Description
Marry Me Melting Cabbage with Creamy Tuscan Sauce is a comforting and elegant roasted cabbage dish featuring tender cabbage wedges smothered in a rich, creamy sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese. Perfect as a flavorful side or a vegetarian main, this recipe combines simple ingredients with slow oven roasting to create melt-in-your-mouth textures and robust Tuscan-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cabbage Wedges
- 1 head (900-1100 g) green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with core intact
Searing and Sauce Base
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsps (28 g) butter
- ½ cup (75 g) finely diced red onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Creamy Tuscan Sauce
- 4 oz. (113 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (60 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, julienned
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano leaves
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme leaves
- ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried rosemary leaves
- 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
- ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
- 1 tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup (45 g) grated Parmesan cheese
Garnishes
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
- Extra Parmesan for serving to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Cabbage: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges, keeping the core intact on each wedge to hold them together during cooking.
- Sear Cabbage: Heat olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the cabbage wedges for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Transfer seared wedges to a plate and season them with salt and pepper.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet, then cook the finely diced red onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn.
- Deglaze Pan: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth) to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom for added flavor.
- Add Cream Cheese: Add the softened, cubed cream cheese to the pan and whisk continuously until it melts completely into a smooth sauce base.
- Incorporate Cream and Seasonings: Stir in heavy cream, julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, additional salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly thicken it. Remove from heat.
- Finish Sauce with Parmesan: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until it melts fully and blends smoothly into the sauce.
- Combine and Bake: Nestle the seared cabbage wedges back into the skillet, spooning the creamy sauce generously over the tops. Cover the skillet with foil or a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and Continue Baking: Remove the foil or lid, baste the cabbage wedges with the sauce, then bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the cabbage is fork-tender and the sauce is bubbly.
- Rest and Garnish: Let the dish rest for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth to make it vegetarian.
- Keep the core intact on cabbage wedges so they hold together during searing and baking.
- Using an oven-safe skillet like cast iron allows you to easily transfer from stovetop to oven.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat level of the dish.
- This dish pairs well with crusty bread to soak up the creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Tuscan
Keywords: creamy cabbage recipe, Tuscan cabbage, roasted cabbage wedges, Marry Me Melting Cabbage, sun-dried tomato sauce, vegetarian side dish
