Roasted Cabbage and Butter Beans Recipe • 5★

Published September 21, 2025

Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.

Ribbons of cabbage are roasted until they are sweet and caramelized then tossed with butter beans, garlic and anchovies and finished with fresh parsley; the details make this dish surprisingly flavorful for such a simple ingredient list. An easy and affordable way to get dinner on the table, this recipe makes a hearty main dish served with hunks of crusty bread, or a hardworking side dish next to your favorite protein. If you cannot find butter beans, cannellini beans make a perfect (though smaller) substitute. If you are seeking a vegetarian alternative, a few tablespoons of chopped capers make a great substitute for the flavor that the anchovies add.

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1 medium cabbage (about 2 ½ pounds)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 (15-ounce) cans butter beans

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

¼ cup roughly chopped parsley, for garnish

Step 1Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2Remove the outer layer of leaves from the cabbage, then cut off the stem end. Cut the cabbage into quarters through the core, then cut out the solid core from each piece. Slice each piece crosswise into ½-inch-thick slabs, then separate them with your hands into individual ribbons. Spread the ribbons onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the outer layer of leaves from the cabbage, then cut off the stem end. Cut the cabbage into quarters through the core, then cut out the solid core from each piece. Slice each piece crosswise into ½-inch-thick slabs, then separate them with your hands into individual ribbons. Spread the ribbons onto a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3Roast the cabbage for 15 minutes. Drizzle the cabbage with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat, then roast for another 15 minutes.

Roast the cabbage for 15 minutes. Drizzle the cabbage with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat, then roast for another 15 minutes.

Step 4Meanwhile, rinse and drain the butter beans. Finely mince the anchovies and grate the garlic.

Meanwhile, rinse and drain the butter beans. Finely mince the anchovies and grate the garlic.

Step 5Add the beans, anchovies, garlic, crushed red pepper (if using) and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the roasted cabbage and toss to coat evenly. Bake for a final 15 minutes, or longer if you prefer the cabbage to caramelize further.

Add the beans, anchovies, garlic, crushed red pepper (if using) and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the roasted cabbage and toss to coat evenly. Bake for a final 15 minutes, or longer if you prefer the cabbage to caramelize further.

Step 6Remove the cabbage from the oven. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, drizzle with more olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a squeeze of lemon, if that suits you; gently toss to combine. Serve warm.

Remove the cabbage from the oven. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley, drizzle with more olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and add a squeeze of lemon, if that suits you; gently toss to combine. Serve warm.

We are vegetarian so substituted capers for anchovies. Generous amounts of pepper and salt and lemon juice make this a weeknight winner. Will make again.

SO good! A perfect use for the Rancho Gordo Royal Corona beans I had in the fridge. I added about 6 oz of penne, and a couple tablespoons of Parmesan, because I wanted to use those things up.

@Katie F. I use kelp powder as a replacement for anchovies or fish sauce needs. Works like a charm :)

Made this tonight and it was just what my vegetarian-ish self wanted. I left out the anchovies and added extra salt. Used chives instead of parsley. The lemon juice at the end really brightened the dish up. Yum!

Add shallot and mushrooms to cabbage in the beginning. Add the quartered lemons to pan at some point. Added walnuts with the beans and both anchovies and capers. One can of cannellini beans was sufficient for me. Tasty inexpensive keeper.

Aren’t butter beans another name for limas?

@john golden, Camden Maine No, butter beans are larger, flatter, and yellower than Lima beans and more… buttery.

@john golden, Camden Maine If you want to sub something for the butter beans, I tried pinto beans and it turned out well.

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1027365-roasted-cabbage-and-butter-beans