Cabbage Parmesan Recipe
It's easy to imagine why dishes like veal Parmesan, chicken Parmesan, and eggplant Parmesan are enduringly popular. You can't beat that combination of crispy breading, savory tomato sauce, and melty cheese. No matter the base, it's bound to be delicious. In this recipe, I use 1-inch cabbage steaks and employ a three-step cooking method to give them a buttery soft texture. First, I roast the steaks in the oven so they soften. Then I dredge them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs before searing them, so the breading adheres and seals in all of that golden goodness. For the final cooking step, I put them back into the oven with the sauce and cheese to finish things off.
I love dishes like these that can be made ahead and baked right before serving. It's also a great way to turn a healthy, budget-friendly vegetable that's full of fiber into a crowd-pleasing meal.
Gather the ingredients for cabbage Parmesan recipe
To make this recipe, you'll need a medium green cabbage, which should give you four steaks. You'll have the ends leftover and can shred them for slaw or chop them up and add to a pot of soup. Pick a head that is bright green and as fresh as possible. While you're in the produce aisle, you may want to pick up some fresh basil for topping. Hit up the refrigerated case for eggs, Parmesan cheese, and low-moisture mozzarella. Pick up panko breadcrumbs, which are a little lighter than regular breadcrumbs and will cook up crispier. You'll also need some jarred marinara sauce, or you can make your own. Then check your pantry for olive oil, salt, pepper, all-purpose flour, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder.
Step 1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Step 2: Prepare a baking sheet
Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 3: Season the steaks
Place the cabbage steaks on the wire rack. Use 4 tablespoons olive oil to brush both sides of each of the cabbage steaks. Use ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper total to season both sides of each.
Step 4: Roast the cabbage
Roast the cabbage on the rack until a paring knife slides into the thickest part near the core with little resistance, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 5: Lower the temperature
Remove the cabbage steaks from the oven and lower the temperature to 400 F.
Step 6: Prepare the flour station
Whisk the flour with ½ teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.
Step 7: Prepare the egg station
Add the beaten eggs to a second shallow dish.
Step 8: Prepare the panko station
Mix the panko, ⅓ cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a third shallow dish.
Step 9: Coat the steaks with flour
Coat each steak in flour and shake off the excess.
Step 10: Dip the steaks into egg
Dip into the egg and let the excess drip off.
Step 11: Press into the panko
Press firmly into the panko on both sides.
Step 12: Add oil to a griddle or skillet
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a large griddle or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Step 13: Sear the steaks
Sear the cabbage steaks until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping them gently with a wide spatula, and return them to the parchment-lined baking sheet without the rack.
Step 14: Add the marinara
Using 1½ cups marinara total, spoon sauce over the centers of the steaks, leaving a 1-inch border of crust showing.
Step 15: Top with cheese
Top with the mozzarella and remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan.
Step 16: Bake the cabbage
Bake until the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 17: Garnish and serve the steaks
Garnish with the basil and serve with the remaining 1 cup marinara, warmed, on the side.
What can I serve with cabbage Parmesan?
Cabbage Parmesan Recipe
In our cabbage Parmesan recipe, the humble, vegetable, is cut into thick steaks, roasted till tender, breaded, and topped with sauce and plenty of melty cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head green cabbage cut through the core into 4 (1-inch) steaks
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2½ cups marinara sauce, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese
Optional Ingredients
- basil leaves, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F.
- Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the cabbage steaks on the wire rack. Use 4 tablespoons olive oil to brush both sides of each of the cabbage steaks. Use ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper total to season both sides of each.
- Roast the cabbage on the rack until a paring knife slides into the thickest part near the core with little resistance, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the cabbage steaks from the oven and lower the temperature to 400 F.
- Whisk the flour with ½ teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.
- Add the beaten eggs to a second shallow dish.
- Mix the panko, ⅓ cup Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a third shallow dish.
- Coat each steak in flour and shake off the excess.
- Dip into the egg and let the excess drip off.
- Press firmly into the panko on both sides.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a large griddle or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Sear the cabbage steaks until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping them gently with a wide spatula, and return them to the parchment-lined baking sheet without the rack.
- Using 1½ cups marinara total, spoon sauce over the centers of the steaks, leaving a 1-inch border of crust showing.
- Top with the mozzarella and remaining ⅓ cup Parmesan.
- Bake until the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Garnish with the basil and serve with the remaining 1 cup marinara, warmed, on the side.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 1,207 |
| Total Fat | 76.2 g |
| Saturated Fat | 31.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 1.1 g |
| Cholesterol | 317.8 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 61.3 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 10.3 g |
| Sodium | 1,843.4 mg |
| Protein | 66.2 g |
Why do I need to roast the cabbage before breading it?
Roasting the cabbage is an important step when making this cabbage Parmesan. The primary reason is that cabbage has a thick core. Because it is so hard and dense, it takes extra time to soften up. If we were to assemble the dish all in one step, the panko and cheese would end up getting burnt before the cabbage would be tender enough to eat. Roasting also dries up some of the moisture that cabbage contains. Without roasting, even if the breading was intact, the steam from the moisture as it cooked would keep it from sticking to the cabbage.
Flavor is another reason we roast the cabbage before we bread it later on; the high heat caramelizes the cabbage and brings out a sweet and nutty taste, which makes a very satisfying base for the breading, sauce, and cheese.
How do I keep the breading from getting soggy?
With the steps outlined in this recipe, you shouldn't end up with soggy breading, but there are some key steps that are especially important. Firstly, it's crucial to have some air circulation under the cabbage as it roasts; you don't want pooling moisture under each cabbage steak. If you don't have a wire rack, you can recreate the effect by forming aluminum foil into long rope-like strips to lift the steaks off the surface. You might want to also dry off the cabbage with a paper towel before breading it.
Once you're ready to dredge, let the steaks cool a bit beforehand so that the cabbage is done releasing steam. Steam is the enemy of crispiness! When you are at the panko step, use some muscle and press firmly so the coating holds together for the searing.
Lastly, when you add the marinara, remember to avoid spreading it to the edges of the cabbage steak. This will keep the outer areas crispy and crunchy.