The color of red cabbage is one of my favorite colors. It’s so vibrant and rich that it’s almost hard to believe it exists in nature. It becomes even deeper and more beautiful after roasting in the oven, like these balsamic cabbage steaks. There’s something totally magical about how heat and oil/vinegar can transform a vegetable from one thing to something completely different: a caramelized, sweet, tender, charred, flavorful, browned and brightened thing.

I barely ever buy a whole head of cabbage, but I was inspired to try something new (as usual), so I bought a whole head with the idea of roasting up these steaks. All it takes is slicing the cabbage, drizzling the slices with balsamic vinegar and salt, and then roasting them for 15 minutes. It’s almost too easy to be true. You’d think these gorgeous wonders took more effort and more complicated preparation, but as often becomes clear to me, simpler is always better.

I whipped up a packet of instant mashed potatoes and grilled a few fancy veggie sausages to serve with them, but no doubt these cabbage steaks were the stars of the show.