These simple cabbage side dishes are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. There are so many reasons to love cabbage: it’s inexpensive, versatile and packed with vitamins. Whether you roast it, sauté it or keep it raw, cabbage adds a delicious crunch. Recipes like Roasted Cabbage Salad with Rosemary-Garlic Vinaigrette and Melting Spanakopita Cabbage will help feed your love for this super-healthy vegetable.
Roasted Cabbage Salad with Rosemary-Garlic Vinaigrette
Photographer: Ali Redmond.
We transform cabbage into something unexpectedly sweet and savory in this roasted cabbage salad recipe. After roasting, cabbage and onions get tossed in a warm garlic-rosemary vinaigrette that ties everything together. This simple side dish pairs beautifully with roasted chicken or salmon, or enjoy it tossed with hearty grains or pasta.
Cabbage Salad with Bacon
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Amanda Hostein, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle.
This warm Cabbage Salad with Bacon turns simple ingredients into something delicious. Crisp, smoky bacon adds richness, while its rendered drippings are whisked into an apple-cider vinaigrette for a tangy, savory-sweet dressing that coats the cabbage perfectly. A touch of Dijon and honey makes each bite bright and satisfying.
Melting Spanakopita Cabbage
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Amanda Holstein, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee.
This Melting Spanakopita Cabbage recipe transforms cabbage into something memorable. As it cooks, the cabbage becomes meltingly tender, its golden edges absorbing a tangy, herb-filled sauce of feta, cream cheese and dill—capturing the essence of spanakopita in one skillet. The result is a creamy and comforting twist on classic Greek-inspired flavors. Serve with crusty whole-grain bread to sop up any leftover sauce.
Cheesy Sautéed Cabbage
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood.
This cheesy cabbage is a comforting side dish that turns shredded green cabbage into something special. Creamy havarti cheese melts onto the warm cabbage, creating a rich, velvety texture. A layer of crispy panko breadcrumbs adds just the right amount of crunch. This easy dish pairs well with roasted meats or fish.
Ranch-Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
These ranch-roasted cabbage wedges give a savory twist to cabbage, bringing bold ranch flavor to every bite. Brushed with olive oil and a sprinkle of ranch seasoning straight from the packet, they roast until perfectly caramelized. A drizzle of creamy ranch dressing completes this ranch-lovers’ dream. These wedges make the perfect sidekick to grilled chicken or burgers.
Roasted Sesame-Chile Cabbage Salad
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
This sesame-chile cabbage salad adds a bold and flavorful twist to roasted cabbage. The nutty richness of toasted sesame oil, the heat of chile flakes (which you can leave out if you prefer something milder) and a splash of rice vinegar combine to create the perfect balance of flavors. Tossed with toasted sesame seeds and scallions, this dish transforms simple cabbage into a vibrant side dish.
Honey-Mustard Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
Up your veggie game with these honey-mustard roasted cabbage wedges. They’re a satisfyingly simple side dish that delivers big on flavor with minimal effort. The natural sweetness of roasted cabbage pairs beautifully with the tangy, caramelized honey-mustard glaze. Serve these wedges alongside sausage, roasted chicken, salmon or a hearty veggie burger for a deliciously balanced meal.
Simple Carrot & Cabbage Salad
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
This simple carrot-and-cabbage salad is crisp and refreshing. It’s tossed in a light vinaigrette made with lemon, honey and Dijon mustard, allowing the natural sweetness of the carrots and the crunch of the cabbage to shine. Enjoy this salad on its own as a side dish, or try piling it onto a burger, stuffing it into tacos for extra crunch, or using it as a bright, tangy filling in a wrap.
Balsamic-Parmesan Melting Cabbage
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This balsamic-Parmesan melting cabbage is so tender you can cut it with a spoon. Slow-roasted with a rich balsamic-infused broth and topped with a light dusting of Parmesan, this dish transforms humble cabbage into a side dish to remember. Serve it alongside roasted chicken, salmon or a hearty lentil stew for a complete meal. It’s simple, elegant and delicious.
Roasted Cabbage Salad with Miso Vinaigrette
Ali Redmond
This roasted cabbage salad with miso vinaigrette is a boldly flavored dish that combines caramelized, tender cabbage with a rich, umami-packed dressing. Roasting brings out the cabbage’s natural sweetness, while the miso vinaigrette adds a savory depth with a hint of tang. You can adapt this salad to your taste by stirring in different chopped fresh herbs. Try cilantro for a bright, citrusy twist, basil for a subtle anise-like aroma, or mint for some refreshing contrast.
Marry Me Melting Cabbage
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Amanda Hostein, Prop Stylist: Keoshia McGhee
We gave Marry Me Chicken a vegetarian twist by replacing the traditional chicken with tender cabbage wedges, all coated in a rich and flavorful sun-dried tomato cream sauce. Sop up every last bit of sauce with a crusty hunk of whole-grain bread, or make it a main dish and serve it over brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
Roasted Cabbage Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
Ali Redmond
This roasted cabbage salad combines the sweetness of roasted cabbage with the bright, zesty flavors of lime, orange and cumin. This versatile side dish works well alongside roasted chicken or steak. Or make it a vegetarian main dish by mixing it with brown rice and black beans.
Charred Cabbage with Buttermilk-Herb Dressing
Cabbage becomes slightly smoky and deeply flavorful when it hits the hot grill. Ready in just 20 minutes, this side dish, finished with a tangy buttermilk dressing, pairs perfectly with grilled meats, chicken or seafood.
Roasted Cabbage with Miso Yogurt Sauce
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
This roasted miso cabbage is a flavorful dish that combines the earthy sweetness of roasted cabbage with the savory flavor of miso topped with the spicy crunch of chili crisp. White miso, with its sweet and mild flavor profile, works well here, but if you want a stronger flavor, red miso can be used in its place.
Cacio e Pepe Sautéed Cabbage
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower
This cabbage cacio e pepe dish captures the essence of the classic Italian pasta recipe. It features a simple yet flavorful combination of Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, coating strips of sliced and sautéed green cabbage. This easy side dish can be enjoyed on its own, or you can turn it into a meal by combining it with cooked whole-wheat pasta.
Loaded Cabbage Salad
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Sue Mitchell
This loaded cabbage salad features crisp chopped green cabbage tossed in a creamy dressing flavored with smoky bacon. We use bacon fat from the skillet to pump up the savory flavor in the dressing, but you can swap it out for oil if you prefer. While green cabbage holds up well in chopped salads, red cabbage or even napa cabbage can be used in its place.
Grilled Cabbage with Cilantro-Lime Butter
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
This grilled cabbage is sure to transform your next BBQ. Here’s why: cabbage becomes deeply flavorful when it hits the hot grill. Once the outer leaves turn crispy and caramelized, move the cabbage to the cooler side of the grill for the tender-crisp center to finish cooking. This fuss-free side, topped with a flavorful compound butter, makes a perfect match for grilled meats, chicken or seafood. Sturdy heads of green cabbage work well here. If you prefer a darker color, red cabbage will work well too.
Cabbage & Edamame Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ali Redmond
This colorful salad offers up plenty of fiber and plant-based protein, thanks to peanut butter and edamame. This combination of ingredients creates a nutritious, balanced side that can help support stable blood sugar levels while offering up big, bold flavors. Mint, basil and cilantro all work well here. Choose one or combine them all for a more complex flavor.
