This Gordon Ramsay Buttered Savoy Cabbage is a quick British side made with Savoy cabbage, salted butter, and a little sea salt. It comes together in about 25 minutes and serves 4 alongside almost any main. The leaves turn silky and bright green, coated in a light butter glaze.
Ramsay built this side for his F Word Sunday lunch cooking, where simple food has to be precise. His trick is finishing the drained cabbage off the heat with butter, not in a hot pan. The residual water clinging to the leaves emulsifies with the butter into a glossy coat.
Salt the boiling water heavily before the cabbage goes in, not after. Seasoning early pulls flavour into the leaves as they cook, so the cabbage tastes seasoned through rather than just on top. Skip this and you get flat, watery cabbage that no finishing salt can rescue.
Gordon Ramsay Buttered Savoy Cabbage Recipe
Course: Side DishesCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy4
10
minutes15
56
kcalButtered Savoy cabbage boils fast, then finishes off the heat into silky, glossy leaves with a light, clinging butter glaze.
Ingredients
- Cabbage
1.1 kg Savoy cabbage
1 tbsp fine salt (for the boiling water)
- To finish
40g salted butter, room temperature
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Directions
- Trim the bottom stalk and peel away the dark outer leaves. Cut the thick stems from the large leaves, then quarter the inner cabbage and dig out the core.
- Slice everything into thick strips and pile into a large pan.
- Pour over boiling water until just covered, add the fine salt, and bring back to a rolling boil on high heat. Cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender but still bright green.
- Drain well, leaving a little water clinging to the leaves, then return them to the hot pan off the heat.
- Add the butter and sea salt flakes, stir gently until glossy, taste, and serve at once.
FAQs
Can I use green cabbage instead of Savoy?
Savoy beats the alternatives here thanks to its crinkled, tender leaves and natural sweetness. Plain green cabbage works in a pinch, though it cooks firmer and needs an extra minute or two. Skip red cabbage, which bleeds colour and tints the butter a murky pink.
How do I stop it going grey and mushy?
Pull the cabbage early and it never gets the chance to go grey. Keep the pan uncovered so steam escapes, then drain the moment the leaves are fork-tender but still vivid green. A trapped lid dulls the colour fast, which is why this dish boils open.
Can I steam it instead of boiling?
Steaming works and keeps a firmer bite, but you lose the residual cooking water that builds the butter glaze. If you steam, melt the butter with a spoon of hot water in the pan to mimic it. Boiling stays the easier route for that silky finish.
Can I use unsalted butter?
Yes, unsalted butter is fine if you add a touch more sea salt flakes at the finish. Salted butter is built into the seasoning here, so swapping it shifts the balance slightly. Taste before that final pinch, since the salted water already seasons the leaves.
What do I serve buttered Savoy cabbage with?
It sits beside almost any roast or braise, soaking up gravy without stealing the show. I lean on it most with a rich main like a classic shepherd’s pie, where the bright cabbage cuts through the meat. Roast chicken, gammon, or pork belly all welcome it too.
Can I dress it up beyond plain butter?
A handful of crisp bacon, a squeeze of lemon, or toasted breadcrumbs all lift it with little effort. Buttered and bacon-flecked, it turns into the easy green that rounds out sausages with creamy mash. Add the extras at the very end so they keep their crunch and the butter stays glossy.
I’m Ava Taylor. I’m A Self-taught Home Cook Who Loves Gordon Ramsay Recipes. I Try Every Dish In My Small Apartment Kitchen And Tweak It Until It Works. I Write Clear Steps With Simple Words So Anyone Can Follow. I Share Honest Wins, Mistakes, And Quick Tips To Help You Cook With Confidence.