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We grilled over Memorial Day weekend, and I was so excited to make this cabbage steaks recipe again. I’ll admit my friend did the actual grilling, but I came up with the recipe and watched the time. (Totally counts, right?) And, I’m happy to report that the grilled cabbage steaks turned out just as amazing as the oven roasted cabbage steaks version I’ve made in the past. I’ll show you how to make both versions!
Cabbage Steaks: Why You’ll Love Them
- Savory, smoky flavor
- Crunchy, but tender cabbage
- Just 10 minutes to prep
- Made with just 5 basic ingredients
- Make them in the oven or on the grill
- Great side dish for just about anything (or even a main dish in itself)
- Naturally healthy, low carb, keto, and gluten-free

What Is Cabbage Steak?
Cabbage steaks are thick slices of cabbage that can be grilled, roasted, or even fried. Today I’ll show you how to make grilled and roasted versions.
If you haven’t tried grilling cabbage slices before, you might be wondering, are they any good? (Definitely.) And are cabbage steaks healthy? (Totally yes.) And instead of being mushy or lifeless, like you might picture a boiled vegetable, these are caramelized and crispy at the edges.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cabbage steaks with bacon, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Bacon – I order clean-ingredient bacon from here, but any kind will do. Don’t use precooked, though, because we’ll use the bacon grease for the marinade. If you want a vegetarian option, omit the bacon, and increase the olive oil in the recipe by 2 additional tablespoons.
- Cabbage – I prefer green cabbage for this recipe, but red cabbage will work if you like. Any size head of cabbage is fine to use. Just be sure you remove the outer leaves.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic for best flavor or jarred garlic for convenience.
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil.
- Lemon Juice – Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor or bottled for convenience. The acidity helps with both flavor and tenderness. To change it up, try swapping the juice with balsamic vinegar instead.
- Sea Salt (or kosher salt) & Black Pepper

How To Cut Cabbage Steaks
- Cut off the core. Cut the bottom of the core (the root) of the cabbage head, creating a flat surface on one side.
- Slice. Place the flat surface against the cutting board, then slice from the top downward, making 3/4-inch-thick slices. You could also make 1-inch slices if you prefer, but I prefer slightly thinner for maximum caramelization.
Marinating Instructions
- Mix marinade. In a large plastic bag, combine olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Add bacon fat. When bacon is done cooking, remove it from the pan. Let the bacon grease cool slightly, then pour into marinade bag. Mix until combined.
- Marinate. Add the cabbage to the marinade and coat well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Tip: If you’re in a hurry, you can skip the marinating time.
Instead, simply whisk the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, then brush the marinade over both sides of the cabbage steaks. However, I find they are more flavorful if you have time to marinate for 30 minutes.


How To Make Roasted Cabbage Steaks
- Prep. Preheat the oven and grease a large baking sheet (you can line with foil first if you prefer).
- Arrange. Spread the cabbage in a single layer on the baking sheet, so the pieces are not touching each other.
- Roast. Bake cabbage steaks in the oven. Sprinkle with salt to taste. You can also add fresh herbs at the end, or even a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Tips For Roasting Cabbage Steaks:
- 425 degrees is a good oven temp. How long to roast cabbage steaks depends on the oven temperature and thickness of the cabbage, but this high temperature allows them to caramelize nicely and cook quickly.
- Line with foil or leave the pan unlined. Avoid parchment paper, which will prevent browning and caramelization. I use this non-stick sheet pan. It has a silicone coating that is PTFE, PFOA and BPA free, and the non-stick surface is awesome.
- Save on cleanup by using the same pan for the bacon. If you want to have fewer dishes to wash, you can use the same pan for baking the bacon and then roasting the cabbage.
- Baked cabbage steaks are done when the edges are crispy and caramelized. This takes about 30-35 minutes.
How To Make Grilled Cabbage Steaks
- Preheat. Let the grill preheat at medium heat.
- Arrange. Place the cabbage steaks directly onto the grill grates, being careful not to break them apart.
- Grill. Cook cabbage on the grill, flipping halfway through.

Tips For Grilling Cabbage Steaks:
- Do not grill cabbage on foil. Trust me, I tried! You get mushy cabbage that doesn’t get crispy or caramelized. You need to place the cabbage steaks directly onto the grill.
- You’ll have some leftover pieces. Since you are placing the cabbage on the grill directly, smaller pieces would fall through. So for the grilled version of the cabbage steak recipe, make sure to only place the pieces on the grill that stay together well. You can reserve the smaller pieces and pan fry them later, if you want.
- The cabbage is done when it starts to soften and the edges get a bit charred. A general guideline is 4-7 minutes on each side over medium heat, but ultimately, how long to grill cabbage steaks depends on your grill temperature and thickness of the cabbage.

Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftover baked cabbage steaks in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers in a 350 degree F oven or a hot skillet. You can also microwave them until hot. Reheating on the grill is also an option, though a grill basket may work best so they don’t fall apart.
- Freeze: Store the cabbage in an airtight container in the freezer for 2-3 months.

What To Serve With Cabbage Steaks
Are your grilled or roasted cabbage steaks your main course, or a side dish? You can do either, but we usually serve them as a side dish with:
- Grilling Recipes – The most classic and logical way to serve grilled cabbage is to pair it with other grilled foods! Try grilled cod, grilled bruschetta chicken, or for a fancier meal, grilled lamb chops.
- Chicken – If you’re making roasted cabbage steaks, then baked chicken legs, juicy chicken breasts, or spinach stuffed chicken breast can all be made in the oven as well.
- Beef and Pork – Air fryer filet mignon, juicy burgers, or pan seared pork chops pair well with grilled cabbage steaks and don’t require turning on the oven.
- Seafood – Serve the cabbage with seafood recipes, like garlic butter shrimp, surf and turf, and pan seared salmon. Or, cook everything on the grill and make tuna steak to go along with it.
More Healthy Cabbage Recipes
If you like this recipe for cabbage, you might also like some of these other healthy cabbage recipes:
Recommended Tools
- Sheet Pan – My favorite brand of sheet pans! I love them so much I have every size.
- Nonstick Skillet – Cook up everything from the bacon to eggs in this nonstick pan.
Cabbage Steaks Recipe (Oven Roasted Or Grilled)
Cabbage Steaks (Grilled Or Roasted!)
You'll love this easy cabbage steaks recipe (roasted or grilled) with bacon! They turn out caramelized, crispy, and perfectly tender.
Recipe Video
Tap on the image below to watch the video.Like this video? Subscribe to my YouTube cooking channel for healthy recipes weekly! (Click the bell icon to be notified when I post a new video.)
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Cabbage Steak Marinade
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Place the slices of bacon onto a large, cold pan. Place on the stove and turn to medium-low heat. Fry the bacon for 8-10 minutes, until crispy, flipping as needed.
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Meanwhile, cut the cabbage into 3/4-in (2 cm) thick slices.
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In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper.
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Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside to drain, leaving behind the bacon fat in the pan. Add the minced garlic and saute for about a minute, until fragrant.
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Let the pan with bacon fat cool for 5-10 minutes. When the bacon fat has cooled enough to not melt the plastic, pour the bacon fat (along with the sauteed garlic) into the plastic bag. Scoop any remaining garlic with a spatula and add it in. Seal and mix well to form the marinade.
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Add the sliced cabbage steaks to the marinade bag. Coat well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Grilled Cabbage Steaks Instructions
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Preheat the grill at medium heat.
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Grill cabbage steaks for about 4-8 minutes on each side, until tender and crispy on the edges.
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To serve, top with cooked bacon and parsley for garnish (optional).
Oven Roasted Cabbage Steaks Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
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Grease a large baking sheet well. (You can line with foil or parchment paper if you prefer. Arrange the cabbage steaks in a single layer.
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Roast cabbage steaks in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until tender and crispy on the edges.
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To serve, top with cooked bacon and parsley for garnish (optional).
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 3/4-inch-thick cabbage steak (1/8 of entire recipe)
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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34 Comments
Lee
0AMAZING! Made these last night and they were a huge hit! Full of flavor!
Robin
0Great recipe! I love cabbage but always looking for new ways to prepare it!
Raquel
0Love this healthy dinner idea! So easy to prepare!
Natalie
0Love your cabbage steaks. It’s light and crispy, thanks!
Kara
0I’ve tried cabbage steak before, but the garlic and bacon made this one so much better! Such a yummy way to eat cabbage!
Wilhelmina
0I love this as a side or even a light meal. So hearty and satisfying, grilling the cabbage really brings out the yummy!
Toni
0I just tried it and it turned out so good! I will definitely make it again!
Cheryl
0Seriously in love with this recipe! Just reheated leftovers for lunch, was just as good as last night. I think I didn’t measure my lemon, just squeezed some in, the subtle lemon flavor came through great. I was also lazy and cooked in a frying pan with lid on. Great caramelization, great texture, melted a little cheese overtop at the end and added bacon. Amazing recipe! Thank you!!!
Jennifer Saxon
0Made this tonight as a side for meatloaf. Oh my yum!! It was so easy (although slicing the cabbage from the head was a bit scary).
It was so full of flavor! I love how the edges are crispy but the middle is tender. Next time I’ll add just a touch of sweetener to the marinade for a sweet and sour kind of taste.
C
0Can’t find the video for oven roasted cabbage steaks! ????
It says, “Tap on the image (below or above).” Not finding image of oven roasted cabbage steak for video!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi C, Sorry you can’t see the video. Please make sure you are not viewing the website in ‘Reader Mode’ or in an RSS feed, that would prevent you from being able to view the video.
DeAnne Holliday
0Hello,
With the cabbage flat on the table as a base, do you slice the cabbage vertically or horizontally?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi DeAnne, Ideally, you want to use the core to help hold the cabbage steaks together. So if the base is on the cutting board, cut vertically. I hope this helps!
Anne Montesi
0It was so delicious I just bought another head of cabbage to make it again!
Carley
0These are so tasty! They hold up surprisingly well too! I made them in the oven after marinating them for 2 hours. Right before serving I sprinkled some extra Himalayan salt over them.
Emmey
0I don’t know what kind of cabbage is used in this video, I don’t see any core in the cabbage. I sliced my cabbage and very little of it held together. I tried thicker slices and none of it looked like these beautiful slices in this video. In case you are wondering my kitchen knives are kept very sharp. I love the flavor combination in the marinade and again in this video, It looks like a whole lot more marinade than the recipe made. I tripled the marinade. The flavor profile is wonderful, and the idea of grilling it was good but unless you have some magic head of cabbage, execution is difficult. I have a fun pan with holes in the bottom for the grill. I added The cabbage to the pan on top of my grill and it tasted great. This is not my first rodeo in the kitchen. I suspected the head of cabbage would not hold together as well as the video indicates and it doesn’t. The final analysis flavor profile is great Fry in the skillet or cooks it in a pan on top of the grill.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Emmey, I’m glad you enjoyed the flavors from the Cabbage Steaks! This recipe is made with a head of green cabbage. The stem or core of the cabbage is flat on the table as the base, and the steaks are cut 3/4 – 1″ thick. Any thinner and they will fall apart. I hope this helps!
Norma
0I tried the oven roasted one. Looks delish and tasted delish too. Thank you so much.
B
0These look yummy!
What brand is the grill that you use in the video? Or is that a panini press? Looks like a gadget I need to have!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi B, This is a panini press! It’s very handy to have for this cabbage steaks recipe.
Cathy
0I have preordered your book and can’t wait!!!
Love your recipes! Thank you for helping me become more healthy!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Cathy! I hope you love it!
Nikole
0How did you cut the cabbage to be sliced that way for the cabbage steaks? I love your website it’s by far my favorite thank you so much for sharing your wonderful ideas and recipes!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Nikole, Just slice the whole cabbage into 3/4-inch slices. It’s similar to the method for the roasted garlic cauliflower here – I have a photo for that one of how it looks. Just leave the slices whole of the cabbage instead of cutting them into smaller pieces like you would for the cauliflower. I’m so glad you like the recipes!
Fran
0This sounds like it will be delicious and a great presentation. Can’t wait to try.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope you like it, Fran! Have a great day!
Stacey
0Hi Maya, Thank you for sharing, love the sound of this recipe and am trying it tomorrow for a side! Question, where did you get the servings calculator? That’s so cool!! Thanks! Stacey
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Stacey, hope you like it! The calculator is coded into my website.
Rayné
0First recipe I’ve tried from your fabulous site- the Eggplant Pepperoni Pizza!! Turned out perfectly delicious and it received a big thumbs up from my husband. Super BIG THANKS for sharing your talent with the world 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Rayne! I’m glad you both liked it.
Michele Naquin
0This sounds absolutely DELICIOUS! Can’t wait to try it! May even try using brussel sprouts next time!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Michele! I love the idea with brussels sprouts.
Jason
0It sounds great!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jason! Please let me know if you try them.