Creamy Cabbage Casserole

My sweetie was away for the weekend a few weeks back, and I had a big craving for macaroni and cheese, but, knowing I would likely eat a LOT of it, decided that maybe making a big pasta dish wasn't such a great idea. In order to satisfy my craving, I came up with this cabbage casserole. It's basically macaroni and cheese, but with cabbage instead of pasta. I really enjoyed this dish, and have made it a few times in the intervening weeks.

Creamy Cabbage Casserole

2 tsp Olive Oil
1/2 Onion, thinly sliced
1 Medium Head Cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Flour
2 Cups Milk
Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 - 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Jack, Fontina, any good melting cheese you like, or a combination)
2 Tbsp Melted Butter
1/4 Cup Dry Breadcrumbs or Panko
1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese


Lightly butter an 8-inch square baking dish

Preheat Oven to 350

Heat the 2 tsp olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until just wilted, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes more. Remove the cabbage from the heat and set aside.

In a medium sauce pot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter melts. Whisk in 2 tbsp of flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to remove any raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese a handful at a time, making sure each handful is melted before adding more. Reduce the heat to low and gently cook the sauce for a few more minutes. Stir in nutmeg and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Combine the cheese sauce and the cabbage onion mixture in whichever pan/pot will hold both easier, and transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish. Combine the melted butter, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the cabbage in the baking dish.

Bake in the 350 oven until the top is nice and brown, 15-20 minutes.

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