Give Cabbage The Pizza Treatment For 20 Times More Flavor And Texture

It's hard to pass up a pizza with a well-made crust, whether pillowy or crunchy. But veggie lovers, and anyone who loves to try new foods for that matter, can put an unconventional spin on pizza by exchanging the dough for cabbage slices. When cut into thick slices, cabbage makes a great foundation for the usual pizza toppings while adding freshness and a tender yet crisp texture.

On its own, cooked cabbage has a mild, sweet, nutty flavor that provides a great base to build upon with various spices. Before adding any toppings, season the raw cabbage slices with flavors appropriate for the type of pizza you'll make, such as Italian seasoning or taco seasoning. Adding olive oil also allows the cabbage to brown when cooking for extra flavor. From there, place toppings like tomatoes, cheese, and meat directly on top of the cabbage steaks, or spread on a layer of pizza sauce (which is different from traditional marinara) first.

Proteins can range from ground turkey or beef to anchovies and Buffalo chicken. Herbs such as dill and chives mesh well with cabbage's flavors, so you might make dill pickle pizza or chive and garlic pizza, both with a white sauce. Roasting cabbage slices in the oven creates crispy edges while the center softens, providing a pleasing textural contrast. This veggie-based alternative is also a great gluten-free choice for those who still want to enjoy pizza.

Making this dish successful means picking the right cabbage to serve as the base for your toppings. Most recipes use green cabbage, though red cabbage can substitute. Its flavor doesn't differ much from the green variety, but it packs in more antioxidants and nutrients like vitamin C, so choose red if a higher nutrient content matters to you. The cabbage you select should have firm, crisp, blemish-free leaves that will hold up nicely when roasting. It also pays to buy cabbage when it's in season, as it'll be higher quality while costing less.

When cutting the cabbage, keep the core attached to each slice so it holds together. Though it's easier to eat this cabbage pizza with a fork, you'll still want it to maintain its round shape. A final key to this recipe is to roast the cabbage steaks before adding the toppings, long enough for them to become tender in the middle. Broiling them for a few minutes after placing the toppings lets the cheese brown and become perfectly melty.