Cabbage Steaks

These easy Cabbage Steaks are pan seared and smothered in a rich gravy. A budget-friendly, veggie-packed dish that's perfect for any night of the week. The post Cabbage Steaks appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Mar 6, 2025 - 16:12

Look at us crunchy hippies, calling all kinds of vegetables steaks. I know it seems far-fetched, but these Cabbage Steaks really do hit the spot—and for pennies! The deep flavors from the sear in the cast iron skillet and the rich homemade sauce make this cabbage steak recipe a super easy showstopper for veggie lovers and meat lovers alike.

Overhead view of cabbage steaks and gravy in a cast iron skillet.

Easy Recipe for Cabbage Steaks

If you’ve tried my one-pan mushroom steak recipe, you know I’m all about big flavors on a budget—and these cabbage steaks are exactly that! This recipe is SO easy and takes minutes to prep. But let’s talk about the gravy sauce for a minute because it seriously makes this dish. I’m talking rich, tangy goodness from balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, vegetable broth, and tomato paste to create a silky, delicious sauce that soaks into those perfectly seared cabbage leaves. Trust me, you won’t miss the meat with flavors this bold!

Cabbage Steaks

These easy Cabbage Steaks are pan seared and smothered in a rich gravy. A budget-friendly, veggie-packed dish that's perfect for any night of the week.

Course Main Course

Cuisine General

Total Cost $3.60 recipe / $0.90 serving

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Servings servings (1 wedge per person)

Calories 98kcal

Author Jess Rice

Equipment

Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

Cabbage Steaks

1 small head of green cabbage $2.60
2 tsp canola oil $0.03

Sauce

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar $0.69
1 cup vegetable broth* $0.12
½ Tbsp tomato paste $0.08
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce** $0.01
½ tsp salt $0.01
¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.04
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cabbage into 1/4 or 1/8 wedges depending on the size of the cabbage you have. You want to leave the stem intact to help it stay together for this recipe!
Sear steaks it in a hot cast iron skillet with canola oil until deeply browned on both flat sides, about 5 min per side.
Prepare your sauce by whisking the balsamic vinegar, vegetable broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper together, and simmering it on the stove while your cabbage finishes searing.
Pour marinade into the hot skillet with the cabbage before transferring it to the oven.
Let cabbage steam and bake in the oven with the sauce for 25-30 minutes. Once the cabbage is noticeably wilting around the edges and darkening in color, it’s done. (It took 25 minutes in my oven at home and 30 minutes in the oven at the Budget Bytes studio!)
Remove cabbage wedges from the skillet and add 1-2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce to your liking. I usually go for a classic gravy consistency. No need to heat it back up to make the gravy, your skillet is plenty hot!
Spoon sauce over the cabbage steaks and serve hot!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*At Budget Bytes, we use bouillon to keep our broth costs low! Better Than Bouillon is our preferred brand. When selecting bouillon, make sure “salt” is not the first ingredient, or you’re not getting a quality product…you’re just paying for extra expensive salt!

**Omit the Worcestershire sauce if you’re avoiding fish or want to make this recipe vegetarian/vegan. Soy sauce is a great substitution.

Nutrition

how to make Cabbage Steaks step-by-step photos

The ingredients needed to make cabbage steaks with a tangy sauce.

Prepare your ingredients: Gather all of your ingredients (you also need a little all-purpose flour…but I forgot it when taking this photo!)

A head of cabbage cut into four wedges on a wooden cutting board.

Cut the cabbage: Preheat your oven to 400°F. On a cutting board, cut 1 small head of cabbage into 1/4 or 1/8 wedges, depending on how big your cabbage is. Be sure to leave the stem intact on each wedge! This helps the steaks to hold together as they cook.

Cabbage steaks searing in a cast iron skillet.

Sear the cabbage: Heat 2 tsp canola oil in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop until hot. Add the cabbage and sear on one side until deeply browned, about 5 minutes.

Kitchen tongs flipping over cabbage steaks in a cast iron skillet.

Use kitchen tongs to flip the cabbage so the second flat side can sear for a further 5 minutes or until deeply browned. While you wait for the steaks to sear, you can start making the gravy sauce.

A whisk mixing together a sauce for cabbage steaks in a sauce pan.

Make the gravy: Add 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 cup vegetable broth, ½ Tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper to a saucepan and whisk together. Let it come to a simmer while your cabbage finishes searing.

A sauce being poured onto seared cabbage steaks in a cast iron skillet.

Bake the cabbage: Once the steaks are seared on both flat sides, pour the sauce into the hot skillet.

Cabbage steaks and sauce in a cast iron skillet before being baked in the oven.

Transfer the skillet to your preheated oven. Let the cabbage steam and bake in the oven with the sauce for about 25-30 minutes.

Cabbage steaks in a skillet after baking in the oven.

When the cabbage is noticeably wilting around the edges and darkening in color, it’s done! Keep an eye on it, as different ovens may vary in cooking times. (It took 25 minutes in my oven at home and 30 minutes in the oven at the Budget Bytes studio!)

Kitchen tongs removing cabbage steaks from a cast iron skillet to a plate.

Thicken the gravy: Use kitchen tongs to remove the cabbage wedges from the skillet and transfer them to a plate.

Flour being whisked into gravy in a cast iron skillet.

Add 1-2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour to the sauce to thicken it to your liking. I like a classic gravy consistency. You can also make a slurry, if preferred, by adding some of the hot gravy to a small bowl, whisking in some of the flour, and then adding the slurry back to the skillet. There’s no need to heat it back up to make the gravy, as the skillet is already very hot.

Cabbage steaks with gravy in a cast iron skillet.

Serve: Spoon the gravy over your cabbage wedges and serve hot.

Overhead view of cabbage steaks on a plate with mashed potatoes, greens, and gravy.

I love the buttery, natural flavors of the cabbage itself, so I choose not to season it before searing. However, if you want to, try sprinkling over some of your favorite steak seasonings (like Montreal steak seasoning) or our homemade burger seasoning blend. They’d add a nice depth to the dish but are totally optional. The sear is really what makes these baked cabbage steaks pop!

Serving Suggestions

I highly recommend serving this recipe with my easy mashed potato casserole and some steamed spinach for an inexpensive but deliciously healthy meal. My creamed kale would also be a delicious side if you have the ingredients on hand. Don’t forget to drizzle some extra sauce over the top for maximum flavor!

Storage & Reheating

The leftover cabbage from this recipe is also amazing eaten cold, believe it or not. Once cooled, store the steaks and gravy in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to reheat the cabbage, you can either pop it into the microwave or reheat it in the oven at 350°F. The gravy can be reheated in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through. You can add a splash of water or broth if needed to thin it out.

The post Cabbage Steaks appeared first on Budget Bytes.