Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Are Simply Delicious

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These cabbage steaks with creamy mushroom sauce are a delicious meatless alternative to a classic steak dinner. This easy dinner is ideal for vegetarians or anyone else looking to add more comforting, plant-based meals to their menu. A mix of mushrooms will liven up the dish. Opt for a few shiitake mushrooms for the biggest flavor impact.

Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
4

Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce are a delicious way to enjoy antioxidant-rich cabbage as a hearty vegetarian main. When roasted, cabbage develops a caramelization that brings out its natural sugars. It’s paired here with a deliciously creamy sauce (featuring anti-inflammatory vegetables like shallots, mushrooms and garlic) that’s perfectly balanced with brightly acidic white wine and salty Parmesan. Keep reading for expert tips on smart substitutions, make-ahead tips and more. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • When shopping for cabbage, try to choose one that feels heavy for its size and has nice crisp exterior leaves.
  • The creamy mushroom sauce in this recipe is also great served with pasta.
  • This recipe calls for fresh thyme, but you can use dried instead. However, use only half the amount because dried herbs have a more concentrated and potent flavor than fresh.
  • If you prefer, you can substitute dry sherry for the white wine and use a robust herb like rosemary instead of the thyme.

Nutrition Notes

  • Cabbage is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family and is brimming with vitamin C, potassium and fiber—all nutrients essential for a healthy heart and a healthy immune system. 
  • Mushrooms are loaded with B vitamins, which are necessary for a healthy metabolism. Mushrooms grown in ultraviolet light contain vitamin D—a nutrient that most people have a hard time getting enough of. 
  • Garlic is sometimes referred to as a functional food because it contains an impressive number of nutrients, including phytochemicals, magnesium, potassium and selenium. Garlic also contains an anti-inflammatory compound called allicin that is activated when garlic is chopped or crushed.
  • Parmesan cheese gives a signature salty—and delicious—taste to almost everything it touches. As a hard cheese, it’s higher in calcium and lower in lactose than softer cheeses. If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll want to choose your Parmesan cheese carefully because traditional Parmigiano-Reggiano is made with rennet, an animal-derived enzyme.
an image of the ingredients to make the Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

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Ingredients

  • 1 medium head green cabbage (3 pounds)

  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided, plus more for garnish

  • ¼ teaspoon salt plus teaspoon, divided

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 3 cups)

  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

  • ½ cup dry white wine

  • 1 cup half-and-half

  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Thinly sliced fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Remove and discard any damaged outer leaves from cabbage; trim off stem. Slice the cabbage vertically into 4 (1-inch-thick) steaks. Trim any excess core that isn’t holding the steaks together. Place the steaks on the prepared baking sheet. (Reserve remaining cabbage for another use.) Brush the tops of the cabbage steaks with 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

    an image of the cabbage steaks prepared on a baking sheet

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

  2. Roast, rotating the pan from front to back and flipping the cabbage halfway through, until browned and tender, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt.

  3. About 15 minutes before the cabbage is done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Add chopped shallot, garlic, 2 teaspoons thyme and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until the shallot is translucent, about 1 minute.

  4. Add ½ cup wine; cook, scraping up any browned bits on the pan bottom, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup half-and-half; cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and lightly coats the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in ¼ cup Parmesan and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt until the Parmesan melts.

    an image of the mushroom sauce cooking in a skillet

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

  5. Place the cabbage steaks on 4 plates. Spoon the creamy mushroom sauce evenly over the steaks. Garnish with additional black pepper and/or chives, if desired.

    an image of the Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I make Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce ahead of time?

    You can roast the cabbage about 3 days in advance. Make sure it’s cool before refrigerating it in an airtight container. We suggest not making the sauce beforehand, as the cheese will harden.

  • Can I use any kind of mushrooms for the Creamy Mushroom Sauce?

    Yes. This recipe is great with shiitake caps and/or cremini mushrooms, but you can use any mushroom or a blend of mushrooms, including button mushrooms, oysters or chanterelles. Some mushrooms, like shiitakes, can be difficult to find, but upscale grocery stores and Asian markets should have a nice selection.

  • What should I serve with Cabbage Steaks with Creamy Mushroom Sauce?

    You can plan a meal featuring cabbage steaks as the main course, paired with a hearty grain side dish and a salad. These cabbage steaks also make a perfect side dish for recipes like our Crispy Roast Chicken & Carrots, Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce or Lemon-Garlic Salmon Bites.

EatingWell.com, December 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

271 Calories
20g Fat
15g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Serving Size 1 cabbage steak & generous ⅓ cup sauce
Calories 271
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 15g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 6g 13%
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Vitamin A 33µg
Vitamin C 37mg 41%
Vitamin D 0µg
Vitamin E 3mg 19%
Folate 58µg
Vitamin K 84µg
Sodium 398mg 17%
Calcium 150mg 12%
Iron 2mg 10%
Magnesium 33mg 8%
Potassium 473mg 10%
Zinc 1mg 10%
Vitamin B12 0µg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS
Sarah Pflugradt

Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian who holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her extensive background in dietetics has made her a sought-after expert in family and youth sports nutrition.

and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.

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