Have you ever tried crispy roasted red cabbage dipped in creamy hummus? You will be amazed at how sweet cabbage can be with this simple air-fryer recipe. It’s a beautiful and delicious way to enjoy red cabbage in a whole new way.
Why you will love this Crispy Roasted Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is not only delicious but also rich in various beneficial health-boosting nutrients especially vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants. There are many red cabbage recipes out there. Most of them are sauteed, raw or braised ones, all of which are equally delicious. I love them all. Being a curious foodie and chef, I put this vibrant cabbage to the test by air-frying them. The result is crispy and sweet-tasting red cabbage.
Packed with Nutrition
This vegan dish is packed with nutrients, providing protein from the nuts and chickpeas in the hummus, as well as vitamins from the cabbage and zucchini.
Simple and Quick Recipe
You can have this dish ready in less than 30 minutes with just three ingredients. All you need is hummus, red cabbage, and Lebanese bread.
Texture and Flavour Contrast
This dish is all about contrast – creamy and smooth hummus paired with crispy air-fried or oven-baked red cabbage and Lebanese bread. Roasting or air frying the cabbage brings out its natural sweetness.
Key Ingredients to Make Airfried Red Cabbage Recipe
☑️Hummus:
Hummus is a popular Middle Eastern dip made with chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and olive oil. You can buy it or make your own. Check out my air-fried recipe “Airfried Zucchini and Crispy Garlic Chive” for how to make hummus and pair it with other foods. To make smooth hummus, add a small amount of baking soda during the chickpea cooking process. This tip was learned from Yotam Ottolenghi’s test kitchen. Baking soda breaks down protein and makes any food ingredient containing protein softer. It can even be used as a meat tenderizer.
For your convenience, I have summarized how to make smooth and silky hummus:
Soak 1/2 cup of chickpeas overnight. Cook in a pressure cooker with water, salt, and baking soda for 15-20 minutes. If using a pot, it will take longer. Cook until soft. Rinse and strain to remove any baking soda flavour. Blend all hummus ingredients in a food processor, adding water or ice cubes gradually for the desired consistency.
☑️Red Cabbage or White Cabbage
Red cabbage is a great addition. The choice is yours whether to choose white or red, but I personally love red ones as they are vibrant and in beautiful contrast with hummus and crispy Lebanese bread, which are white. Although Chinese cabbage (Napa cabbage) belongs to the same Brassica vegetable family, it is not suitable as it contains too much moisture. As a result, it will not become as crispy as normal cabbage. Cabbage does not need to be overly cooked. You still want to maintain its natural fresh crispiness without over-air-frying it. Simply spray or brush it with olive oil, sprinkle with some salt, and air fry for 15-20 minutes at around 180-190°C.
☑️Lebanese Bread
If you have wrap-style bread, whether it’s fresh or stale, you can simply and quickly air fry it at 180°C for about 5 minutes until it’s crunchy and crispy. It’s a delicious and fun way to enjoy Lebanese or sandwich wrap/flat bread. Plus, you’ll never throw away stale leftover flatbread again!!
Ingredients
- Red Cabbage or White Cabbage: 2 large leaves
- Lebanese Bread: 1 sheet
- Toasted Almonds or your favourite nuts: some
Hummus
- Chickpeas (cooked): 1/2 cup
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Salt
- Tahini Sauce
Instructions
Step 1 - Hummus
Make hummus. You can find the step-by-step instructions in my previous recipe. Check the recipe here.
Step 2 - Airfry Cabbage
Wash a few cabbage leaves, cut them in half, remove the water, and then spray some olive oil and salt on them. Airfry at 180°C for around 10 minutes. If you are using a conventional oven, you might need to use a slightly higher temperature to achieve the desired crispiness.
Step 3 - Airfry Lebanese Bread
Airfry Lebanese bread at 180°C for a couple of minutes or until crispy.
Step 4 - Plating
Spread hummus at the bottom and place crispy cabbage with crispy bread on the side. Sprinkle with roasted nuts.
