This Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter recipe, seared in a skillet for those charred edges, then braised with a brothy miso butter until meltingly soft and tender will be the only way you will ever want to make and eat cabbage for the rest of your life. Shall we?
Explore More
- What is Miso Butter
- Ingredients You Need for Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter
- What Kind of Miso Should I Use for Miso Butter
- What Kind of Cabbage Should I Use to Braise?
- How Many Pounds is a Head of Cabbage?
- Instructions How to Make Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter
- What to Eat with Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter
- Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter Recipe
What is Miso Butter
Miso butter is just an almost 2:1 mixture of white (shiro) miso paste and softened butter for...what, I don't know. Fun? Flavor? It can be used as is in any application you would use an umami-rich, indistinguishably subtly sweet, buttery spread, or in the case of this recipe, stirred into a braising liquid for cabbage to add a rich balance.
Ingredients You Need for Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter
You wouldn't think it, but cabbage is fairly sweet and flavorful on its own, so you only need a few ingredients to enhance their flavor.
for the Miso Butter:
- Miso, 4 tablespoons
- Butter, 2 tablespoons, very very softened
for the Braised Cabbage:
- Cabbage, 1 head, outer bruised leaves removed, then cut into 2-inch wide wedges
- Garlic, 2 cloves, thinly sliced
- Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon, or tamari for gluten-free
- Apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon, or fresh lemon juice
- Avocado oil, about 2 tablespoons for cooking
- Toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon for garnish
- Green onions, 1 stalk sliced for garnish
Water is the braising liquid because miso and butter add so much flavor, you don't need to use a broth or stock. However, if you want an even deeper, more complex flavor, you can use an unsalted vegetable, mushroom, or chicken stock.
What Kind of Miso Should I Use for Miso Butter
tl;dr: Use any light-colored white or yellow miso that is labeled "organic" or "non-gmo."
My favorite brands are all organic-this brand, this brand (pictured above), and this brand-and I have been able to find them in Whole Foods Markets in southern California. If you are able to get to an Asian market or specialty store, check out the miso section. It's huge! And you'll probably find these brands there too.
There are a few different types of miso that range in flavor, color, saltiness, and most importantly (to me) intensity of funk. No surprise here, but the funkier, the better. Miso can be labeled and categorized in a number of different ways, e.g. by ingredients, fermenting agent, city of origin, "style," but the easiest way for most people is to simply refer to the color.
Generally, the lighter in color the miso, those labeled "white" and "yellow," sometimes "shiro", the milder the flavor and saltiness. Sometimes, the lighter colored misos are described as sweet, though they are not actually sweetened with any kind of sugar. They are just less salty.
Darker miso, labeled "red" or "aka miso," is stronger in flavor and is usually saltier. I love darker red miso for soups and making dips for vegetables. Red miso definitely works for this recipe if you want a deeper flavor.
What Kind of Cabbage Should I Use to Braise?
Green cabbage, with the green, smooth leaves, is the one I use in this recipe.
However, any type of cabbage-ruffly savoy, purple, even napa-works for this recipe. The nutritional profiles across the types are generally fairly similar. Some varieties are milder in flavor than others, but in this recipe, the differences are not noticeable because of the flavors of the other ingredients, namely the miso.
How Many Pounds is a Head of Cabbage?
Because cabbages come in different types, sizes, and density (how tightly packed the leaves are), it's better to "measure" cabbage by actual pounds, not by number of heads.
According to the USDA, an "average" cabbage weighs between 2 and 3 pounds, but what is this? The 1800s? Have you seen cabbages in grocery stores? They have gotten MUCH bigger, and the average green cabbage based on my own experience weighs more like 4-5 pounds.
Instructions How to Make Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter
If you haven't already, remove any bruised or wilted outer leaves, and slice off the dried end of the core. Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise through the core, then cut each half into 3 or 4 wedges that are about 2 inches on the wider side.
Make Miso Butter. In a small bowl, mix the 4 tablespoons miso with 2 tablespoons softened butter, until no streaks remain. Set aside. You can also put the Miso Butter in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or other netural cooking oil in a large pan with high sides over medium high heat.
Place cabbage wedges flat in the pan. Sear until the leaves' edges are charred dark about 5 minutes. Turn the wedges over and sear the other side until also charred dark, about 3 minutes. Remove the cabbage wedges to a plate.
Add sliced garlic to the pan, adding a little more avocado oil if needed. Cook garlic until translucent and fragrant, but without burning, about 45 seconds.
Add soy sauce and water to the pan. Bring to a boil. Add cabbage wedges back to the pan. Turn down heat to medium low.
Stir the miso butter into the broth, pressing against cabbage and bottom of pan to dissolve. Simmer until cabbage is soft, about 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with apple cider vinegar or squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish Braised Cabbage with toasted sesame seeds and green onions if using, right before serving.
What to Eat with Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter
- Serve over a bowl of fluffy steamed brown rice, make sure to spoon some of the braising liquid over the rice!
- Add 2 poached eggs for a protein boost
Braised Cabbage with Miso Butter Recipe
Ingredients
for Miso Butter
- 4 tablespoons miso
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
For the Braised Cabbage
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil for cooking
- 1 head cabbage outer bruised or wilted leaves removed, and cut into 2-inch wedges at the wide end
- 2 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Garnishes
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 stalk green onion sliced, optional
Instructions
Make Miso Butter:
- In a small bowl, mix the 4 tablespoons miso with 2 tablespoons softened butter, until no streaks remain. Set aside. You can also put the Miso Butter in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Cook Cabbage:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or other netural cooking oil in a large pan with high sides over medium high heat.
- Place cabbage wedges flat in the pan. Sear until the leaves' edges are charred dark about 5 minutes. Turn the wedges over and sear the other side until also charred dark, about 3 minutes. Remove the cabbage wedges to a plate.
- Add sliced garlic to the pan, adding a little more avocado oil if needed. Cook garlic until translucent and fragrant, but without burning, about 45 seconds.
- Add soy sauce and water to the pan. Bring to a boil. Add cabbage wedges back to the pan. Turn down heat to medium low.
- Stir the miso butter into the broth, pressing against cabbage and bottom of pan to dissolve. Simmer until cabbage is soft, about 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle with apple cider vinegar or squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish Braised Cabbage with toasted sesame seeds right before serving.
Dinner Belle says
A recipe like this sounds so simple but I bet that the flavors just melt together into a creamy and crunchy deliciousness. I just went to Ma peche and visited the Milk Bar on the way out and they can do some great stuff there! I do recommend the crispy pig's head and the brussel sprout and the oysters...I could go on and on...
The Dinner Belle for Kimberlybelle.com
Guest says
Hmmm just made this and it turned out fantastic! Tasted as great as it looked! I used sweet broccoli and regular poached eggs. I wolfed down the whole thing in a matter of minutes!
Thanks for this great recipe!