Later, Brussels Sprouts! We’re Ready for the Rise of Your Cruciferous Cousin

Dio Mio recently took a short break for a little refresh of its RiNo space and its menu before reopening last month. The new food lineup is still heavy on pasta and has three large entrees meant for sharing (don’t miss the lasagna made with beef-cheek ragu).

But one of the biggest shifts was the expansion of its selection of small plates, and, much to my relief, Brussels sprouts are M.I.A. Years ago, when people realized that roasting or frying these tiny cabbages and pairing them with acidic or sweet and sticky sauces was better than the steamed variety, I happily hopped on the Brussels beat. I’d snack on them at restaurants and often cooked big batches at home, caramelizing them on the stovetop with garlic before drizzling on a creamy lemon sauce. But then the Brussels sprouts trend just kept sticking around.

Soon, it was almost a joke – could any menu even exist without a Brussels sprouts option? Former Westword food editor Mark Antonation called for the death of the Brussels sprouts (and kale) trend back in 2016. As we rang in 2023, I was still hoping that sprouts would soon be out. “Why are they still on nearly every menu?” I pleaded. “They’ve been done every possible way by now. I definitely don’t hate them, but I am terribly bored by them.”

But now, a shift is happening. Instead of tiny cabbages, actual cabbage is taking a starring role. No longer relegated to cole slaw or salad filler, this ultra-affordable veggie is ready to take the spotlight.

It’s not a huge step away from the ever-present Brussels, but it does offer more bite, and it’s being treated in more interesting ways. At Dio Mio, quarters of charred cabbage are paired with a Parmesan cream sauce and salsa verde with crispy onions sprinkled on top Á  la green bean casserole (though there’s no gloppy canned soup in sight).

Cabbage’s biggest local moment came last June when Sắp Sá»­a was named one of the eight most anticipated restaurant openings of the summer by Bon Appétit magazine. The lead photo for the story: bắp cải luá»™c, charred cabbage with egg yolk sauce and anchovy breadcrumbs, inspired by a dish that co-owner Ni Nguyen’s mother often made for him when she needed something fast and affordable to feed her family.

At Uchi, bite-sized pieces of seared cabbage are artfully arranged with mushrooms, thinly sliced radishes and chives, all paired with a savory mushroom demi, creamy guasacaca (Venezuela’s version of guacamole) and charred poblano tofu – though Uchi does still have Brussels sprouts on the menu, too.

At the Ginger Pig, the cabbage isn’t charred at all, but this dish is still known for converting cabbage doubters. The Thai stir-fried take on the vegetable (galam plee pad nam pla) is loaded with garlic, fish sauce and nam prik pao chili jam for a punch of heat.

Part of what makes cabbage so appealing to chefs is the price – you get a real bang for your buck, which can only help as restaurants continue to operate on razor-thin margins that are getting thinner as the costs of everything, including labor, continue to rise.

But we could all stand to save some money right now, so it’s time to start incorporating more cabbage at home, too. Two Bon Appétit cabbage recipes have become part of my go-to repertoire in the kitchen.

In the colder months, opt for this Fall Apart Carmelized Cabbage that takes less than five minutes to prep but is tasty and impressive enough to star at a dinner party. It calls for double-concentrated tomato paste, which I never have on hand, but regular tomato paste works just fine.

When the weather warms up, this super simple napa cabbage salad with Parmesan is amazing with any grilled protein and can be prepped in advance, since cabbage holds up to dressing way better than lettuce.

While I’d still love to see other veggies get more love on restaurant menus (zucchini, for one, could be a standout), I’m planning to continue my Brussels boycott while ordering every cabbage dish I come across.