Silky Creamed Cabbage Side (Printer View)

Tender cabbage in a light, silky cream sauce with nutmeg—comforting and elegant in just 30 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and finely shredded
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy

03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Thickener

06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

→ Seasonings

07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped for garnish (optional)

# Method:

01 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened but not browned.
02 - Add shredded cabbage and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until cabbage is wilted and tender.
03 - Sprinkle flour over cabbage and stir well to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute.
04 - Gradually pour in milk and cream while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
05 - Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and coats the cabbage.
06 - Stir in nutmeg and season generously with black pepper and additional salt as needed.
07 - Remove from heat, transfer to serving dish, and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cabbage transforms into something impossibly tender and silky, nothing like the raw or heavily cooked versions you might have had before.
  • It takes just thirty minutes from start to serving, making it perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The cream sauce is luxurious but never feels heavy, which is honestly the dream balance for a side dish that doesn't overshadow what you're serving it with.
02 -
  • Add the milk and cream slowly and keep stirring, because if you dump it in all at once and stop stirring, lumps will form and they're nearly impossible to break up afterward.
  • The cabbage releases quite a bit of liquid as it cooks, which is why the flour is essential to keep the sauce from becoming thin and soup-like by the end.
03 -
  • Don't skip the nutmeg, even if you think you don't like it, because it's so subtle that it just makes everything taste more like itself.
  • The moment between when the cabbage is cooked through and when it starts to break down is brief, so taste it around the 6 minute mark and pull it off heat if it's already silky.
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