Grilled Cabbage Steaks are the perfect summer side dish. These smoky cabbage slices are incredibly crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and they go with almost any main course that you can dream up!
Easy Grilled Cabbage Steaks with Bacon
You probably already have an abundance of summer side dish recipes to choose from at this point. After all, there’s coleslaw, grilled veggies, corn on the cob, pasta salad, potato salad… the list goes on and on! However, I’m asking you to make some more room in your current recipe collection because you won’t want to miss this week’s new irresistible veggie side! I’m talking, of course, about Grilled Cabbage Steaks. One head of fresh cabbage is divided up into thick, round “steaks,” and grilled to crispy perfection. The inside remains deliciously soft and tender, and, with the addition of some crumbled bacon?! The results are simply fantastic, my friends! And usually gone within minutes, too.
If you’re a big fan of grilled or roasted brussels sprouts, this cabbage steak recipe has your name written all over it. And even if you’re not, I highly recommend giving these grilled cabbage steaks a chance to win you over to the world of cabbage!
What You’ll Need
What goes into making the best cabbage steaks? As it turns out, not too much at all! Here’s the short list of ingredients that you’ll need to round up before you start:
- Cabbage: Use a fresh, green cabbage, and cut it into ½-inch thick rounds.
- Olive Oil: For brushing – this will help the seasoning adhere to the cabbage.
- Seasoning: Use salt and fresh ground black pepper (to taste).
- Bacon: Cook to your desired crispness, then crumble it.
- Ranch Dressing: For serving.
- Garnish: Use chopped green onions and chopped fresh parsley.
How to Cut Cabbage for Cabbage Steaks
Prepping this recipe should take you all of 5 minutes, most of which will be spent slicing the cabbage. To start this process, cut or tear off any loose/wilted cabbage leaves. Then, slice the root end of the cabbage off and place the cabbage on the flat surface that you’ve just created. Finally, cut the cabbage into slices that are 1/2 inch thick, and set them aside to be seasoned.
How to Grill Cabbage Steaks
Grilling the cabbage doesn’t take much longer. Once seasoned, these cabbage steaks need just around 10 to 12 on the grill, and then they’re done. Talk about quick and easy, right?
- Preheat Grill to Medium-High Heat: Then, brush the cut cabbage steaks with olive oil on all sides and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the Cabbage: Place cabbage on the grill and cook for 5 minutes; flip and continue to cook for 5 more minutes, or until tender. Remove from grill.
- Serve and Enjoy: Drizzle cabbage steaks with ranch dressing; top with crumbled bacon and garnish with green onions and parsley.
Tips for Success
As you can see, these cabbage steaks are totally doable on a weeknight, which is super helpful if you’re looking for a filling side dish that everyone will eat. Easy as they are, there are a couple of cabbage steak tips that will make the process go even more smoothly for you:
- Grease the Grill Grates: This will ensure that your cabbage slices don’t stick to the grates, or fall apart when you try to flip or remove them. You can also cut the cabbage slices a little thicker to prevent this, but you’ll have to grill them for a little longer to get the middles tender.
- Don’t Skip the Seasoning: While it’s true that salt and pepper primarily offer flavor, the salt in particular also counters the bitterness that can be found in cabbage.
- Make Ahead Tips: If you know you’ll be short on time later, feel free to prep this dish ahead of time. Slice the cabbage, fry up the bacon, and keep each component in its own airtight container in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready, fire up that grill!
Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about making cabbage steaks is that they go with practically anything. Whether you’re doing BBQ, creamy pasta, or just a light salad, this is a great side dish to serve with it.
- Alternative Toppings: If you’re not a big fan of ranch – or if want to make this dish vegetarian – garnish these steaks with some parmesan cheese, or add a little garlic to the seasoning mix.
- Chicken: I love coupling these crispy cabbage steaks with grilled chicken recipes like this Grilled Chicken Thighs Recipe with Brown Sugar Glaze!
- Other Protein: This cabbage will also complement pork, beef, seafood, etc. A couple of my favorite pairings include Ranch Pork Chops and Oven Grilled Steak!
- Pasta: I’d probably skip the ranch if you’re going to go this route, but crispy grilled cabbage with cheesy pasta is a great idea! Try something like this Creamy One-Pot Lemon Pasta.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Cabbage steaks are best eaten on the day they’re grilled, but you can save any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- The flavors will remain intact, but the cabbage will likely be wilted when you take it out to enjoy again. So, when reheating, pop the steaks in the oven for a few minutes, or cook them until warmed through in a skillet over medium heat.
- To freeze your leftover cabbage steaks, place them in an airtight container and freeze for 2 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating.
ENJOY!
Grilled Cabbage Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage, cut into ¾-inch to 1-inch thick rounds
- ¼ cup olive oil, for brushing
- salt, to taste
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 slices bacon, cooked to a desired crispness and crumbled
- ½ cup ranch dressing, for serving
- chopped green onions, for garnish
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat grill to Medium-High heat; grease the grill grates. You can also use a grill pan and cook the cabbage steaks on the stove.
- Brush cut cabbage steaks with olive oil on all sides and season with salt and pepper.
- Place cabbage on the grill and cook for 5 minutes; flip and continue to cook for 5 to7 more minutes, or until tender. Remove from grill.
- Drizzle cabbage steaks with ranch dressing; top with crumbled bacon and garnish with green onions and parsley. Serve.
Notes
- Prep the Grill Properly: To prevent the cabbage slices from sticking or falling apart while turning or removing, make sure to oil your grill grates. Slicing the cabbage a bit thicker can also help with this, although you might need to grill them slightly longer to soften the centers.
- Season Well: Don’t forget that while salt and pepper mainly add flavor, salt specifically helps to balance any bitterness that might be present in the cabbage.
- Prepare in Advance: If you anticipate being pressed for time, feel free to get a head start on this dish. You can cut the cabbage and cook the bacon beforehand, storing each in separate, sealed containers in the fridge. Then, when you’re ready, just heat up the grill and cook.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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More Cabbage Recipes to Try
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