sauce is what truly makes any marry me dish shine. Start by sautéing aromatics such as shallots and garlic using either butter, oil, or a combination of the two. Next, add herbs, tomato paste, and the oil from a jar of sundried tomatoes, stirring to combine. Use either vegetable or chicken broth and your choice of cream or a plant-based alternative to thicken the sauce. Some recipes also recommend adding cream cheese in lieu of or in addition to Parmesan cheese for more richness. Finish this by mixing in chopped sundried tomatoes and lemon juice.

For an easier style of marry me cabbage, consider preparing the sauce to your liking and using it to dress a head of cabbage you've cooked in your Instant Pot. This will still have all the delightful tastes and textures of a marry me dish, with especially tender cabbage. It will also help cut down on your time in the kitchen to streamline getting your main course to the table.

Bulk up this veggie-friendly entree by adding blended white beans for more creamy texture with the added benefit of more fiber and protein. If you want to turn the vegetarian main course into an entree with actual meat, take a cue from a baconified marry me chicken recipe and add pieces of cooked chopped bacon to your cabbage. You're sure to fall in love with this recipe.