Roasted Cabbage Wedges

With crisped edges and softened sweet leaves, roasted cabbage wedges are pure veggie heaven. Try making this quick and flavorful side dish in your oven, toaster oven, or air fryer!

If you’ve never roasted cabbage before, you are in for a treat. Similar to roasting Brussels sprouts, using a high heat softens the crunchy cabbage and transforms it into an irresistible savory-sweet dish. 

A quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some salty feta cheese adds brightness and enhances the flavor of the roasted cabbage wedges. They taste so good you’ll find yourself eating more cabbage than you ever thought possible!

Ingredient Notes

This recipe uses just half a head of cabbage. To store the leftover partial head of cabbage, refrigerate it covered in plastic and use it within 3 to 4 days. 

Cabbage Varieties: Green cabbage is my favorite variety to use for this recipe because it’s crisp, flavorful, and very affordable (especially around St. Patrick’s Day). But you can substitute vibrant red or purple cabbage or the milder savoy variety.

How to Cut Cabbage Wedges

The trick to slicing the wedges so they don’t fall apart during roasting is keeping the core intact. So don’t remove it. In fact, you’ll want to try and get as much of the core onto each wedge as you can.

To slice the cabbage into wedges:

• Place half a head of cabbage on a cutting board with the cut-side facing the board. 
• Slice the cabbage in half down the middle. 
• Then, holding your knife at a slight angle, cut each piece in half again to make four wedges. 
• If your cabbage is very large or you prefer thinner wedges, you can slice each piece into thirds to create 6 wedges.  

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. If using a toaster oven, adjust the rack to the bottom position and select the BAKE setting. 

2. Add the cabbage wedges to a sheet pan or roasting pan. Brush or spray each side with oil, then season generously with salt and black pepper (or your favorite seasoning blend) and you’re ready to roast!

3. Cook the cabbage until the side facing the pan is just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Then, using a spatula or tongs, gently flip each wedge. Continue cooking until the cabbage leaves are slightly softened and browned on the edges, about another 10 to 15 minutes. 

The total cooking time will depend on the size of your wedges but ours are usually crisp-tender after 20 minutes. 

4. Let the cabbage rest for a few minutes before adding your favorite toppings (we used feta, parsley, and a big squeeze of lemon juice) and digging in!

Air Fryer and Toaster Oven Cooking Tips 

Oven Temperature: A super hot 450°F oven helps the cabbage to soften and brown without developing that sulfuric taste common with over-cooked cabbage. But if your oven is known to run hot it’s fine to reduce the temperature to 425°F or even 400°F.

Convection Toaster Oven: We like to use the same temperature and just begin checking for doneness early (ours was perfectly cooked after 18 minutes!). Again, it’s okay if you want to lower the temperature.

Smaller Toaster Ovens: To keep the cabbage from steaming instead of roasting, you need to give the wedges some space. For the best results, divide the recipe in half or roast the cabbage in two batches. 

Air Fryer Adjustments: Preheat to 380°F for about 5 minutes. Air fry the prepared wedges for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping about halfway through the cooking time. In my experience, a drawer-style air fryer cooks them faster, while a toaster oven air fryer takes a little bit longer. So check on the cabbage early and add more time as needed. 

We like our cooked cabbage to have a little crunch to it. If you prefer your cabbage more on the tender side, reduce the temperature and cook it longer.

Also, in a drawer-style air fryer, mixing a little water with the oil before brushing it on the cabbage (like we did with this chili-lime cauliflower) will keep it from drying out.

Flavor Variations 

Tim calls this dish “Condiment Cabbage” because it’s delicious drizzled or brushed with any kind of sauce.

Try swapping the lemon juice with balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or a drizzle of our small batch dijon vinaigrette. 

For thicker sauces and spreads, I like to take the cabbage out a little early, brush it with the sauce, and then put it back in the oven for a few minutes. This bakes in the flavor of the sauce without making the cabbage soggy. Try it with your favorite BBQ sauce or some spicy Sriracha!

More Tasty Veggie Recipes 

• Addictive Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
• How to Broil Zucchini or Summer Squash
• Dynamite Buffalo Broccoli and Cauliflower Bites
• Quick Baked Potatoes
• Toaster Oven Cauliflower Steaks