We gave Marry Me Chicken a vegetarian twist by replacing the traditional chicken with tender cabbage wedges, all coated in a rich and flavorful sun-dried tomato cream sauce. Sop up every last bit of sauce with a crusty hunk of whole-grain bread, or make it a main dish and serve it over brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 small head green cabbage (2¼ pounds), outermost leaves removed
- 3 tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomato jar
- ½ cup coarsely chopped drained julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 2¼ cups no-salt-added vegetable broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1½ teaspoons italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed and softened
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons water
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese plus 1 tablespoon, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- chopped fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice cabbage in half through the root. Cut each half into 4 (about 2-inch-thick) wedges, keeping core intact. Heat 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato oil in a large, enamel-coated cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 cabbage wedges; cook until deeply browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side; transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with 1 tablespoon oil and the remaining 4 cabbage wedges. Do not wipe the skillet clean.
- Add ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, 2¼ cups broth, ¼ cup cream, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, the minced garlic, the softened cream cheese, ¼ teaspoon salt and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until well combined and boiling, about 2 minutes.
- Stir 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water together in a small bowl until fully combined. Whisk into the mixture in the skillet; remove from heat. Whisk in ½ cup Parmesan until melted, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the tops of the cabbage wedges with ¼ teaspoon pepper and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt; nestle the wedges into the skillet, overlapping just slightly if needed to fit in a single layer.
- Bake until the cabbage is fork-tender and the sauce has slightly thickened, 50 minutes to 1 hour, flipping the cabbage halfway through. Sprinkle the cabbage with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Garnish with basil, if desired.