Shredded hispi cabbage adds a sweet, charred layer to this dish, elevating a vegetable that’s often overlooked. Combined with chickpeas and breadcrumbs and tossed in a zesty dressing, this unsung hero really comes to life. I love serving it for a quick but wonderfully satisfying lunch.
SHREDDED HISPI CABBAGE & CHARRED LEMON SALAD
Roasted shredded hispi cabbage (sometimes known as sweetheart or pointed cabbage), salt & pepper chickpeas, crispy breadcrumbs and a magical charred lemon dressing. It's a beautiful bowl of food.
Ingredients
- 2 hispi cabbage thinly sliced
- olive oil
- 400 g can chickpeas drained & rinsed
- 25 g panko breadcrumbs
- 15 g pine nuts
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
DRESSING
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 unwaxed lemon sliced
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove sliced
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°c (fan assisted)/425°f/gas 7.
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Combine the sliced hispi cabbage, a good glug of olive oil and a nice pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to give everything a mix, then pour out onto a baking tray and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the cabbage is turning golden and crispy.
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Meanwhile, roughly dry the chickpeas with a tea towel. Combine with a glug of olive oil, a good pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a mixing bowl. Give everything a good stir, then pour out onto another baking tray. Roast alongside the cabbage for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
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To make the dressing, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a good glug of extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the lemon slices and cook for 2-3 minutes each side, until amber in colour and beginning to caramelise. Transfer the lemon slices to a food processor, along with any oil left from the pan, and combine with the maple syrup, garlic, mustard, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Blitz into a rough paste (it won't be pourable like a regular dressing, but this is what we want!), then taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
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Finally, combine the panko breadcrumbs and pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and toasted (watch the pan carefully here as they can turn quite quickly).
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Toss the roasted hispi cabbage and half of the roasted chickpeas with a generous spoonful or two of the dressing. Serve between bowls and finish sprinkled with the remaining chickpeas, toasted breadcrumb mixture and a good crack of black pepper.
If you’re a fan of warm salads like this, try my Grilled Artichoke & Gremolata Salad too. Or, for more recipe inspiration, head over to my Instagram.
Do you add the lemons to the blitz mix or just the oil?
The lemons go into the food processor along with everything else.
G x
I’ve just made this salad and it was incredible. I didn’t have any breadcrumbs or bread so I toasted some peanuts and threw in some seeds. I WILL be making it again with the correct crumb topping. THAT dressing though, WOW!!! Thank you so much for a lovely tea!
Great thinking with the peanuts and seeds combo! Glad you enjoyed it!
G x
Absolutely loved this. I used preserved lemons which worked well. Looking forward to making it again.
Thank you – glad you liked it!
G x
That lemon dressing is a game-changer.
It’s so delicious! Glad you liked it!
G x
Hi Georgie! My dressing was really bitter – I’m not sure where I went wrong, maybe I burnt the lemon? Any ideas would be really appreciated as I loved the salad itself 🙂
Yes you may have burnt the lemon, if you look on my Instagram page (@georgieeats) you can watch the video and see the colour of the fried lemons that you should be aiming for. Hope that helps!
G x
I can recommend substituting the lemon for an orange and the pine nuts for toasted crushed mixed nuts. I too charred the orange slices, I will probably use just the pulp and zest in future. But what a fantastic recipe! It went down very well here – thanks for sharing!
That’s a good idea – I’ll have to give that go. Glad you enjoyed it!
G x
Really impressed with it, had to cook the cabbage for a little longer. I added some butternut squash and roasted red onion because I had some to use up. I subbed crispy onions and sesame seeds for the bread and pine nuts. I will be making it again. It would be great for a light lunch with friends.
Good idea with adding squash and red onion! Rally glad you enjoyed the recipe.
G x
Omg, I am addicted to this! Top! Great for meal prep too if you leave the dressing on the side till you prepare it. Thanks for this!
Loved this. Made a few adjustments by using green cabbage and adding fresh parsley and small chucks of Parmesan to the salad. I also opted to cut my lemon in half and char it on the grill, and then just use the juice from the lemon so I didn’t have to pull out the blender. Agree with other comments that the cabbage took longer than 20 mins in the oven. Will definitely make again!
I absolutely adore this dressing and the salad itself is a perfect dinner when I’m at home on my own and want something light. Thanks for sharing, will be making more as the weather gets a bit nicer 🙏🏻🌞
Amazing! Wonder how long the dressing keeps in the fridge? Any ideas?
Hello! It should keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. 🙂