Description

Marry Me Melting Cabbage with Creamy Tuscan Sauce is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender oven-baked cabbage wedges smothered in a rich, creamy sauce infused with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and aromatic herbs. This elegant yet simple recipe combines seared cabbage with a luscious Tuscan cream sauce, baked to perfection in a cast iron skillet, making it a perfect side or light main for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Cabbage

1 head (900-1100 g) green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with core intact

Sauce

3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
2 tbsps (28 g) butter
½ cup (75 g) finely diced red onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
4 oz. (113 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
½ cup (60 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, julienned
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano leaves
1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme leaves
½ tsp (0.5 g) dried rosemary leaves
1 tsp (6 g) table salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
1 tsp (1 g) red pepper flakes (optional)
½ cup (45 g) grated Parmesan cheese

For Garnish

Chopped fresh parsley
Extra Parmesan cheese for serving (to taste)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the cabbage and sauce.
Cut Cabbage: Cut the green cabbage into 8 wedges, keeping the core intact to help the wedges hold their shape while cooking.
Sear Cabbage: Heat olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear each cabbage wedge for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop a golden crust. Work in batches if necessary. Transfer the seared wedges to a plate and season with salt and pepper.
Sauté Onion and Garlic: Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the skillet, then cook the finely diced red onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
Deglaze Pan: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the skillet bottom to add flavor to the sauce.
Add Cream Cheese: Add softened cream cheese cubes and whisk continuously until melted and the sauce is smooth.
Incorporate Remaining Sauce Ingredients: Stir in heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, additional salt and black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove skillet from heat.
Add Parmesan: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and incorporated into the creamy sauce.
Combine Cabbage and Sauce: Nestle the seared cabbage wedges back into the skillet, spooning the creamy Tuscan sauce generously over the top of each wedge.
Bake Covered: Cover the skillet with foil or a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to allow the cabbage to become tender while infusing with the sauce flavors.
Uncover and Bake More: Remove the cover, baste the cabbage with the sauce, and bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the cabbage is fork-tender and the sauce is bubbly on top.
Rest and Garnish: Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese to enhance flavor and presentation.

Notes

Keep the cabbage core intact while cutting wedges to ensure they hold together during cooking.
Use a cast iron skillet or any oven-safe skillet to easily transfer from stovetop to oven.
Sun-dried tomatoes add sweet tang and texture; draining some oil before julienning is recommended.
Red pepper flakes are optional and can be omitted or adjusted for spice preference.
This dish pairs beautifully with crusty bread or can be served as a side to roasted meats or fish.
For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.