Sautéed Cabbage With Garlic and Spices (Print View)

Quick-cooking cabbage with garlic, cumin, paprika, and oregano. A fast, budget-friendly Mediterranean side in 20 minutes.

# Components:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage, about 26.5 ounces, thinly sliced
02 - 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Oils & Fats

04 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

→ Spices & Seasonings

05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
08 - ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
09 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
02 - Add sliced red onion and sauté for 2 minutes until slightly softened and translucent at edges.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
04 - Add sliced cabbage and toss thoroughly to coat evenly with oil and aromatics.
05 - Sprinkle cumin, paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes if using, salt, and pepper over cabbage. Stir well to distribute spices evenly.
06 - Sauté while stirring occasionally for 6 to 8 minutes until cabbage is tender yet retains slight crispness with caramelized edges.
07 - Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and spices as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
08 - Remove from heat, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in twenty minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when your kitchen time is limited but your appetite for real food isn't.
  • The spices taste expensive and traveled, but your budget stays firmly at home where it belongs.
  • Cabbage becomes surprisingly tender and almost sweet when sautéed, nothing like the boiled versions that haunted school cafeterias.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of letting your oil heat—cold oil makes the vegetables steam instead of sauté, and that changes everything about the texture and flavor.
  • Cabbage releases water as it cooks, and that's not a problem; the longer you sauté it, the more that moisture evaporates and the sweeter it becomes.
03 -
  • Use a sharp chef's knife or a mandoline to slice the cabbage thin; it cooks faster and integrates better with the oil and spices.
  • Don't crowd the pan—if your skillet feels too full, work in two batches because cabbage needs space to caramelize, not steam.
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