Sautéed Cabbage With Garlic and Spices (Printable)

Quick-cooking cabbage with garlic, cumin, paprika, and oregano for a fast, budget-friendly Mediterranean side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage (about 26.5 oz), thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Oils & Fats

04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon wedges for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
02 - Add the sliced red onion and sauté for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown it.
04 - Add the sliced cabbage and toss well to coat evenly in the oil and aromatics.
05 - Sprinkle in the ground cumin, sweet paprika, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine thoroughly.
06 - Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until the cabbage is tender but still slightly crisp and beginning to caramelize at the edges.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns an everyday vegetable into something you'll actually crave, not just tolerate.
  • Everything cooks in one pan in less time than it takes to order takeout.
  • The caramelized edges and warm spices make it taste much fancier than the effort required.
  • It works as a side dish, a mezze component, or eaten straight from the pan with a fork.
02 -
  • Don't crowd the pan or the cabbage will steam instead of caramelize, use the biggest skillet you have.
  • Taste the cabbage before you add the spices so you know how much sweetness it already has, some heads are sweeter than others.
  • If your cabbage releases a lot of water, turn up the heat slightly and let it cook off so you get browning instead of soggy greens.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife to slice the cabbage thin and uniform so it cooks evenly and looks prettier on the plate.
  • Let the cabbage sit undisturbed for a minute or two between stirs so it has a chance to caramelize instead of just wilting.
  • If you're serving this to guests, double the parsley and lemon, the fresh garnish makes it look intentional and restaurant-worthy.
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