Miso Roasted Cabbage with Tahini Dressing
Preparation time: 60-80 minutes | Serves: 2 people
This easy recipes makes the most of a humble ingredient shunned by many - cabbage.
I’ll be the first to admit, I never enjoyed cabbage growing up. my grandmother used to sautee sliced cabbage with mustard seeds and turmeric and in hindsight it was probably a delicious dish, but I couldn’t bring myself to like it. As an adult, I use it for slaws and salads, sometimes the wilted leaves make their way into a stock, but it wasn’t until I tried roasted cabbage in a restaurant that I began to view this vegetable differently.
This recipe is a great starting point because it has so many other elements that help transform it from a forgettable salad to an incredible side dish, or a meal in itself.
Why you should be roasting cabbage -
I'm not asking you to give up on using shredded cabbage for slaws, salads and sauerkraut. Instead, this roasted vegetable recipe is for when you have a piece of cabbage you don't know what to do with, or you're looking for a lighter roast vegetable that's not potato or pumpkin.
Affordable and with incredible transformative powers, you'll find the cabbage leaves turning translucent as they cook and slowly soaking up the flavours of any marinade or sauce it is doused with.
A light caramelisation on the leaves adds so much flavour - I love popping it under the grill for the last few minutes to get that perfect golden finish.
How to make my Miso Roasted Cabbage -
The most amount of effort in this roasted cabbage recipe is the roasting process itself. The rest of it is almost slap-dash, which I love. Everything is relatively simple and thrown together, but when combined the flavours are magnificent.
I went the Asian route with the flavours using miso paste mixed with Soka Pantry’s hot honey and sesame oil for a saucy, salty-sweet marinade that gets brushed generously on the cabbage wedges. While the veggies are roasting away, whip up the creamy tahini base that brings out the earthy, bitter notes of the sesame oil perfectly.
Drizzled with plenty of chilli oil for some heat (I used the lovely Crispy Chilli Oil from local brand Soka Pantry) plus chopped spring onions or parsley for freshness, this vegetable dish will have you coming back for more.
My roasted cabbage can easily adapted to be vegan and can be doubled if you’re entertaining or feeding a family. Check out the recipe notes for more suggestions.
Ingredients
Roast cabbage -
1/4 green cabbage
1 tbsp. white miso paste
2 tsps. hot honey + extra for brushing (I used Soka Pantry’s Crunchy Hot Honey)
2 tsps. sesame oil
1-2 tbsp. hot water
Whipped tahini -
100 gms tahini
2 garlic cloves
80 mls water
Salt, according to taste
To serve -
1-2 tbsps. chilli oil (I used Soka Pantry’s Crispy Chilli Oil)
Chopped spring onion greens/parsley
1 tsp. sesame seeds
Method
For the cabbage -
Halve the cabbage keeping the core intact.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Mix the miso paste, sesame oil and hot honey in a bowl, add hot water and stir until smooth and lump free.
Place the cabbage on a baking tray/ cast iron skillet and brush evenly with the marinade on all sides (try to get under the leaves)
Roast for 30 minutes flipping halfway.
Brush with the remaining hot honey and grill for the last 4-5 minutes until slightly charred.
Make the whipped tahini & serve -
Blend the ingredients for the whipped tahini together until smooth and creamy.
To serve, spread the tahini on the base of a bowl or plate and place the roast cabbage on top.
Drizzle generously with chilli oil and sprinkle with spring onion greens/ chopped parsley and sesame seeds before serving.
Swaps, Serves & Storage
Can I use any other vegetable instead of cabbage?
The measurements in this recipe are for green cabbage, however this recipe would work really well with cauliflower too. You might have to increase the cooking time slightly.What can I use instead of miso paste?
Mix 1 tbsp. soy sauce with 1 additional tsp. of honey in case you can’t find miso. Use less water while mixing up the marinade as soy sauce has more liquid in it compared to miso paste.Can I make this recipe vegan?
This recipe is naturally vegetarian. To make it vegan, all you have to do is swap the hot honey for maple syrup or brown sugar with 1/2 tsp. chilli flakes instead of the hot honey. The rest of the recipe is vegan.What can I serve the roast cabbage with instead of the whipped tahini?
You cans serve the roast cabbage with creamy Greek yoghurt, or just a mix of soy sauce and chilli oil instead of the whipped tahini.Can I make this roast cabbage ahead of time?
I would suggest making this roast cabbage fresh as it is difficult to reheat and will wilt if microwaved. If you’d like to prep this recipe ahead of time, make the whipped tahini and prepare the marinade and garnishes for easy assembly before cooking.
Check out my other vegetarian recipes -
*This recipe is a paid collaboration with Soka Pantry.
