Coconut Braised Cabbage

I’ve always been a cabbage girl. And somehow, in my affinity for cabbage, I started to think that this automatically meant other people were not so into cabbage. But then I developed this Coconut Braised Cabbage recipe and showed a teaser on my Instagram, and you guys were so down. So quickly this fridge-clean-out recipe became one of my favorite recipes to develop for the blog. It’s spicy, sweet, soft from the cabbage and protein-packed from the crispy chickpeas. It’s a 10/10 affordable meal, and although it takes a bit of time and care, the results are so worth it.

Why do we braise cabbage?

Throughout my entire career, I assumed people didn’t want stewed cabbage. I thought everyone wanted crispy or charred or blackened. But cabbage is naturally at its best when it’s cooked, like really really cooked. Stewed cabbage breaks down the harsh fiber of the vegetable, bringing out a soft, chewable texture as well as some of the cabbage’s natural sweetness.

A braise doubles this reaction by charring the outside of the cabbage first (for some extra flavor and color) and then slow-cooking it in a liquid over a longer stretch of time in the oven. This breaks down the cabbage but also infuses it with flavor, making it one of my absolute favorite ways to make cabbage.

How to braise cabbage

This recipe braises cabbage in a thick, flavorful, curry-inspired coconut broth. To braise cabbage, you first want to char it on all sides to bring out the extra flavor, then add it to a liquid about 2″ deep and continue to cook it either on the stove or in the oven.

Even though this is a vegan version of a braise, it’s not unlike traditional animal braises. It starts with a sear first, then goes straight into a slow cook.

Ingredients for the braising liquid

• 1 (3 pound) cabbage, red, green or savoy, all are suitable
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 (8 ounces) large red onion
• 1 Birdseye chili
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 limes, for juicing and serving
• 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup white rice, for serving
• 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, for serving, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup torn tender herbs, for serving, such as mint, cilantro, scallions

How to make this coconut braised cabbage

Braising cabbage sounds difficult, but I promise that it just takes some patience! Allowing all of those flavors to cook into the cabbage is what makes this dish so irresistible, so you won’t want to skip these steps:

1. Equally stagger two racks in the oven and preheat it to 375°F.
2. Set an oven-safe 12-inch pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Slice the cabbage into quarters, remove the core from each piece.
4. Sear the cabbage quarters for 3-5 minutes on each side or until nicely charred. Season with salt and remove them from the pan.
5. While the cabbage is searing, thinly slice 1/2 of a red onion, slice the Birdseye chili (remove the seeds if you do not like heat), and grate the 3 garlic cloves.
6. Once the cabbage is out of the pan, add an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander. Mix and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the onion is very softened.
7. Add in the grated garlic cloves and Birdseye chili, cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is no longer raw.
8. Pour in the coconut milk. Fill up the empty coconut milk can halfway with water and add that in as well. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Squeeze in the juice of one lime, taste and season again.
9. Nestle the cabbage into the coconut broth. Put the whole pan on the bottom rack of the oven and braise it for 50-60 minutes, rotating the cabbage wedges every 15 minutes.
10. While the cabbage is in the oven, rinse and cook the 1 cup of rice either in a rice cooker or in a medium saucepan, according to package instructions.
11. Drain and rinse the two cans of chickpeas. Scatter them on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mix. Put these on the top rack of the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes or until crisp.
12. The cabbage is ready when you can pierce it with a paring knife and it easily goes through a wedge.
13. When you are ready to serve, quarter the remaining lime into wedges for serving. Pile four bowls with the rice, 1/4 of the chickpeas, and one cabbage wedge. Pour over the braising liquid and scatter with tender herbs. Eat warm!

How best to store this braised cabbage dish for meal prep

This dish is a fantastic choice for eating for lunch throughout the week. The cabbage just gets more flavorful with time!

I would suggest storing the rice, chickpeas and cabbage in separate containers in the fridge. All components will last for up to five days.

When you are ready to eat, combine the ingredients in a bowl (excluding the herbs) and gently warm it in the microwave. Then top with the herbs and lime wedges!

Looking for other vegan dinner recipe ideas?

I have a few that I love! Here are some of my favorites:

Creamy Tahini Chickpeas with Bitter Greens

This bowl of beans is one of my weeknight go-tos. Simple, filling, and so wholesome, it's a great vegetarian weeknight option.

Check out this recipe

Spring Pea Lemon Tahini Pasta

This kind of pasta is good for the soul. Creamy, easy, tastes like spring. It's everything about simple cooking that I love.

Check out this recipe

Chimichurri Beans

There's a reason you don't mess with a classic. Chimichurri is one of my favorite condiments, but it becomes that much better when you make it into a bowl. Beans add protein and substance, giving you a super simple but flavor packed lunch or dinner.

Check out this recipe

And that’s it for this Coconut Braised Cabbage!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

Coconut Braised Cabbage

5 from 1 review

This tender braised cabbage is slightly spicy, deeply rich, creamy, coconut-y and has a fall-apart texture that I can't get enough of. Plus, it is so simple to make. Pair it with some crispy chickpeas for an easy, protein-filled plant-based and vegetarian dinner.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Cook mode:Prevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  1 chef's knife
• ▢
  1 medium sauté pan
• ▢
  1 microplane or rasp-style grater
• ▢
  1 pair of tongs or a spider
• ▢
  1 rice cooker or medium saucepan
• ▢
  1 half sheet pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 (3 pound) cabbage, red, green or savoy, all are suitable
• ▢ 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided
• ▢ 1/2 (8 ounces) large red onion
• ▢ 1 Birdseye chili
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 2 teaspoons turmeric
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ Freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ 2 limes, for juicing and serving
• ▢ 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
• ▢ 1 cup white rice, for serving
• ▢ 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, for serving, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1/2 cup torn tender herbs, for serving, such as mint, cilantro, scallions

Instructions 

1. Equally stagger two racks in the oven and preheat it to 375°F.
2. Set an oven-safe 12-inch pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Slice the cabbage into quarters, remove the core from each piece.
4. Sear the cabbage quarters for 3-5 minutes on each side or until nicely charred. Season with salt and remove them from the pan.
5. While the cabbage is searing, thinly slice 1/2 of a red onion, slice the Birdseye chili (remove the seeds if you do not like heat), and grate the 3 garlic cloves.
6. Once the cabbage is out of the pan, add an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander. Mix and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the onion is very softened.
7. Add in the grated garlic cloves and Birdseye chili, cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is no longer raw.
8. Pour in the coconut milk. Fill up the empty coconut milk can halfway with water and add that in as well. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Squeeze in the juice of one lime, taste and season again.
9. Nestle the cabbage into the coconut broth. Put the whole pan on the bottom rack of the oven and braise it for 50-60 minutes, rotating the cabbage wedges every 15 minutes.
10. While the cabbage is in the oven, rinse and cook the 1 cup of rice either in a rice cooker or in a saucepan, according to package instructions.
11. Drain and rinse the two cans of chickpeas. Scatter them on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mix. Put these on the top rack of the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes or until crisp.
12. The cabbage is ready when you can pierce it with a paring knife and it easily goes through a wedge.
13. When you are ready to serve, quarter the remaining lime into wedges for serving. Pile four bowls with the rice, 1/4 of the chickpeas, and one cabbage wedge. Pour over the braising liquid and scatter with tender herbs. Eat warm!