Roasted Cabbage Burgers

I love cabbage in any form (schnitzel! Parmesan!), but these baked cabbage burgers are something extra special. Roasted cabbage steaks are topped with melty cheeseburgers and a smattering of all your favorite burger condiments for a cozy wintertime take on this summer backyard staple.

The cabbage steaks:
Green cabbage is the best type of cabbage to use here. For the best results, try to choose one that’s on the smaller side. It’ll be easier to slice, and the steaks will be closer to the size of the burgers. You will end up with a lot of cabbage scraps, but don’t throw them away! They’re perfect for turning into bacon-fried cabbage, stuffing into egg rolls, or tossing into slaw.

Forming & cooking the burgers:
Typically I recommend forming burger patties into a larger thinner patty than you’d like the finished burger to be and pressing a divot into the center so you don’t end up with a burger that has a fat middle. But in testing, I discovered that none of those rules really apply here. Cooking the burgers on the cabbage steak prevents them from shrinking inward, so feel free to form them exactly as you’d like them to be after cooking.

Everyone has a different preference on burger doneness, so use a meat thermometer to make sure that yours is cooked just the way you’d like it. In testing, I found that it took about 8 minutes for the burgers to reach medium-rare, but if you want your burger more cooked, feel free to leave it in for longer.

The toppings:
These burgers are a choose-your-own-adventure situation, so feel free to top them however you’d like. My ideal burger typically has dill pickles, finely chopped red onion, and often a sprinkle of crispy bacon, along with both ketchup and mustard—but you do what works for you!

Storage:
Any leftover burgers (and their cabbage steak bases) can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.