Balsamic Roasted Red Cabbage

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This roasted red cabbage with balsamic vinegar is a delicious side dish packed with antioxidants to help reduce inflammation. Cabbage wedges sweeten as they roast, which balances nicely with tangy balsamic vinegar and creamy goat cheese. Red cabbage delivers a striking color, but green cabbage will work just as well.

Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Servings:
8
  • Roasting the cabbage makes it sweet, which pairs perfectly with tangy balsamic vinegar.
  • The antioxidants in cabbage help fight inflammation and might lower the risk of some cancers.
  • Cut through the core of the cabbage to maintain wedge shapes during roasting.

Get ready to meet your new favorite side dish: Balsamic Roasted Red Cabbage! Cabbage is packed with antioxidants that fight inflammation one delicious bite at a time. Roasting the cabbage brings out its natural sweetness, while tangy balsamic vinegar and creamy goat cheese finish the dish. Healthy, tasty and full of flavor, this is one side dish you’ll come back to on repeat. Read on for our expert tips and tricks for making it below.

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! 

  • Cutting cabbage through the core helps maintain its shape. Cut the cabbage head into quarters, then cut each quarter in half again, ensuring each wedge still has a bit of the core to keep it intact during cooking.
  • To prevent the cabbage wedges from burning, brush them with the balsamic mixture halfway through cooking. Brushing the cabbage with the balsamic mixture at the beginning of the roasting process could result in the sugars cooking too quickly, which can lend an unpleasant bitterness. 
  • If you can, buy goat cheese in a log and crumble it yourself. Pre-crumbled cheese sometimes has anti-caking agents added to it that make it less creamy.

Nutrition Notes

  • Cabbage is the star of this recipe. And it’s a tasty way to score cancer-preventing antioxidants. In addition to inflammation-fighting vitamin C, this cruciferous vegetable is also loaded with glucosinolates and isothiocyanates that may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
an image of the ingredients to make the Roasted Red Cabbage with Balsamic

Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

  • 1 large head red cabbage (4–5 pounds), cut into 8 wedges with core intact

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange cabbage wedges in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Whisk 3 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon salt together in a small bowl. Brush the mixture over the cut sides of the cabbage wedges. Roast until browned on the edges, 18 to 20 minutes.

    an image of the balsamic wedges on a baking sheet

    Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

  2. Meanwhile, whisk 2 tablespoons vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 2 teaspoons mustard and ¼ teaspoon salt together in a small bowl until combined.

    an image of the balsamic mixture whisked together

    Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

  3. Remove the cabbage from the oven; brush the wedges with half of the balsamic mixture. Flip the wedges and brush with the remaining balsamic mixture. Roast until the cabbage is tender and the balsamic mixture has started to thicken and caramelize around the edges, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large platter. Sprinkle with ½ cup goat cheese and 2 teaspoons thyme.

    an image of the Roasted Red Cabbage with Balsamic

    Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What can I serve with Balsamic Roasted Red Cabbage?

    Serve it alongside roasted chicken, steak or pork. You can add it to a grain bowl or combine it with lentils or another legume for a vegetarian main dish.

  • Can I use a different type of cabbage?

    Yes, green cabbage will work just as well, but the color of the balsamic vinegar will darken the green hue. You can use white balsamic vinegar in place of brown balsamic for a brighter color if you’re using green cabbage.

Recipe developed by Marianne Williams

EatingWell.com, December 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

123 Calories
10g Fat
6g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Serving Size 1 wedge
Calories 123
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 3g
Added Sugars 0g 0%
Protein 4g 8%
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 7mg 2%
Vitamin A 45µg
Vitamin C 29mg 32%
Vitamin D 0µg
Vitamin E 1mg 7%
Folate 36µg
Vitamin K 64µg
Sodium 263mg 11%
Calcium 55mg 4%
Iron 1mg 4%
Magnesium 14mg 3%
Potassium 150mg 3%
Zinc 0mg 3%
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
Alex Loh
Square Headshot of Alex Loh
Alex Loh is EatingWell's food editor. As part of the food team, she creates healthy, delicious recipes for the EatingWell audience. Alex also writes informative food and cooking articles that range from how to store ground beef to the best picks from Trader Joe's. Alex conducts product and taste tests to find the best options, from salad spinners to salsas.
and
Hilary Meyer
Hilary Meyer
Hilary Meyer is a recipe developer, tester, and content creator. After graduating from culinary school, she started working the EatingWell Test Kitchen in 2006, developing and testing recipes.