Roasted Cabbage with Garlic Lemon Chickpeas, Tahini Sauce, and Jalapeño Gremolata

Caramelized Roasted cabbage with crispy chickpeas, creamy tahini sauce, and an herby jalapeño gremolata has just an exquisite flavor and incredible combination of textures! 18g Protein, 16g fiber!

This is a mouthful of a recipe name, but that’s the components of the recipe, and they go so amazingly well together. This is roasted cabbage, elevated.

We roast the cabbage in the oven until it develops caramelization on both sides and becomes really soft and melt-in-your-mouth inside. Then, you pair the cabbage with crispy, lemony, garlicky pan-fried chickpeas. These chickpeas are so good and add amazing texture contrast to the soft cabbage!

Then there’s the creamy tahini sauce with tahini, garlic, lemon, and Dijon mustard, which is our refreshing, creamy base. 

And then we make this gremolata (an Italian herb salad) with lots of herbs, jalapeño, lemon, and red wine vinegar. It’s crunchy, herby, vibrant, and brings the entire dish together.

There is so much texture and flavor contrast in this dish, and you can serve it any way you like. You can spread the tahini sauce on a serving platter, top it with the cabbage, chickpeas, and gremolata, and serve it that way. Or, you can serve individual cabbage wedges and top them with the gremolata and chickpeas, then drizzle the tahini sauce all over.

Serve it as-is or with a side of sourdough, pita, or garlic bread. There is plenty of flavor in every bite. There are also several flavor variations you can make, which are mentioned in the recipe notes.

Heads of cabbage can vary quite a bit in size, so use a small to medium cabbage. The wedges will be easier to handle and will cook more evenly. If using a large cabbage, make the wedges thin enough that the centers cook through evenly while the outsides caramelize.

Cabbage is a low-calorie, nutrient-dense vegetable. This is the year of the cabbage, because it is so nutritious, cheap. Cabbage is a great source of vitamins K and C, manganese, iron, fiber, and B vitamins. You can prepare cabbage in countless ways. I have many cabbage recipes already on the blog, including several Indian-inspired preparations as well as recipes from other cuisines. Be sure to check them all out!

Why You’ll Love Roasted Cabbage Wedges

• caramelized, melt-in-your-mouth cabbage pieces with crunchy chickpeas, creamy tahini sauce, and spicy herb topping
• incredible combination of flavors and textures
• versatile! Serve these components any way you like.
• naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

Ingredients

• cabbage – Use a small or medium head of cabbage, if possible. You can use a larger head, if you can’t find a small or medium one, just cut it into more wedges. Make sure each wedge has some of the core, because that will hold the leaves together.
• extra virgin olive oil – To roast the cabbage and crisp up the garlic and chickpeas.
• dried spices – You can season the cabbage wedges with Berber, baharat, ras el hanout, shawarma spice blend, or smoked paprika. For the chickpeas, you just need Aleppo pepper flakes or red pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning.
• chickpeas – Canned or homemade is fine. Make sure to dry them well after draining.
• garlic – For the chickpeas and for the tahini sauce.
• lemon – We are using lemon zest in the chickpeas and lemon juice in both the tahini sauce and gremolata.
• tahini – For the creamy base. You can also use mix in some non-dairy yogurt for even creamier! Choose soy-free and/or nut-free yogurt, if needed.
• Dijon mustard – Adds tang to the tahini sauce.
• jalapeño – Adds a little heat to the gremolata topping.
• red onion – For the gremolata. You can use shallot, if you prefer.
• fresh herbs – Parsley or cilantro add so much flavor to the gremolata!
• red wine vinegar – Adds flavor and tang to the gremolata.

How to Make the Roasted Cabbage Wedges

Take your cabbage and remove any outer leaves that are wilted or bruised. Wash it well, and slice it in half. Cut each half into wedges, making sure each wedge has some of the core. The core helps hold the cabbage leaves together. Slice into 4-6 wedges if using a small cabbage, or 6 to 10 wedges if using a larger cabbage. The wedges should not be thicker than about 1½” at their widest side.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205° C). Use a baking sheet large enough to hold all of the cabbage wedges.

In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, salt, and your spice blend of choice. Brush both sides of each cabbage wedge with the seasoned oil, and place them on the baking sheet with one oiled side facing down. Repeat for all wedges. Drizzle any remaining oil over the cabbage. Lay a sheet of parchment loosely over the cabbage. Do not seal the cabbage in. The parchment should just sit on top of the cabbage wedges.

Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, remove the parchment, and increase the oven temperature to 425° F (218° C). Flip the cabbage wedges and return them to the oven for about 10 minutes or longer, depending on the size of the cabbage, until the outside is caramelized and the inside is very soft and tender.

How to Make the Crispy Chickpeas

If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them, then spread them on a kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. If using freshly cooked chickpeas, dry them as well if they are wet.

Heat a medium 9” to 10” skillet over medium heat, and add 1 teaspoon of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chickpeas and toss well to coat. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some of the chickpeas start to  turn golden. You don’t want them to turn entirely golden yet, because we are going to continue to cook them for another few minutes.

Add the sliced garlic and the remaining teaspoon of oil. Toss well, and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is golden and crispy and most of the chickpeas are nicely golden. The garlic is added later, so it doesn’t burn before the chickpeas are ready. Add the salt and Aleppo pepper flakes, and toss well. Remove the skillet from the heat, and immediately add the lemon zest. Toss again. The residual heat from the pan will lightly toast the pepper flakes without burning them. Set aside.

How to Make the Tahini Sauce

Add the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, Dijon mustard, and a few tablespoons of water to a bowl. Mix well. The tahini will thicken and seize up slightly at first. Continue adding water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition, until you have a smooth, creamy tahini sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

How to Make the Gremolata

Finely chop the jalapeño, red onion or shallot, and herbs. Add them to a bowl with the salt, pepper, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Toss well to combine.

How to Serve these Cabbage Wedges

Once the cabbage is done roasting, all of the components are ready. To serve, spread the tahini sauce on a serving platter and top with the caramelized, delicious cabbage. Add a generous helping of the crispy chickpeas and garlic, and then the gremolata. Add more lemon juice, if needed, and garnish with sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds for extra crunch and protein.

If you are using a small cabbage, you can easily enjoy an entire wedge at a time. Otherwise, use a fork and knife and eat the cabbage wedges topped with the tahini sauce, chickpeas, and gremolata. Serve as-is or with toasted sourdough, garlic bread, or pita bread.