Fire Roasted Cabbage with Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce

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The humble cabbage has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and with good reason. Its versatility in the kitchen is outstanding as it can be prepared in so many ways and pairs well with so many different foods and cuisine types. This recipe is a pure showcase of the amazing flavor you can extract from this wonderful Vegetable. Our Fire Roasted Cabbage dish brings out that peppery, sweetness of the Vegetable, along with a delicious smoky, charred flavor which is irresistible!

Inspiration for our Fire Roasted Cabbage with Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce dish

The inspiration for this dish came from a meal we recently ate at a local restaurant. It was a similar dish, where the restaurant chars the Cabbage over an open flame right before serving. The Sauce was a light Red Pepper Sauce with Garlic. It tastes great to be totally honest, however we did have an issue with the dish. Namely, the dish cost $36!

Luckily for us, it was a work event so we didn’t pay for the dish ourselves, as I would have a huge challenge trying to justify a hefty price tag for such a simple meal. While delicious, the sheer thought that a piece of Cabbage no less than ½ lb. in weight, topped over a basic Bell Pepper Sauce would cost that much is insane

So, our inspiration for recreating our version of this Fire Roasted Cabbage dish was to see if we could create similar flavors, but at an actual reasonable price. Look, I understand restaurants have overhead costs which justifies a mark-up, which is perfectly reasonable. But, for what turned out to be about $3 worth of ingredients to make at home, an 1100% markup is completely crazy!

What types of Cabbage work best for this recipe

The range of Cabbages is quite vast, and all will have a different taste and texture for the dish. The good news is, there really is no ‘bad’ cabbage to use for this recipe. They will all work well in the dish; however, the main difference is going to be cooking times

For the photos in this recipe, we used a Wombok Cabbage, which is like a Napa cabbage. They are a larger variety of cabbage and have a distinct long shape. Because they are quite large Cabbages, you only need to use ¼ of the Cabbage for 1 serving of this dish (which will serve two people)

Another preferred variety of Cabbage for our Fire Roasted Cabbage dish is the Pointed Cabbage, which is otherwise known as the Sugarloaf Cabbage. These are smaller cabbages, and defined by their unique pointed shape at their tip (hence their name)

If you can get hold of a Pointed Cabbage then the serving portion will be half the cabbage. Similarly to the Wombok and Napa Cabbage, cut the portions of the Cabbage so that the stem is retained on all pieces. The stem of the Cabbage is what holds the whole thing together while it is cooking

How to make Fire Roasted Cabbage with Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce

It is best to prepare the Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce in advance. The sauce is served cold (or at room temperature depending on your preference), so to make things simple we recommend starting with the Sauce

The first step is to oven roast the Red Pepper, Onion, and Garlic. By doing so you will release all of the ingredients natural flavor and sweetness. Simply put, there’s no better way to prepare these ingredients than oven roasting in our humble opinion! You will need to prepare the Garlic by slicing off the top part of the vegetable to reveal the flesh inside. Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil but leave the top part exposed. Drizzle in about ½ tsp. of Olive Oil and a pinch of Salt, then seal it all up

Place the whole Bell Pepper, a peeled and halved Onion, and the prepared Garlic Bulb onto a sheet pan. Season the Bell Pepper and Onion with a drizzle of Olive Oil and sprinkle of Salt then roast for about 45 minutes at 375F

Just keep an eye on the vegetables as they roast. The Bell Pepper may cook a little quicker, if so just take it out earlier and let the other vegetables cook. Once caramelized and tender, remove the vegetables and allow them to cool

Once cooled, remove the stems from the Onion and Red Pepper (along with any seeds), and peel and discard the skin from the Pepper. For the Garlic, you can simply squeeze out that wonderful Garlic from the skin, just make sure it’s cool enough before you do so as it can get quite hot!

Blend the sauce and it’s done!

The last step in making the sauce is to simply throw the roasted vegetables into a blender along with the Juice of 1 Lemon and ½ tsp. of Salt. Blend it all up until smooth, which will only take about 1 minute. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a little bit of Yoghurt to get the blender going, but it should be ok

I prefer to add the Yoghurt after the sauce has blended. Just pour the blended ingredients into a bowl and spoon in the Yoghurt. The dish requires about 2 heaped tsp. of Yoghurt. Check for seasoning and then refrigerate until your Cabbage is ready for serving

Once the sauce is ready, it’s time for the Cabbage

The first step is to prepare your Cabbage for cooking. We cook the Cabbage twice for this dish, first oven roasting to give the Cabbage an even cook throughout. It is then finished off over an open fire. If you’ve got a Gas stovetop this will work, otherwise fire up the outdoor grill!

Cut your Cabbage straight down the center, so that it is divided into two equal pieces with both pieces being attached to the stem of the Cabbage. This is important, as every piece of Cabbage you roast needs to have that stem attached so the whole thing will stay together throughout the cooking process

If you are using larger Cabbages such as Napa or Wombok Cabbages, we recommend cutting the pieces in half again for a manageable portion size for cooking and eating. Place the Cabbage onto a large sheet pan and give a good season with Salt and Olive Oil

Into the oven it goes, set at 375F. Roast the Cabbage for about 20 – 30 minutes until it has started to tenderize, and the outside leaves have begun to caramelize. The cooking time will be determined on how large your Cabbage is, so just keep a close eye on it. We recommend turning the Cabbage halfway through for an even cook

It’s now time for the fire!

So, at this point the Cabbage is cooked, and can be enjoyed as is. However, to complete the dish and achieve that amazing smoky charred flavor, some exposure to an open flame is necessary. If you have an outdoor grill this is the preferred method

If, however, you do not have an outdoor grill, or perhaps it’s the middle of the winter then you can use the open flame from a gas stovetop. For this method, we recommend placing a wire rack directly over the flame and place the Cabbage directly onto the wire rack. You want quite a high heat, as our goal here is to char the Cabbage

For either method, use long tongs to avoid your hands going anywhere near the fire and ensure you’re cooking this in a well-ventilated area. There will be a little smoke, so if needed, get the windows open and that kitchen range hood on high

Char the Cabbage for 30 – 40 seconds on either side. It won’t need much longer than that, and there’s a fine line between charring and burning. Once charred, it’s ready to be served!

Plating the Fire Roasted Cabbage with Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce

This is a rustic looking dish that’s been elevated with a few fancy cooking techniques. You can plate it however you like, but for an ideal presentation we like to place a generous spoonful or two of the Red Pepper Sauce onto the middle of a plate. Then, place the charred Cabbage right on top

Season with some flaky finishing salt and, if you like you can also add some fresh herbs. This is a great dish to serve family style, so we recommend serving it alongside a large knife to cut up some pieces at the dinner table

Fire Roasted Cabbage with Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Cabbage (Sugarloaf / Pointed / Wombok / Napa)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Red, Yellow, or Spanish Onion, peeled and cut in half
• 1 Garlic Bulb
• 2 tsp. Greek Yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Salt
  
  

Equipment needed: Blender

Instructions

1. Slice the top part off the Garlic Bulb to reveal the flesh inside, then wrap it with aluminum foil, leaving the top open. Pour in ½ tsp. of Olive Oil and a pinch of Salt then seal tightly. Place on a large sheet pan with the Red Pepper and Onion
2. Season the Red Pepper and Onion with 1 tbsp. of Olive Oil and ½ tsp. of Salt, then roast for 45 minutes in the oven pre-heated to 400F until the Onion is caramelized and the Red Pepper is scorched. Remove and set aside to cool
3. Once cooled, remove the stems and seeds, then peel and discard the Red Pepper skin. Press the Garlic flesh out of the Garlic Skins and then place into a blender along with the Red Pepper and Onion. Add Lemon Juice and a pinch of Salt and blitz for 1 minute until smooth
4. Pour the puree into a bowl and add the Greek Yoghurt. Check for seasoning then refrigerate until you are ready to serve
   
   

Preparing the Fire Roasted Cabbage

5. Slice the Cabbage down the center to reveal two equal parts, ensuring each piece is still connected to the Cabbage stem. If using larger Cabbages such as Napa or Wombok, halve them again to produce 4 pieces
6. Place Cabbage on a large sheet pan and season with 1 tbsp. of Olive Oil and 1 tsp. of Salt. Roast for 20 – 30 minutes in the oven pre-heated to 375F, turning once halfway through. Once the Cabbage is tender and the outside leaves are starting to caramelize, remove from the oven
7. For Outdoor Grilling: Turn your outdoor grill on high and allow to get smoking hot. Add some neutral oil to the grill then place the Cabbage onto the hot grill. Char for 40 seconds on each side, turning with large tongs until charred on all sides
8. For Stovetop Fire Roasting: place a wire rack directly over the hob. Turn heat onto high then place Cabbage directly over the flame with large tongs. Roast for 40 seconds on each side until charred
9. Place a generous spoonful or two of the Red Pepper Sauce on a plate, then place the Roasted Cabbage on top. Serve family style with a large knife for cutting the Cabbage
   
   

Recipe Notes

• If the Vegetables are too thick to blitz in the blender, try adding the Yoghurt
• The larger cabbages will take longer to roast, so check for doneness after 20 minutes
• If roasting over flame inside, ensure your windows are open and range hood is on high as it will produce some smoke
  
  

This is such a fun recipe to make and the flavors you get from char roasting the Cabbage is truly unique. We hope you’ve enjoyed this Fire Roasted Cabbage with Red Pepper Yoghurt Sauce dish as much as we do! For more wonderful Vegetarian dishes check out our dedicated section here. Here are a few of our favorite Vegetarian dishes we recommend you try:

• Harissa Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Butternut Squash Puree
• Heirloom Tomato Pasta with Mint
• Roast Vegetable Lentil Salad
• Grits and Mushroom Dinner
  
  

Happy Cooking!