Southern Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Garlic Bacon Butter

The Cabbage Steaks That Changed How I Think About Vegetables

Thick cabbage rounds roasted at high heat, drenched in a Garlic-butter mixture loaded with smoky paprika and crispy Bacon bits — this is the side dish that makes people ask what smells so good before they even sit down. The edges get caramelized and a little crispy, the centers stay tender and buttery, and the whole thing comes together on one baking sheet with almost no effort.

Why You’ll Love It
Crispy, caramelized edges — high heat does the work and the results are genuinely addictive
One baking sheet, minimal prep — slice, drizzle, roast, done
Big flavor from simple ingredients — garlic, smoked paprika, bacon, and butter is all it takes
Looks impressive, cooks easy — it comes out of the oven looking way more special than the effort involved
Flexible side dish — pairs with just about any protein you’ve already got going
Ingredient Notes
The cabbage should be a medium-sized green head — nothing too giant, or you’ll end up with slices that are unwieldy. I like to find one that’s dense and heavy for its size. The outer leaves I peel off and usually compost, or occasionally the dog gets one, which is neither here nor there.

For the butter, I use unsalted so I can control the salt, but if salted is what you have, just go easy on what you add later. Real butter matters here — I’ve tried it with olive oil only and it’s fine but it doesn’t have the same richness. You’d know something was missing.

The smoked paprika is the thing I most want you not to skip. Regular paprika is technically a substitute but you lose that low, woody, almost campfire-y flavor that makes the whole dish smell and taste like you know what you’re doing. I buy mine at a little international grocery about twenty minutes from my house — I’ve been going there for years, mostly for the spices and the olives and because the woman who runs it always asks about my kids.

The bacon I cook ahead usually, or sometimes I use the pre-cooked bits from a bag, which I know is controversial. They work fine. I’ve done both. The texture is a little different with the bag stuff but when it’s baking in butter for twenty-five minutes nobody’s going to notice.

Ingredients

1 medium green cabbage — about 2 to 2½ pounds, maybe a little less if that’s what you find
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I sometimes add a little extra, if I’m being honest)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt, and more to taste at the end
¼ teaspoon black pepper
About ½ cup crispy cooked bacon bits — from roughly 6 slices, or a generous handful from the bag
A drizzle of olive oil for the pan if you’re not using parchment
Chopped fresh parsley if you want, for garnish — I usually mean to do this and then forget
Southern Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Garlic Bacon Butter

Instructions

continued on next page