Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Chickpeas and Tahini Sauce

Looking for a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy red cabbage? Look no further than these Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Chickpeas and Tahini Sauce! This recipe features tender and flavorful roasted red cabbage wedges that are paired with hearty and protein-packed crispy chickpeas and drizzled with a creamy tahini sauce. Whether you’re looking for a vegan-friendly main course or a hearty side dish that is healthy and lectin-light, this recipe is sure to please.

I was inspired to make this dish after eating a similar meal in a restaurant in Aarhus, Denmark. When I go to restaurants, I always look at the side-dish menu, as there is always something interesting being offered. The combination of red cabbage, chickpeas, and tahini sauce caught my eye, and that was my meal.

Why should you eat more red cabbage?

Firstly, incorporating cruciferous vegetables into your diet is a great way to support overall health and well-being. So make cabbage, any color, a part of your diet, in any shape and form. I love cabbage soups, cabbage salads, homemade cole slaws, cabbage casseroles, cabbage rolls, braised cabbage, and more!

If you find it hard to tolerate cruciferous vegetables, make sure you cook them well and start with small quantities. Use spices like bay leaves, fennel seeds, or caraway seeds to help digest them.

While all cabbage is delicious and has great health benefits, red cabbage is even better. It’s cabbage but with the added benefits of anthocyanins.

Anthocyanins are a group of pigments that give red cabbage and other fruits and vegetables their vibrant red, blue, and purple colors. These compounds have been linked to a variety of health benefits due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

There are many reasons why you should consider incorporating more red cabbage into your diet:

• It is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium, which can support immune function, bone health, and heart health.
• Red cabbage contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
• The high fiber content of red cabbage can aid in digestion, bowel movement and promote feelings of fullness, which may help with weight management.
• Red cabbage is low in calories, low in carbohydrates, and lectin-free and is so versatile and easy to prepare.

How to reduce lectins in chickpeas

If you are following a lectin-free or low-lectin diet, like me, you can eat chickpeas if they are soaked and pressure-cooked. While we can’t know for sure how chickpeas are prepared in a restaurant, using chickpeas in your home cooking is easy and convenient. You can prepare a big batch of chickpeas and freeze them, then use for recipes like this one.

To prepare chickpeas for this meal, soak them overnight or for 12 to 16 hours, change water several times, and pressure cook them on high pressure for 25 to 28 minutes. You can add a bay leaf to the cooking water, but don’t add salt at this point. You can season them after cooking.

Alternatively, canning chickpeas (and other beans) involves pressure cooking and sometimes soaking. The brands Eden and Jovial are following both of these two steps and using organic ingredients and BPA-free cans.

You can read more about ways to remove lectins from high-lectin foods here: How to Reduce Lectins in Your Favorite High Lectin Foods.

Ingredients to make this roasted cabbage wedges recipe

A note on the cabbage I used: this is a sugarloaf variety, very common in Denmark, especially during summer. You can make the same recipe using any type of cabbage, including green cabbage or Savoy cabbage.

FOR THE CABBAGE:

• 1 small to medium red cabbage (any type of cabbage can be used, but summer varieties are more tender)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon dry dill

FOR THE CHICKPEAS:

• 1 heaping cup of pressure-cooked chickpeas (drained)
• 4-6 scallions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
• salt and black pepper

FOR THE TAHINI SAUCE:

• 2 heaping tablespoons of tahini paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (or more to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon raw, local honey
• a few teaspoons of cold water (added one by one until you get the desired consistency)

FOR SERVING:

• fresh dill
• salt and pepper to taste

How to make roasted cabbage wedges with chickpeas and tahini sauce

A head of cabbage, like the one I used (sugarloaf), will make two generous portions, perfect if you serve this as a main dish. If you serve it as a side dish, it can make up to four servings.

If the cabbage looks good, there is no need to remove the outer leaves, but if they are damaged, remove them.

• Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
• Wash and cut the cabbage into wedges; the number will depend on how big your cabbage is. The sugarloaf cabbage I used is pretty small, so I had four wedges. A round head of cabbage will probably make 6 wedges.
• Add the cabbage to a baking dish (half-size), drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, fennel seeds, and dry dill, and roast for 35-40 minutes. If it dries, add a few tablespoons of water to the baking dish.
• Add the cooked chickpeas to another baking dish that will fit next to the cabbage, add the onions and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, toss, and put in the oven. They will need about 35 minutes to get crispy.
• While the veggies are cooking, make the tahini sauce. Add the tahini paste to a small bowl with the lemon juice and honey, mix with a fork, and start adding cold water, one teaspoon at a time, and continue until it becomes creamy and easy to drizzle, but the consistency is up to you. If the tahini is not salted, taste it and see if it needs a pinch of salt.
• When the cabbage and chickpeas are ready, add the cabbage wedges to a serving platter, spread the chickpeas on top, drizzle with the tahini sauce, and sprinkle fresh dill. If everything is well seasoned, you won’t need extra salt, but if it needs more, add some sea salt flakes.

More healthy cabbage recipes:

If you want to incorporate more cabbage into your diet, here there are a few ideas for inspiration. I hope you love them as much as I do.

• Sauerkraut with Red Cabbage Recipe (Basic Fermentation)
• Red Cabbage and Leek Casserole with Dill
• Low-Histamine Cabbage and Chicken Soup
• Sauteed Cabbage with Fennel and Leeks
• Napa Cabbage and Mushroom Miso Stir-Fry
• Beef and Cabbage Casserole, Romanian Style
• Sweet and Sour Braised Red Cabbage
• Romanian Cabbage Rolls with Sorghum and Paprika

Enjoy!

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