My best friend swears this tastes better than fries. Only 4 ingredients for a crispy, savory side.

 Out here in the country, we’ve always known how to stretch a head of cabbage, but I’ll tell you, I never expected it to become the star of the table. These simple roasted cabbage steaks started as a way to make a low-carb side dish for a friend who was watching her sugars. After one bite, she put down her French fries and said, “Georgia, these are better than fries.” The edges get browned and crispy in the oven, the centers stay tender, and the bacon and black pepper make the whole pan smell like Sunday supper at Grandma’s. With just four ingredients and a hot oven, you can turn a humble green cabbage into a savory, crispy side that feels both old-fashioned and right at home with today’s lighter cooking.

Serve these roasted cabbage steaks straight from the foil-lined tray while they’re still sizzling, with the bacon bits scattered over the top. They’re wonderful alongside grilled chicken, pork chops, or a simple baked fish. I like to pair them with a fresh green salad or sliced garden tomatoes in the summer, and with mashed cauliflower or a pot of green beans in the cooler months. If you’re feeding folks who aren’t watching carbs, they go nicely next to meatloaf or roast beef, standing in for fries or roasted potatoes without anyone feeling like they’re missing out.

4-Ingredient Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing foil

4 slices thick-cut bacon

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then lightly grease the foil with a little olive oil to help prevent sticking and encourage crisp edges.

Lay the bacon slices on the prepared baking sheet and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp but not burnt. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to cool, and leave the rendered bacon fat on the foil-lined sheet.

While the bacon is cooking, remove any loose or tough outer leaves from the cabbage. Trim just enough of the core so the cabbage sits flat, then slice the cabbage from top to bottom into thick round “steaks” about 3/4 inch to 1 inch thick. Try to keep the slices intact so they roast evenly.

Arrange the cabbage steaks in a single layer on the same foil-lined baking sheet, right on top of and around the bacon drippings. If your pan is small, use two pans so the cabbage isn’t crowded; good air circulation helps them get crispy.

Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the tops of the cabbage steaks. Use your hands or a pastry brush to spread the oil so each slice is lightly coated. Sprinkle the freshly ground black pepper generously over the cabbage. (The bacon fat will provide plenty of salt for most tastes, so you likely won’t need extra salt.)

Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast the cabbage steaks for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, carefully flip each cabbage steak with a spatula, scooping up any browned bits from the foil and tucking them back on top of the cabbage.

Continue roasting for another 15–20 minutes, or until the cabbage steaks have deep golden-brown, crispy edges and the centers are tender when pierced with a fork. If you like them extra crispy, leave them in a few minutes longer, watching closely so they don’t burn.

While the cabbage finishes roasting, crumble or finely chop the cooled bacon into small bits.

When the cabbage steaks are done, remove the pan from the oven. While they’re still hot and glistening, scatter the bacon bits evenly over the top of the cabbage slices, making sure each steak gets a good share of the smoky crunch.

Serve the cabbage steaks directly from the foil-lined tray or transfer them carefully to a warm serving platter, spooning any oily, peppery drippings and stray bacon bits over the top. Enjoy right away while the edges are crisp and the bacon is still crackling.

Variations & Tips

For extra-low sodium, you can reduce or omit the bacon and rely on the olive oil and black pepper alone, though the bacon is what really makes these taste like a treat. If you need to avoid pork, use turkey bacon and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to make up for the leaner drippings. For a spicier version, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes along with the black pepper before roasting. If your cabbage head is very large, you may get more than four steaks; just increase the olive oil slightly and use an additional baking sheet so everything can crisp properly. You can also cut the cabbage into half-moon slices instead of full rounds if that’s easier to handle. Leftovers reheat well in a hot skillet: warm them cut-side down in a bit of olive oil until the edges re-crisp. To keep the “only 4 ingredients” promise, I’ve skipped salt and other seasonings, but at the table you can always finish with a light sprinkle of salt or a squeeze of lemon if your taste buds ask for it.