Crispy Cabbage Steaks Garlic (Print View)

Thick cabbage slices air-fried to crisp, topped with garlic butter for a simple flavorful side or vegetarian main.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium green cabbage, outer leaves removed

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

→ Seasonings

05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
08 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

→ Oil

09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing

# Directions:

01 - Preheat air fryer to 375°F
02 - Slice cabbage into 1-inch thick rounds to form steaks. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
03 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, minced garlic, and chopped parsley. Mix well and set aside.
04 - Brush both sides of each cabbage steak generously with olive oil.
05 - Sprinkle both sides of cabbage steaks with smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
06 - Arrange cabbage steaks in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
07 - Air fry for 10 minutes, then flip steaks using tongs.
08 - Continue air frying for 8 minutes until edges are golden and crispy.
09 - Immediately brush hot cabbage steaks with prepared garlic butter mixture.
10 - Transfer to serving plates while warm. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These come together in under 30 minutes, perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that tastes more interesting than it looks.
  • Somehow, cabbage becomes genuinely crispy and buttery, not mushy or sad like so many vegetable sides tend to be.
  • It works as both a humble side dish and a surprisingly satisfying vegetarian main when you're craving something simple and real.
02 -
  • The thickness of your slices matters more than you'd think—anything thinner than three-quarters of an inch will end up crispy but too fragile, while anything thicker than an inch-and-a-quarter might not cook through properly in the time given.
  • Patting the cabbage completely dry before oiling is genuinely non-negotiable; I learned this the hard way after one batch came out steamed and limp because I skipped this step.
03 -
  • If your air fryer is on the smaller side, don't overcrowd the basket trying to cook everything at once—two batches of properly spaced steaks beats one cramped batch of half-cooked ones.
  • The garlic butter can be made up to three days ahead and reheated gently, which means you can have crispy cabbage steaks on the table even faster on busy nights.
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