Springy Lemon-Ricotta Sautéed Cabbage
Recipe by Megan Gaul
This recipe is perfect for that time of year when you're still finishing up the hardy wintery vegetables, but you want to usher in some warmer-weather feelings. It's a simple and fast vegetable side dish that surprises me again and again with its flavorful punch. It's both creamy and light at the same time, and the pop of lemon makes the dish sing.
If you are working on weight-management or you're just trying to incorporate more vegetables into your lifestyle, having a solid repertoire of simple and fast vegetable recipes is key. After all, when you get home from an exhausting day and you contemplate preparing dinner, you're going to gravitate towards the absolute easiest route to a finished and tasty meal. Making vegetables part of this "easiest route" is fundamental to your goal! And if they make use of hardy vegetables that last forever in your fridge (like the humble and delicious head of cabbage), then you've got a super-star of a recipe that deserves to become a Keeper for your household.
You can make this recipe even more streamlined by purchasing pre-shredded cabbage. Give it a try!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 tsp cornstarch
- 1 lb red or green cabbage (or a 14-16 oz bag of pre-shredded cabbage)
- 4 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon
- 1-2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp butter (10 g)
- 2 tsp olive oil (10 g)
Instructions:
To Prep:
--
1. First, get the starchy water ready: Add the cornstarch to the half-cup of water, stir well, and microwave in 30-second increments until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
2. Prep the ingredients: Finely chop or shred the cabbage, if you did not buy pre-shredded. Zest the lemon, and squeeze 1 tbsp of juice. Set the zest and juice aside.
3. Prep the sauce: Add the ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a small blender or food processor. Season well with kosher salt and black pepper. Whip this mixture until it's smooth. Set aside.
To Cook:
--
1. To cook: Heat the oil and butter in a large nonstick pan on medium. Once the butter is melted and the oil is shimmering slightly, add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper, and add the crushed red pepper flakes. Give everything a stir.
2. Cook the cabbage until it's got some color and it's your desired texture. If you like it softer, near the end of your cooking time, sprinkle a little water in the pan and pop a lid on top. Cook for 1-3 minutes until it's soft enough for you).
3. Turn off the heat. Add the ricotta sauce mixture and a sprinkle of the starchy water. Stir until it's evenly incorporated. If iit needs a little more moisture to help the sauce better cling to the cabbage strands, add more starchy water (just a sprinkle at a time).
4. Taste it. Season with more salt/pepper/crushed red pepper flakes if desired, or even another splash of lemon juice, and serve warm!
Springy Lemon-Ricotta Sautéed Cabbage • March 27, 2023
This recipe is perfect for that time of year when you're still finishing up the hardy wintery vegetables, but you want to usher in some warmer-weather feelings. It's a simple and fast vegetable side dish that surprises me again and again with its flavorful punch. It's both creamy and light at the same time, and the pop of lemon makes the dish sing. If you are working on weight-management or you're just trying to incorporate more vegetables into your lifestyle, having a solid repertoire of simple and fast vegetable recipes is key. After all, when you get home from an exhausting day and you contemplate preparing dinner, you're going to gravitate towards the absolute easiest route to a finished and tasty meal. Making vegetables part of this "easiest route" is fundamental to your goal! And if they make use of hardy vegetables that last forever in your fridge (like the humble and delicious head of cabbage), then you've got a super-star of a recipe that deserves to become a Keeper for your household.
You can make this recipe even more streamlined by purchasing pre-shredded cabbage. Give it a try!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Nutrition facts:
124 calories
4 g protein
124 calories
4 g protein
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 tsp cornstarch
- 1 lb red or green cabbage (or a 14-16 oz bag of pre-shredded cabbage)
- 4 oz ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon
- 1-2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
- 1/2 - 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp butter (10 g)
- 2 tsp olive oil (10 g)
Instructions:
To Prep:
--
1. First, get the starchy water ready: Add the cornstarch to the half-cup of water, stir well, and microwave in 30-second increments until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside.
2. Prep the ingredients: Finely chop or shred the cabbage, if you did not buy pre-shredded. Zest the lemon, and squeeze 1 tbsp of juice. Set the zest and juice aside.
3. Prep the sauce: Add the ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a small blender or food processor. Season well with kosher salt and black pepper. Whip this mixture until it's smooth. Set aside.
To Cook:
--
1. To cook: Heat the oil and butter in a large nonstick pan on medium. Once the butter is melted and the oil is shimmering slightly, add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper, and add the crushed red pepper flakes. Give everything a stir.
2. Cook the cabbage until it's got some color and it's your desired texture. If you like it softer, near the end of your cooking time, sprinkle a little water in the pan and pop a lid on top. Cook for 1-3 minutes until it's soft enough for you).
3. Turn off the heat. Add the ricotta sauce mixture and a sprinkle of the starchy water. Stir until it's evenly incorporated. If iit needs a little more moisture to help the sauce better cling to the cabbage strands, add more starchy water (just a sprinkle at a time).
4. Taste it. Season with more salt/pepper/crushed red pepper flakes if desired, or even another splash of lemon juice, and serve warm!
Springy Lemon-Ricotta Sautéed Cabbage • March 27, 2023
Nutrition Disclaimer
This wepbage provides approximate nutrition information for convenience, and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online nutrition data from manufacturer and food retailer websites. By accessing or using this recipe, you are acknowledging and agreeing to the full nutrition information disclaimer for this website, which you can read in its entirety using the link below.