Celery & Cabbage Bake
Submitted by jewelhurd
Cabbage and celery baked in a creamy beer-cheddar sauce with caraway seeds. A hearty vegetable casserole that makes a satisfying side or a cozy meatless main.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThis old-school bake is the kind of dish your German grandmother would’ve had bubbling away on a Sunday afternoon. Humble cabbage and celery get the royal treatment here.
Boiled until just tender, then smothered in a from-scratch beer and cheddar sauce that’s nutty, sharp, and ever-so-slightly hoppy. Caraway seeds thread through every bite with that unmistakable earthy warmth.
It bakes up golden and bubbly, filling the kitchen with the kind of aroma that pulls everyone to the table before you even call them.
Variations
- Toss in chunks of leftover ham or corned beef to turn it into a hearty one-dish dinner
- Swap the cheddar for Gruyere or smoked Gouda for a deeper, more complex sauce
- Top with buttered breadcrumbs before baking for an extra crunchy crust
Kitchen Tips
- Drain the boiled vegetables really well so the sauce doesn’t get watered down
- Add the milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly to avoid lumps in the sauce
- A lager or pale ale works best here. Skip anything too bitter or hoppy since it can overpower the cheese
Ingredients
Directions
Bring water to boil in large pot.
Add cabbage, celery, salt and caraway.
Boil 5 min, drain well.
Sauce: melt butter, add flour and cook, stirring 1 min.
Slowly add milk in stream, stirring continuosly until sauce is smooth and thick.
Add beer and continue stirring until foam disappears.
Cook until heated through.
Add cheddar, stir until melted. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
Transfer to buttered 2 qt casserole and pour sauce over.
Heat at 350℉ (180℃) for 30 min.
VARIATION: Can add chunks of cooked ham or corned beef to vegetables.
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