Garlic Butter Melting Cabbage (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup raw cashews (For cashew cream)
• 1 cup water (For cashew cream; add up to 1/2 cup more as needed for desired consistency. Soaking water is separate and discarded.)
• 1 cabbage (Large head, sliced into 8 wedges with the core intact)
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil (About 1 tbsp for the first batch and another 1 tbsp before searing the second batch)
• 3 tbsp butter (Or vegan butter)
• 1 shallot (Large, minced)
• 5 garlic (Cloves, minced)
• 1 cup vegan chicken broth (Or vegetable broth)
• 2 cup cashew cream (Homemade; recipe above yields approximately enough, depending on water added)
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (Vegan or vegetarian)
• 0.5 tbsp crunchy garlic in chili oil (Optional; the author used it because it was on hand)
• 1 tbsp hot sesame oil
• 0.5 tbsp oregano
• salt (To taste)
• pepper (To taste)
• Parmesan cheese (More for finishing)
• fresh thyme (A sprinkle, for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   Put the cashews in a medium bowl and cover them completely with boiling water.

2. 2

   Soak for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, or overnight. If using a high-speed blender, 30 minutes is enough; otherwise, soak for at least 2 hours.

3. 3

   Drain and rinse the soaked cashews. Put them in a blender with 1 cup fresh water and blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water as needed, up to 1/2 cup, to reach your preferred consistency.

4. 4

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

5. 5

   Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange the cabbage wedges cut side down in an even layer, working in batches if needed.

6. 6

   Sear the wedges for 5–10 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Add another tablespoon of olive oil before cooking the second batch.

7. 7

   Transfer the seared cabbage wedges to a large roasting pan and arrange them in an even layer.

8. 8

   In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.

9. 9

   Add the minced shallot and garlic and stir. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the shallot has softened and is starting to brown.

10. 10

    Add the broth, cashew cream, and Parmesan. Stir to combine.

11. 11

    Add the crunchy garlic in chili oil, hot sesame oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook the sauce for about 1 minute.

12. 12

    Pour the sauce over the cabbage in the roasting pan.

13. 13

    Bake for roughly 60 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

14. 14

    Finish with more Parmesan and a sprinkle of fresh thyme, then serve.

Notes

Use vegan butter, vegan broth, and vegan Parmesan to keep the dish vegan. The amount of water for the cashew cream depends on the desired thickness. The source specifies cabbage roasting for roughly 60 minutes but does not give a precise total recipe yield.

Nutrition per serving

• vegan option
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• roasted
• side dish
• comfort food