Save My air fryer sat gathering dust until a friend casually mentioned she'd made cabbage steaks in hers, and suddenly I was curious. That first attempt was pure accident—I'd meant to make roasted vegetables but grabbed an entire head of cabbage instead. Slicing it thick, brushing it with oil, and watching those rounds transform into golden, crispy-edged discs felt like discovering a secret. The garlic butter finish made it taste nothing like the boiled cabbage I remembered from childhood dinners.
I made these for my sister who'd gone vegetarian, partly to prove I wasn't going to serve her sad salads forever. When she took that first bite and went quiet, I thought I'd messed up, but then she asked if I could teach her the recipe. Now she makes them for her own dinner parties, and people always ask what they're eating—there's something magical about transforming something as ordinary as cabbage into something memorable.
Ingredients
- 1 medium green cabbage, outer leaves removed: Look for a head that feels dense and heavy for its size, which signals it will have that satisfying crunch when air-fried rather than becoming stringy or soft.
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted: The garlic butter is what transforms these from interesting to absolutely craveable, so don't skip it or use margarine—the flavor difference is real.
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced: Fresh garlic is essential here; minced as small as you can get it so it distributes evenly across each warm steak and actually toasts into the butter.
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped: This does more than garnish—it adds a brightness that keeps the dish from feeling heavy and reminds your palate that this is actually a vegetable.
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika: The smoke matters more than you'd think, giving these steaks a depth that plain paprika misses entirely.
- 1 teaspoon sea salt: Sea salt dissolves faster and seasons more evenly than table salt, especially important since you're applying it dry before cooking.
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: Grind it yourself right before cooking; the flavor volatility is the difference between a flat side dish and one with actual dimension.
- ½ teaspoon onion powder: This rounds out the flavor and adds umami depth without making the cabbage taste onion-forward or strange.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing: This creates the contact needed for crisping and helps the seasonings stick, so don't be stingy with it.
Instructions
- Heat your air fryer to 375°F:
- Give it a full five minutes to reach temperature while you prepare your cabbage—rushing this step means uneven cooking and less of that crucial crispiness around the edges.
- Cut cabbage into thick steaks:
- Slice your cabbage into 1-inch rounds and pat them completely dry with paper towels, because any moisture clinging to the surface will steam rather than crisp. This is the one moment where patience genuinely matters.
- Prepare your garlic butter mixture:
- Combine melted butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley in a small bowl—nothing fancy, just those three things waiting to make everything better.
- Oil and season both sides:
- Brush each cabbage steak thoroughly with olive oil on both sides, then sprinkle the paprika, salt, pepper, and onion powder evenly across each piece. Think of this as building flavor from the inside out.
- Arrange in the air fryer basket:
- Place steaks in a single layer, cut-side up if possible, leaving space between them so hot air can circulate. You want them kissing the basket slightly, not crowded like they're in an elevator.
- First air fry for 10 minutes:
- The cabbage will start softening and the edges will begin turning golden—you'll hear them sizzle slightly and start to smell that caramelized richness.
- Flip and continue for 8 more minutes:
- This is when the real magic happens; the cabbage edges crisp up to almost chip-like texture while the inside stays tender. You're looking for golden-brown caramelization, not burnt patches.
- Immediately brush with garlic butter:
- The moment they come out, while they're still steaming hot, brush each steak generously with that garlic butter mixture. The heat helps it absorb instead of sliding off.
- Serve with extra parsley:
- A small scatter of fresh parsley on top adds color and a final whisper of freshness against all that richness.
Save The moment I served these to my family, my dad—who eats vegetables about as enthusiastically as a toddler—reached for seconds without thinking. Nobody called them health food or a compromise; they were just delicious, the kind of side dish that makes people plan their meals around having room for more of it.
Why Your Air Fryer Is Perfect for This
Air fryers excel at creating that crispy exterior and tender interior combination that's nearly impossible to achieve in a regular oven without babysitting constantly. The concentrated heat and rapid air circulation crisps the cabbage edges beautifully while keeping the insides tender, and it happens so fast that the vegetable retains its subtle natural sweetness instead of becoming bitter or overdone. You also get way less of a mess than pan-frying, and the whole kitchen doesn't smell like cabbage for three days afterward—just a gentle, buttery aroma that fades quickly.
Variations That Actually Work
I've experimented with this dish enough times to know what moves and what doesn't. Sometimes I skip the smoked paprika and add cayenne pepper and lime zest for a completely different vibe, which works beautifully if you're serving it alongside Mexican-inspired mains. Other times I've mixed grated Parmesan into the garlic butter, or added red pepper flakes for people who like a little heat.
What to Serve Alongside These Steaks
These work as a side to grilled chicken or fish, but they're substantial enough to be a vegetarian main when paired with something hearty like quinoa, roasted beans, or creamy polenta. I've also plated them alongside other air-fried vegetables—green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots—for a complete meal that somehow feels celebratory even though it's just vegetables. The key is pairing them with something that lets their subtle, caramelized flavor shine rather than competing with it.
- Try serving alongside grilled proteins or as part of a vegetarian spread with grain and legume dishes.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully in the air fryer for about 3 minutes, staying crispy instead of becoming soggy like oven-reheated vegetables.
- These taste best served warm, so time your cooking so they hit the table within a few minutes of finishing.
Save There's something deeply satisfying about taking an ingredient nobody gets excited about and turning it into something people actually fight over at the dinner table. This recipe does exactly that, simply and without pretense.
Recipe Questions
- → What type of cabbage works best?
Medium green cabbage with outer leaves removed is ideal for thick, sturdy slices that hold up well in the air fryer.
- → Can I use a different cooking method?
While air frying yields a crisp texture, oven roasting at high temperature also works but may take longer.
- → How do I make the garlic butter?
Melt unsalted butter and mix in finely minced garlic and chopped fresh parsley for a flavorful topping.
- → Is this dish suitable for vegans?
Yes, by substituting plant-based butter for dairy butter, you can create a vegan-friendly version.
- → What seasonings complement the cabbage steaks?
Smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and onion powder add a balanced smoky and savory flavor profile.
- → Can I prepare this ahead of time?
It's best served freshly cooked to maintain crispness and texture, though cabbage can be sliced in advance.
