Meet the Cabbage Charlotte That Will Make You Ditch Apples—Light, Airy, Unforgettable

Cabbage charlotte sounds a little out there, but the result makes perfect sense: same soft, airy batter you expect from the classic, only with a savory filling. The single extra move is a quick braise for the cabbage, and that takes about as long as slicing apples. Easy win.

What you need

For 6 servings: 500 g white cabbage, 2 sprigs of dill, 70 ml neutral vegetable oil, 3 eggs (C1 grade, which lines up with large in most markets), 1 tsp sugar, 160 g flour, 1 tsp baking powder, plus salt and black pepper to taste. The teaspoon of sugar simply rounds the batter, so the flavor reads savory.

How to make it

1. Shred the cabbage finely. Warm 10 ml oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the cabbage with a pinch of salt, cover, and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Let it cool.
2. Finely chop the dill, skipping the tough stems, and mix it into the cooled cabbage. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. For the batter, beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt until smooth. While whisking, stream in the remaining 60 ml oil.
4. Whisk the flour with the baking powder. Sift this into the egg mixture and fold until you have a smooth, light batter.
5. Stir the cabbage-dill mixture into the batter.
6. Line a 20 cm round pan (about 8 inches) with parchment. Pour in the batter and smooth the top.
7. Bake at 170°C, about 340°F, for roughly 40 minutes until the top turns a rich golden color.
8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack for another 20 minutes. Serve warm or fully cooled.

Switch-ups and how to serve

Chopped boiled eggs fold into the filling for extra richness. Mushrooms sauteed with onion bring a deep, savory note that loves black pepper. I like this one warm, cut thick, with a simple salad on the side. Savory charlotte for brunch, dinner, or snacking straight from the rack works equally well.