Grilled cabbage renders crisp charred outer leaves and tender inside. Enjoy a perfect complementary tang from the tahini dressing. Simply delicious. This is a perfect easy grilling recipe for the summer!
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Why Grill Cabbage?
Grilling the cabbage is great for a variety of reasons:
- Adds a smoky flavor to the blank cabbage canvas
- Chars and caramelizes the outer leaves
- Cooks the inside to perfect tender without getting too soft
Just like most vegetables, when you throw cabbage on a grill (or on a seasoned cast iron grill pan inside) something magical happens. It’s transformed from a regular old cabbage into a “cabbage steak,” with nice seared outside and tender inside.
No mushy cabbage here! Just crisp and tender, an ideal complement to a summer BBQ. Think of it as coleslaw — way elevated.
Make it a Grilled Cabbage Meal
Grilled cabbage makes a great (and easy!) side dish to many recipes. Try it alongside any of these great recipes:
The Secret is in the Sauce
A big component of this stellar Grilled Cabbage is the Easy Tahini Dressing you drizzle on top. The sugar free dressing is sweetened with dates and spiced with mustard and apple cider vinegar. It provides a canvas on which you can more heavily flavor the cabbage.
To customize this dish try:
- Cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce
- A drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil
- Toasted cumin, fennel and sesame seeds
- A sprinkling of fresh chopped herbs
Cabbage Cutting Strategies
The way you cut the cabbage makes a big difference in how successful the grilling will be. To cut the cabbage, follow these easy steps:
- Remove any damaged outer leaves
- Carefully cut the cabbage in half
- Place cut side down
- Cut lengthwise through the core — either in thick slices for larger cabbages or in half for smaller cabbages.
Check out the video below from Martha Stewart to see how to slice the cabbage for grilling.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of green cabbage
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 batch Easy Tahini Dressing
Instructions
- Heat grill or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cut cabbage in half through core, keeping core in tact. Cut in half again, making quarters. Keeping the core in tact helps hold the cabbage together while grilling.
- Brush cabbage with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Place cabbage cut side down on grill once hot. Grill until deeply charred on cut sides and a paring knife slides easily through center, 6-8 minutes per side.
- Remove from grill. Drizzle with a generous amount of Easy Tahini Dressing and serve!
