Air Fryer Cabbage Steaks
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Air Fryer Cabbage Steaks made with green cabbage cut into slices and brushed with olive oil and spices, then air fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, ready in under 20 minutes!
Cabbage is the perfect ingredient because it’s tasty, easy to prepare, and really cost effective. For more cabbage recipes, check out these Crockpot Cabbage Rolls, Instant Pot Cabbage Soup, and Crockpot Cabbage!
Air Fryer Cabbage Steaks are quick and easy to make, and come out tender on the inside with perfectly crispy edges. I used some simple seasonings in the recipe below, but you can use whatever your favorite spice combo is. This is really versatile!
If you want to mix it up, try making this air fryer cabbage recipe with more garlic powder and sprinkle with parmesan cheese before serving. You can also make this with cabbage wedges or just cut up cabbage pieces and throw them in (reduce the cooking time slightly if you do this one).
For another vegetable side dish, check out this Instant Pot Steamed Broccoli!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cabbage. I usually make this recipe with regular green cabbage. It’s really cost effective and readily available. But this recipe will also work with other types of cabbage, like red (purple) or Napa cabbage.
Red cabbage has a slightly sweeter taste, and is another great option that retains its crunch when air fried.
Olive Oil. You can use extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, or avocado oil for this recipe. If you want to add some flavor, put some butter on the cabbage right after it comes out of the air fryer.
Spices. I want this recipe to be really quick and easy, so we’re using a basic spice mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. You can use any seasoning that you’d like for this recipe, it’s really your personal preference.
For more ideas, try using my Homemade Ranch Seasoning Blend, Taco Seasoning, or this Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning (it’ll work on cabbage, too). You can also use pre-made blends like Old Bay or Italian Seasoning.
How to Make Air Fryer Cabbage
- Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and discard. Cut the cabbage into 1-inch slices, cutting all the way through the head of the cabbage. Preheat air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and spices until well combined.
- Use a bbq brush to brush the spice mixture onto both sides of the cabbage steak pieces evenly. Make sure to get around the sides as well.
- Pour 1/4 cup of water into the bottom of the air fryer basket. Add the pieces to the air fryer and air fry cabbage for 10-12 minutes at 375°F.
- The cabbage is done when it is fork-tender and crispy on the outside. You can add more or less time, depending on how soft and caramelized you like the cabbage to be. Depending on how big your air fryer is, you may have to work in batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
You do not need to boil cabbage before air frying it. I do put a small amount of water in the bottom of the air fryer basket, because it helps steam the cabbage as it cooks.
Yes, you can overcook cabbage, which will give you a soggy and mushy texture. For this air fryer recipe, your cabbage will burn on the outer leaves before it overcooks, unlike boiling. It’s important to keep a close eye on the timing for this reason.
The cabbage steaks were cut into 1-inch pieces, which will take about 10-12 minutes to cook at 375°F in a preheated air fryer. You can cook it for more or less time, depending on how crunchy you like the cabbage to be.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover cabbage in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freeze leftover air fryer cabbage in an air-tight container for 3-4 months. It won’t defrost as crispy as it was, so I recommend reheating frozen cabbage in the air fryer.
More Air Fryer Recipes
Recipe Variations
- Try topping the cooked cabbage with crispy bacon pieces and butter for flavor.
- Add some heat with a dash of cayenne pepper, chili powder, cajun seasoning, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes or chili flakes.
- Try marinating the cabbage steaks for at least an hour before air frying them, for an even better flavor. Store them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator until ready to air fry.
- Instead of the air fryer, you can also roast cabbage steaks in the oven! Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the seasoned cabbage on the sheet with room between each one, and bake at 400°F for 25-30 minutes. If needed, turn the broiler on, watching the roasted cabbage really closely so it doesn’t burn, for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Cooking Tips
- Depending on how large your air fryer is, you may have to work in batches. If you start a new batch, add a bit of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket, to replace anything that steamed off in the last batch.
- The cabbage core can be tougher and more bitter, so it’s up to you if you’d like to leave it or cut it out of the cabbage steak before air frying. Personally, the flavor and texture don’t bother me.
- If you cut the cabbage slices thinner, it will take less time to cook. I like to check around the 6 minute mark to see how the cabbage is doing, and add more time as-needed. How long this takes to cook depends on the size of your cabbage steaks.
- It’s really important to preheat the air fryer. If you skip this step, you’ll have to add a few minutes to the cook time.
- Instead of cutting the cabbage into steaks, you can also make cabbage wedges. The cabbage wedges should take about the same amount of time to cook. Alternatively, you can also just cut the entire head of cabbage into cabbage pieces and reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.
- If you try to cook the cabbage without oil, it will come out really dry. The air fryer still needs a small amount of oil to cook the food correctly.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Air Fryer Cabbage Steaks
Ingredients
- 1 medium green cabbage, outer leaves removed
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes. Cut the cabbage into 1-inch thick slices.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and spices until well combined. Brush the spice mixture onto both sides of the cabbage slices.
- Pour 1/4 cup of water into the bottom of the air fryer basket. Add the cabbage to the air fryer, leaving room between each slice. You may have to work in batches.
- Air fry cabbage for 10-12 minutes, using a spatula to flip the cabbage over half way through. Cabbage is done when it is fork-tender and caramelized.
Notes
- Try topping the cooked cabbage with crispy bacon pieces and butter for flavor.
- Depending on how large your air fryer is, you may have to work in batches. If you start a new batch, add a bit of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket, to replace anything that steamed off in the last batch.
- If you skip preheating the air fryer, you’ll have to add a few minutes to the cook time.
- Instead of cutting the cabbage into steaks, you can also make cabbage wedges. The cabbage wedges should take about the same amount of time to cook.
Nutrition
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