These cabbage steaks with tempeh bacon bits and creamy Dijon sauce are perfect for a holiday main dish! Cabbage is cut into thick “steaks” that are roasted until super tender and golden. Each steak is topped with a drizzle of a creamy and tangy Dijon sauce then finished with a healthy sprinkle of smoky and salty tempeh bacon bits. This vegetarian main dish is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special fall or winter meal.
If you’re vegetarian or vegan, or maybe just don’t like eating turkey, you know how hard it is to find a holiday main dish that isn’t boring and bland. I actually love holiday side dishes, and am usually content with a big plate of those, but this year, that changes with these cabbage steaks! The humble cabbage is elevated to 5-star main dish with the help of some homemade tempeh bacon bits and a velvety, tangy Dijon sauce. The time investment for this recipe is longer than I typically share, but trust me that these cabbage steaks are well worth the effort, especially for a holiday meal!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
As written and tested, this recipe is gluten free and vegetarian but it can very easily be made vegan as well. Use vegan cream (my go-to brands are Califia and Trader Joe’s) in place of the heavy cream and vegan butter in place of the unsalted butter. When it comes to cabbage, look for standard green cabbage (also called storage cabbage or white cabbage). You want the type that is fairly smooth once you peel away the loose outer leaves, NOT the type that has savoyed (crinkly) leaves.
Tips for Making the Best Cabbage Steaks (that don’t fall apart!)
Cabbage steaks can easily fall apart if you’re not careful! Here are my go-to tips for ensuring they stay intact and come out of the oven super tender:
- Don’t rush the process! It takes nearly an hour for these to reach the ideal tenderness and caramelization level. The good news? This gives you have plenty of time to make the tempeh bacon and creamy Dijon sauce!
- Look for cabbages that feel heavy for their size and are medium to large in size. Smaller heads will make it harder to cut large steaks.
- Cut from the stem end down — this ensures a bit of the core is attached to 2-3 of the larger steaks which will keep them together.
- Use a flexible spatula and a bit of patience when you’re flipping the cabbages over halfway through the baking time. The outer leaves will want to unravel so you might have to guide them back into place once flipped.
- Be prepared for some of the outer leaves to unravel but also know that you’ll still have a delicious cabbage steak even if they do!
How to Use Leftover Cabbage Pieces
In order to get 6 large steaks from 2 heads of cabbage, you will have leftover smaller steaks and end pieces that aren’t held together by the core. I’ve tested this recipe by roasting them as well but they are definitely A LOT harder to flip and more prone to coming apart and burning. You can try this method and just keep an eye on them, OR you can save the extra cabbage for slaw, salad, or my caramelized cabbage with capellini!
Cabbage Steaks with Tempeh Bacon Bits and Creamy Dijon Sauce in 6 Steps
More Recipes to Complete Your Holiday Meal
Looking for holiday side dishes to pair with this meatless main dish? If you’re going for visually stunning and layers of flavor but also really easy to make, try my roasted kabocha with burrata and spiced honey. Craving some leafy greens? Try my kale, apple, and celery salad with Dijon dressing that doesn’t require any cooking. If you’d rather have a warm salad with a little added protein, go for my warm kale and lentil salad with lemon rosemary dressing. Want something a little unexpected that doesn’t take up space in the oven? Try my braised Hakurei turnips with maple, miso, and ginger.
Cabbage Steaks with Tempeh Bacon Bits and Creamy Dijon Sauce
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These cabbage steaks with tempeh bacon bits and creamy Dijon sauce are perfect for a holiday main dish! Cabbage is cut into thick “steaks” that are roasted until super tender and golden. Each steak is topped with a drizzle of a creamy and tangy Dijon sauce then finished with a healthy sprinkle of smoky and salty tempeh bacon bits. This vegetarian main dish is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special fall or winter meal.
Ingredients
for the cabbage steaks:
- 2 medium/large heads green cabbage
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
for the tempeh bacon bits
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8-ounce block tempeh, crumbled into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
for the creamy Dijon sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 heaped tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
Start with the cabbage steaks. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line 1 large baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove any loose outer leaves from both heads of cabbage and discard. Trim off and discard the very bottom of the stem end then place the cabbage on the cutting board with the stem end facing up towards you. Cutting from the top down, slice into 1-inch thick “steaks”. There should be a bit of the cabbage core in at least 2-3 of the steaks that holds them together. Repeat with the second cabbage.
Place the largest steaks (you should have at least 6) on the lined baking sheet leaving a ½-inch between each. Save the smaller steaks and end pieces for another use (see recipes notes). Brush each side of the cabbage steaks generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then remove and very carefully flip the steaks over with a flexible spatula. Roast an additional 25-30 minutes until golden and tender.
While the cabbage steaks roast, make the tempeh bacon bits. Heat a large pan or skillet over medium. Add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the crumbled tempeh. Cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until the tempeh is golden brown and crisp (this will take about 15 minutes). While the tempeh cooks, whisk together the tamari, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and maple syrup in a small bowl.
When the tempeh is golden brown, reduce the heat to medium low and add the tamari mixture to the pan. Stir continuously until the tempeh is coated in the sauce and there is no longer liquid visible in the pan (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.
When there’s about 15 minutes left in the cabbage steaks’ cooking time, start the sauce. Heat a small pan over medium-low. Add the butter to the pan and once it’s fully melted, add the minced shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until the shallot is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly. Add the lemon juice and cook, stirring regularly, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 4-5 minutes.
Whisk in the Dijon mustard. Continue whisking gently until the mustard is loosened and creamy and no longer looks oily. At this point it should be emulsified with the butter. Add the cream, chives, and another pinch of salt. Cook 3-4 minutes, gently whisking, until the sauce is thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon and when you swipe your finger through it to create a line, the line should stay there without filling in. Remove the sauce from the heat, taste, and add more salt as needed.
When you’re ready to serve, drizzle some of the sauce over each cabbage steak and top with some of the tempeh bacon bits. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chives.
Notes
- Make it vegan: use vegan cream and vegan butter.
- The smaller steaks and end cabbage pieces are harder to roast and flip. You can save this leftover cabbage for slaw, salad, or try it in my caramelized cabbage with capellini.
- The tempeh bacon bits can be made 1-2 days in advance. Keep them in a container in the fridge and gently warm them in a pan over medium-low heat when you’re ready to use them.
- I recommend using a smooth and creamy Dijon rather than a grainy one for the best flavor and texture in the sauce.
- If you want everything warm and ready at the same time, wait to start the tempeh bacon until after you flip the cabbage steaks over at their halfway point. Start the sauce during the last 15 minutes of the cabbage steaks’ cooking time (you’ll be making the sauce at the same time as the tempeh bacon).
- The sauce will thicken as it cools. If you want to make it 1-2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge, you’ll need to warm it over medium-low heat and add a splash or two or cream to loosen it.
- You can use purple/red cabbage instead if you prefer.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: main
I love making cabbage steaks, but I was getting bored of my plain recipe. I was looking for inspiration and was taken by your photos. Then I started reading the recipe and my goodness, it sounds so good. I am so excited to get to the grocery store to make these for our Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. I think everyone is going to love them!
So happy to hear that! Hope you and your family enjoy them!
This looks absolutely incredible! I love how hearty and flavorful this sounds, definitely saving this for my holiday menu this year.
Yay! I hope you enjoy it!
drooling!!! Looks so delicious!
Seriously so good!
I love this version of cabbage steaks! Perfect for cozy fall night!
They’re so perfect for fall! Hope you enjoy them!
These cabbage steaks with tempeh bacon bits and creamy Dijon sauce sound like a tasty holiday main dish. Perfect for festive meals!
They’re perfect for holiday meals! Hope you try them!
This was so tasty. That sauce was amazing!
The sauce turned out so good! So happy you enjoyed it!