Cabbage Au Gratin Recipe

I’m a big cabbage fan, but even I can admit it’s not the sexiest vegetable at the market. It’s humble, a workhorse, inexpensive, and utilitarian. But, like a nerdy girl after a ’90s makeover montage, cabbage has hidden potential just waiting to be unearthed.

Here, green cabbage gets treated to a stunning glow-up by way of heavy cream, Gruyère, Parmesan cheese, and a buttery breadcrumb topping for a guaranteed showstopper: cabbage au gratin.

I’ve been making cabbage au gratin for several years, especially around the holidays, where it’s always a welcome addition to the table. Giving cabbage (rather than the more expected potato) the au-gratin treatment produces a less starchy but no less satisfying riff on a classic dish.

How To Make Cabbage Au Gratin

Most of the alchemy of this recipe happens in the oven, as the cabbage softens in the thickening cream and the cheese creates a gooey, bubbly crust with a little crunch from the panko. But there are a few steps before the pan goes in the oven that are crucial for bringing out as much flavor as possible.

Start by salting the cabbage for five short minutes, then blotting it dry so it sears better in the pan. Don’t rush this step or overcrowd the pan, since the browned cabbage is what provides a lot of the delicious flavor.

The cabbage will still be bubbling and cooking when it comes out of the oven, so give it a good 15 minutes of rest time before serving to allow the flavors and textures to really come together.

Recipe Variations

• Green cabbage is best for this recipe, but you can also use savoy cabbage. Avoid red cabbage because it will turn blue when cooked.
• Instead of using olive oil, you can add a little smoky flavor by rendering 3 strips of bacon in the skillet and then searing the cabbage in the bacon fat. Reserve the bacon, and then crumble it up in the panko-Parmesan breadcrumbs.
• You can substitute cheddar for the Gruyère cheese.

Recipes Starring Cabbage