My grandmother taught me this simple baked cabbage dish one chilly autumn when the garden gave us more heads of cabbage than we knew what to do with. It uses just four humble ingredients, but when it comes out of the oven the cabbage is tender inside and the breadcrumb coating is wonderfully crisp and golden. This kind of seasonal, no-fuss cooking is what I grew up with in the rural Midwest—stretching garden produce, using what’s in the pantry, and turning it into something that feels special enough for Sunday dinner but is easy enough for any weeknight.
These crispy breaded cabbage wedges are lovely served hot right from the pan alongside roast chicken, pork chops, or meatloaf. They also pair nicely with mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles to soak up any juices. For a lighter plate, serve them with sliced fresh tomatoes in summer or a simple cucumber salad. A little dish of extra melted butter or a squeeze of lemon at the table doesn’t hurt either, especially if you like to dip each bite.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Crispy Breaded Cabbage WedgesServings: 4
Ingredients
1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (plus a little extra for greasing foil, if needed)
1 1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil with a bit of melted butter so the cabbage won’t stick.
Remove any loose or tough outer leaves from the cabbage. Trim the very bottom of the core, but leave enough of the core so the wedges will hold together.
Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom through the core, then cut each half into 4 thick wedges, for a total of 8 sturdy wedges. Try to keep each wedge about the same size so they bake evenly.
Place the melted butter in a shallow bowl or pie plate. In a second shallow bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and salt together so the seasoning is evenly distributed.
Working with one wedge at a time, brush or spoon melted butter generously over all cut surfaces of the cabbage, letting some butter drip between the leaves. You want a light but thorough coating so the crumbs will stick.
Press the buttered cabbage wedge into the breadcrumb mixture, turning and patting so the crumbs cling to all the cut sides. The outer curved leaf side doesn’t need to be fully coated, just a light press is fine.
Set each breaded wedge, cut sides up, on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart so the hot air can circulate and crisp the crumbs.
Drizzle or spoon any remaining melted butter over the tops of the breaded wedges. This helps the breadcrumbs toast up golden and flavorful in the oven.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes, turning the pan once halfway through baking. The breadcrumbs should be deeply golden and crisp, and the cabbage should be tender when pierced with the tip of a knife but still hold its wedge shape.
If you like an extra-crispy top, move the pan to the upper third of the oven for the last 3 to 5 minutes of baking, watching closely so the crumbs don’t burn.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the wedges rest for 5 minutes on the foil-lined pan. This helps the coating set and makes them easier to serve.
Transfer the crispy breaded cabbage wedges to a warm platter, scooping up any toasted crumbs from the foil to sprinkle over the top. Taste and add a pinch more salt at the table if needed, then serve while hot and crisp.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like a heartier crunch, use panko-style breadcrumbs in place of regular dry breadcrumbs; they brown up beautifully in the oven. For a slightly richer flavor, brown the butter gently before brushing it on the cabbage, just until it smells nutty, then proceed as directed. You can also adjust the salt to your taste or sprinkle a bit of salt over the finished wedges instead of mixing it into the crumbs. If your cabbage head is smaller, simply cut it into 6 wedges instead of 8 and check for doneness a few minutes early. For a make-ahead shortcut, you can cut and bread the wedges a few hours in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator; when you’re ready to bake, drizzle with the reserved melted butter and pop them into the hot oven, adding a few extra minutes if they go in chilled.
