Marry Me Melting Cabbage with Creamy Tuscan Sauce Recipe
Marry Me Melting Cabbage with Creamy Tuscan Sauce is a deliciously rich and comforting baked cabbage dish. Tender cabbage wedges are seared to golden perfection and then slow-baked in a luscious cream cheese and sun-dried tomato sauce infused with Italian herbs, garlic, and Parmesan, making it a delightful vegetarian-friendly main or side that combines rustic flavors with creamy indulgence.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tuscan/Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 head (900-1100 g) green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with core intact
- ½ cup (75 g) finely diced red onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (60 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, julienned
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Dairy & Oils
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
- 2 tbsps (28 g) butter
- 4 oz. (113 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (45 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Liquids & Broths
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
Herbs & Spices
- 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)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the cabbage later in the recipe.
- Cut cabbage: Slice the green cabbage head into 8 wedges, keeping the core intact to help hold each wedge together while cooking.
- Sear cabbage: Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the cabbage wedges for 2 to 3 minutes per side until they develop a golden crust. Work in batches if your pan isn’t large enough. Remove seared cabbage to a plate and season with salt and pepper.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the skillet. Cook the diced red onion for 2 to 3 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze pan: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan to add flavor to the sauce.
- Add cream cheese: Add softened, cubed cream cheese to the skillet and whisk until the cheese melts smoothly into the broth.
- Create sauce: Stir in heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, additional salt and pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes if using. Let the sauce simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to slightly thicken. Remove from heat.
- Incorporate Parmesan: Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until it melts completely and blends into the sauce creating a rich texture.
- Arrange cabbage: Nestle the seared cabbage wedges back into the skillet, spooning the creamy Tuscan sauce over each wedge evenly.
- Bake covered: Cover the skillet tightly with foil or a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to allow the cabbage to soften and absorb the flavors.
- Bake uncovered: Remove the cover, baste the cabbage with the sauce again, and continue baking uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes until the cabbage is fork-tender and the sauce thickens nicely.
- Rest and garnish: Let the dish rest for 5 minutes after baking. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional Parmesan cheese before serving.
Notes
- Keeping the core intact when cutting cabbage wedges helps maintain structure during cooking.
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth to keep the dish vegetarian.
- For a spicier dish, increase or adjust the red pepper flakes according to your taste.
- Use an oven-safe skillet like cast iron for both stovetop searing and baking to avoid transferring the cabbage to another dish.
- Allowing the dish to rest after baking helps the sauce thicken up and flavors to meld beautifully.
Keywords: Cabbage recipe, Tuscan sauce, creamy cabbage, baked cabbage wedges, vegetarian main dish, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan sauce