Baked cabbage recipes like this one and roasted cabbage steaks are packed full of essential nutrients, goodness, and flavor. Plus, with a few extra ingredients, this recipe can be easily transformed into filling mains or familiar sides that are easy to make but deliver big when it comes to taste. Slice your head of cabbage and chop the onion. Don’t cut too small – you want them to hold their shape as the casserole is cooking. Crush the crackers. You can do this with a rolling pin inside a bowl or, for a cleaner approach, in a Ziplock bag. In a small pot or in the microwave, melt the butter. Mix the melted butter with the crackers until the mixture begins to stick together. Chef’s Tip: one of the easiest ways to make cabbage casserole taste even better is to precook the cabbage rather than adding it raw to your casserole dish. Adding salt to the pan (like I do) will make it wilt quickly and make it a lot easier to work with when you’re assembling your casserole. You really will notice a difference in taste! Bake at 350ºF/175ºC for 30 minutes or until the topping has turned golden brown.
Pair it with an ordinary weekday protein for a deliciously comforting main meal – try with chicken (either roasted whole chicked or fried chicken breasts), oven baked salmon, easy meatloaf recipe, or baked short ribs. Alternatively, if you want to make it a main dish, serve it alongside roasted or boiled potatoes and bacon. Swap out the fresh boiled cabbage with corned beef for this tender casserole for a boost of flavor from a favorite. If you want a fully vegetarian meal, try pairing it with cauliflower steaks, tofu, beans, lentils and rice, or BBQ jackfruit. If serving this casserole as part of a selection of side dishes, it works best with other comforting favorites of the dinner table like macaroni cheese, potato salad, gratin potatoes, roasted winter vegetables, or mashed potatoes.
You can reheat it in the oven or the microwave at a lower temperature until it’s warmed through. Allow the casserole to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. I recommend putting it in the oven or microwave at low heat to get it piping hot before serving. It’ll also turn the topping crunchy again. When ready to bake bring to room temperature (first, if frozen, let thaw in the freezer overnight, add the cracker topping, then bake as per the instructions.
