Cabbage and Onion Torta Recipe (2024)

By Melissa Clark

Cabbage and Onion Torta Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Rating
5(516)
Notes
Read community notes

The easiest way to get everyone to love cabbage is to encase it in flaky pastry and bake until golden. This torta, filled with browned onions, silky cabbage, and plenty of creamy fontina cheese, might just be the best way you've ever eaten what is arguably a challenging vegetable. It's at its most appealing served warm, with the cheese still a little gooey. But when fully cooled it becomes picnic or lunchbox fare, sturdy enough to slice up and carry with you. The smoked ham is purely optional, but is does add a pleasing porky flavor to the mix. And if you can't find fontina, try Gruyere, Swiss or muenster instead.

Featured in: Cabbage Goes Undercover

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

  • 475grams all-purpose flour (4 cups)
  • 60grams whole wheat flour (½ cup)
  • 12grams kosher salt (about 2½ teaspoons), more as needed
  • 12tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • ¼cup olive oil, more as needed
  • 1large Spanish onion, halved and sliced (2½ cups)
  • pounds Savoy or regular cabbage (1 small head), cored and sliced
  • Black pepper, as needed
  • 2teaspoons cider vinegar, or to taste
  • cup dry bread crumbs
  • 5large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • tablespoons thyme leaves
  • 8ounces fontina cheese, grated (2 cups)
  • 2ounces diced smoked ham such as speck (optional)
  • 1large egg yolk

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

685 calories; 37 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 69 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 703 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Cabbage and Onion Torta Recipe (2)

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

  1. Step

    1

    To make the pastry, combine flours and 7 grams (1½ teaspoons) salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in butter until it forms coarse crumbs. Add 1 to 1½ cups very cold water, working it in a few tablespoons at a time, until mixture just comes together. Form dough into a ball, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

  2. Step

    2

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

  3. Step

    3

    Add 1 tablespoon oil and stir in cabbage, a handful at a time, waiting for each addition to wilt slightly before adding more. Season with 5 grams (1 teaspoon) salt and some pepper. Cook until cabbage is tender and any liquid has evaporated, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and cook until evaporated, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Taste and add more salt, vinegar or both, as needed.

  4. Step

    4

    Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and stir in bread crumbs, garlic and thyme. Cook until bread crumbs begin to color, about 1 minute. Scrape into a bowl.

  5. Step

    5

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Oil a large baking sheet.

  6. Step

    6

    On a floured surface, roll out dough into a 17-by-12-inch rectangle. Transfer to the baking sheet. With the long side facing you, spread half the bread crumbs evenly over right half of dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with half the cheese, then cover cheese with half the cabbage mixture. Repeat layers. Sprinkle ham over the top if desired.

  7. Step

    7

    Dab edges of dough with water. Fold left half over filling and use the tines of a fork to seal edges. Brush crust with egg yolk. Using a knife, cut several slits in the center of the top crust. Transfer pie to oven and bake until crust is golden brown and firm, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm, or reheat before serving.

Tip

  • Measurements for dry ingredients are given by weight for greater accuracy. The equivalent measurements by volume are approximate.

Ratings

5

out of 5

516

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Cooking Notes

jessmd

So I did the unthinkable and bought some frozen puff pastry dough and then otherwise made the recipe to a T. Don’t hate on me, but it turned out amazing. I had a ton of cabbage from my CSA box and I’m not the biggest cabbage fan, but the recipe and it’s ratings got me intrigued. I sprinkled some freshly cracked telicherry black pepper and maldon sea salt after brushing the crust with egg yolk and it looked beautiful after baking. This would be perfect with a simple salad with a nice vinaigrett

Alexandra

I made the pastry in a food processor, using rye flour in place of whole wheat, and the pastry turned out beautifully flaky. Next time I will consider adding some toasted caraway seeds to the cabbage onion mixture. Also, I baked the torta on a pre-heated pizza stone which I think helped the bottom crust become well-browned.

SR

We've made this a few times, and each time think it should be made more often. It was a gorgeous addition to our Thanksgiving table last year, and for how easy it is to make, is impressive to look at and flavorful. Worth trying at least once.

Nina

one my favorite baked goods ever. i add a bit of curry powder to the dough and it adds a wonderful aroma but you can't tell what it is! it always comes out perfect, with speck or without. also had great success adding daiya non dairy shredded cheddar for my no eating cheese friends.

filofilia

Love it. Made it for a dinner party in London w Turkish and Greek friends. It was something both familiar and yet new to them. Perfect! Also, it takes some time, but there are essentially four parts—cabbage and onions, breadcrumbs, cheese, and dough. If you get them prepared in advance, it comes together quickly! I rolled out and baked on parchment (for transfer), but wonder if the oiled pan would have improved the bottom crust. Mine was a bit wet and wanted more time.

AHubby

Delicious, beautiful, versatile and practical. Makes for a spectacular bag lunch: Just freeze (well wrapped slices will keep for weeks) and warm in the microwave. Don't have speck? Leave it out, or use bacon (cooked, preferably slab) or leftover ham. Fontina is lovely but not absolutely necessary.

Ann

I love this recipe and divide the dough into smaller portions and make individual pies that are easy to freeze and pop in a lunchbox. The dough has become a staple for just about any pie or quiche.

Karen

Delicious. I made smaller versions and left the dough to rest overnight in the fridge. The next day I rolled out the crust for quiche. This is now my go-to crust recipe. I made one change: I used 8 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons lard.

kayandallie

Made it although mine wasn't as nicely shaped as Melissa's. I think next time I'll use more than 1 1/2 pounds of cabbage, though. There wasn't as much filling as I'd like. Might even try the whole cabbage (I weighed out the shredded cabbage and only used about half the head). I also used dill instead of thyme as I love the filling for Mark Bittman's cabbage pie that uses dill (but not the crust).

cjmamiel

A great starter recipe and the pastry comes out perfect--very easy to roll out, transfer, handle, and it was delicious. I found the seasoning lacking even though I used quite a bit more vinegar and garlic than called for, although the flavor improved on day 2 and 3 (but the pastry crust was best on day 1). I brought this to a St. Patrick's Day party and one person mentioned it tasted like an egg roll. Next time, I will make with sauerkraut.

Ellen Smart

You don't say where you are, so I don't know how your butter is packaged. In the States a pound of butter comes in 4 sticks, each 4 oz (113 gm), with tablespoons marked on each stick's wrapping paper, 8 tablespoons per 4 oz. So 6 oz = 12 tablespoons. (165 gm). Measure the butter before you cut it into cubes.

Violet

No garlic in the house....used sriracha mango balsamic vinegar from 7 barrels and added raisin...to die for

Carolyn

I had a puff pastry in the freezer and rolled it out to the 12x17 dimensions. Added fennel seeds to the thyme mixture and had to substitute low fat feta for the cheese. Served with a salad that included arugula and greens from my garden. Hubby went back for seconds!!

Kimberly

I used this dough for a Maine lobster and corn empanada recipe.

Although an experienced cook, making dough is a recent experience and usually with the KA paddle or hook. This time I used my hands and shredded the frozen butter with a box shredder. They were so flaky and light. They disappeared before you could say 'lobstah'.

Dorsey M.

I love cabbage, but was skeptical about the pastry. Expecting a tasty-but-soggy-bottomed dish, I was rather stunned at the result. The crust—top and bottom— were crunchy and delicious. Next day (and for two days after), it warmed up beautifully in the toaster oven, with that delightful cheesy filling intact and the crust as crispy as when my dear wife pulled it out of the oven. The remaining hunk went into the freezer. Hopes are high.

Rufus

I used Dufour puff pastry rather than roll my own. I baked it at 425 for scarcely 40 minutes and it was on the edge of burnt. If I use the same pastry next time, I’ll bake it at a lower temperature. The filling was excellent.

Margimatic

Growing up in the northern US...cabbage = life. I wanted my version to taste how food is seasoned 'up north' so I added a pinch of nutmeg to the cabbage/onion and also sauteed some ground turkey in the cabbage/onion 'drippings' and combined everything together in the pan at the end and deglazed with some Gruner Veltliner wine. I used a pre-made frozen pizza dough crust and dusted a little broncha cheese over top before baking. It was delicious both with and without the crust!

Allison

So, I tried to use a shortcut and buy premade pie dough. Even with two pie crusts worth, it wasn't enough dough to enclose everything. Next time I'll make the dough as written or use twice as much store-bought.

Ronni

Followed some advice here: used food processor to make the dough. Built the torta on a sheet of parchment paper. Have zero idea how I would have got it on the baking sheet without it. The torta is massive. Veganized everything: plant-based butter, vegan cheese and vegan bacon. No yolk. It was delicious, my partner put it in the top category of 'would be excellent for company."

Jessie

Took a lot of liberties with this, and it was fantastic--kids 12 and 14 ate it right up.1/2 head green cabbage and 1 onion--added about 1 cup of chopped and toasted walnuts for texture.No bread crumbs, used about 1 cup of TJ's Quattro Formaggio shredded cheese.Cooked in the pan covered with a frozen puff pastry that wanted to be used. Egg wash made it look beautiful.Fantastic use of leftover cabbage!

gwen

Great recipe! Made as written and was perfect!

Mary Atkinson

I found this very disappointing, having followed the recipe to the tee...It was lacking in good mouth feel, (Melissa, how could you?), dry and bland . The somewhat heavy pastry needed a sauce of some kind, the whole thing was a dull, heavy, bland mess.Melissa Clark is always so dependable, this is the first out of many, many of her recipes that disappointed.

flyingsquorrwl

So… this is underwhelming. I usually love Melissa’s recipes and followed it exactly. While cooking, I kept wondering if it had enough going on. And I was right! Pastry was good - and filling was ok. If you freestyle this, maybe??

Kathleen

The crust?? I was suspicious about the large quantity of flour needed for an 11 x 17 crust. And the small amount of butter. I have not made a bad crust for about 3 years but I just took this dough to the compost. I will do it again tomorrow with 2 1/2 cups flour to 12 T butter and hopelife will be better.

Aaron

I did make this with lard because I was out of butter, so maybe unfair rating, but I did not have much success with this recipe. I'll try again.

TW

Made with rye in place of whole wheat. Made entire dough but used half and made half recipe with 2 pieces of prosciutto that were sautéed before the onions. Added 2t caraway seeds, maybe double next time. Thyme not necessary. Didn’t add enough cheese. Take out onions before cooking cabbage. It was good but not great. Baked 40 minutes, next time bake on center rack, on a silpat on a sheet pan.

karen

My crust was way overcooked after 30 mins. Maybe because I used store bought pie crust. Still it was tasty. I will try it again.

karen

I used store bought pie dough and that may be why mine was kind of burned. I baked it for only 30 mins. It was still very tasty but I know it could have been better if not over cooked.

Marivi Soliven

Substituted shredded Halloumi for mozzarella and it was delicious! Took another cooks advice and sprinkled a teaspoon of curry powder into the dough, in addition to a teaspoon of garlic powder, both great additions!

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Cabbage and Onion Torta Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you soak cabbage before cooking? ›

If you notice any signs of worms or insects, which sometimes appears in cabbage, soak the head in salt water or vinegar water for 15-20 minutes first. To preserve its vitamin C content, cut and wash the cabbage right before cooking or eating it.

How do you cook cabbage without making it soggy? ›

Steaming is a gentle cooking method that helps retain the cabbage's crispiness and nutrients. To steam cabbage, place it in a steamer basket over simmering water and cover with a lid. Steam until it's tender yet still slightly crunchy. If you plan to sauté or stir-fry cabbage, consider blanching it first.

How long does it take to soften a head of cabbage? ›

Simmer, covered, until the cabbage begins to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the cabbage carefully, and continue to simmer until the cabbage is tender, an additional 5 minutes. The cabbage is ready when a small paring knife inserted into the thickest part of the cabbage near the core slides through easily.

How do you keep cabbage green when cooking? ›

It's simple: you have to reduce cooking time in order to preserve the colour. Whether in water, steamed or stir-fried, cooking green vegetables for 5-7 minutes will protect the chlorophyll against acidic damage.

Why do you soak cabbage in salt water before cooking? ›

The salt will draw out excess water from cabbage while helping preserve the crispiness. After letting it sit for an hour or two, rinse it with water to remove the salt. Drain and dry the cabbage with paper towels, gently pressing to release excess water.

Why do you put vinegar in cabbage when boiling it? ›

Then, there is the red cabbage which tends to turn blue when cooked and so, most commonly just eaten raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect.

How do you know when cabbage is done cooking? ›

Cook until the liquid evaporates and the cabbage is nice and tender — check after about 5 minutes. If your cabbage isn't quite tender enough, add a splash more liquid and cook for a few additional minutes.

Can you cook cabbage too long? ›

Shredded cabbage will be done in around 5 minutes; for wedges, it'll be done around 10. You want to cook until tender, but err on the side of caution—overcooked cabbage will turn limp and give off a less-than-pleasant smell. Tip: Make sure to drain your cabbage to prevent overcooking!

Do you have to wash the inside of a head of cabbage? ›

Clean with water.

Also make sure not to miss cleaning the inside as well. Sometimes dirt can be hidden deep within so make sure to be thorough. When finished cleaning, pat down dry with a paper towel.

Why do you put baking soda in cabbage? ›

Baking Soda in Cooking Vegetables and Fruits

The baking soda will soften the water in cooking beans or cabbage, and the vegetables will cook quicker and more thoroughly, but the alkali has a destructive effect on the vitamins present in these vegetables, and in all fresh foods.

What happens when you put salt on cabbage? ›

The salt pulls moisture out of the cabbage, seasons it, and leaves you with a super-crunchy texture that isn't raw or tough-tasting. Rinse! Rinse well to purge the salt. Get rid of the excess water.

Why does cabbage take so long to cook? ›

The central vein in each leaf is tough, particularly on the outer leaves, so you may wish to cut this away, too, especially if you want to cook the cabbage quickly as this part is very dense and will take a long time.

How long should you soak cabbage? ›

How to Prepare Cabbage for Use. Cut cabbage in sections and wash under running water. If there are any signs of bugs or worms as cabbage can have, soak in salt water for 15 minutes. I usually add about a tablespoon of salt to enough water to submerge the cabbage.

What does soaking cabbage do? ›

We wanted to find a method that would keep the cabbage from watering down the dressing and also a way to make the salad piquant without tasting too sharp. The solution: Some recipes call for soaking cabbage in ice water to make it crisp and plump.

Why do people soak cabbage? ›

As you may have already guessed, Bon Appétit reports that letting your finely shredded veggie soak in water is the secret to keeping shredded cabbage crispy and mellowing out its overpowering undertones.

How long to soak cabbage in water? ›

Letting finely shredded or chopped cabbage soak in water for one minute can help the veggie stay light, fresh, and crisp for longer, while also diluting some of its strong flavors and avoiding a stale taste.

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