There are dishes that sound, on paper, as if they’re going to be too earnest for their own good. Cabbage. Lentils. Mustard. You can practically hear the sensible shoes squeaking. And yet, when you bring them together properly, they turn into something that feels not only comforting, but quietly thrilling. Can a plant led plate, really taste this good?!
These warm mustard lentils are the heart of it. Not a dry, dutiful pile, but glossy and rich, with that pleasing bite of Dijon and the faint tang that makes everything taste more alive. Then you add the charred cabbage, edges dark and caramelised, inner leaves tender and sweet. Suddenly the whole thing is more than the sum of its worthy parts. It’s bold and it’s daring.
And yes, I’m going to say it, the combination is a stroke of culinary masterclass. If I do say so myself.
Roasty, Toasty Cabbage.
Roasting cabbage wedges until they’re deeply bronzed feels like cheating, because the oven does most of the work. The outer leaves become crisp and almost smoky, while the middle turns silky and sweet. Importantly, you want proper colour here, because that char is flavour.
Cabbage can be shy, of course. However, once it’s roasted like this, it becomes dramatic in the best way. It stands up to mustard. It holds its own against eggs and it even makes breadcrumbs feel necessary rather than decorative.
And when all put together? Sen-bloody-sational!
Jammy eggs and crispy crumbs
Now we get to the good part. Jammy eggs are, in my view, the great equaliser. They turn a pile of vegetables and mustard lentils into dinner-dinner. When you cut into them, the yolk mingles with the mustard dressing and becomes its own sauce.
Then there are the crumbs, crisp, golden, garlicky, and so necessary they should come with a warning label. They add crunch, warmth, and that toasty savouriness that makes you keep scattering “just a little more”.
It’s the contrast that matters, soft mustard lentils, silky yolk, charred cabbage, and those brittle crumbs that crackle as you eat.
A plant-based plate that holds its own
This is where plant-based plates really do hold their own. Because this isn’t a consolation meal or a “good for you” dinner you eat while wishing you were indeed eating something else.
Oh no. This Charred Cabbage & Warm Mustard Lentils dish is full of texture. It’s full of flavour and it’s genuinely satisfying.
So, if the idea of mustard lentils gives you pause, I implore you to try it anyway. Make it once, and you’ll see. The flavours settle into each other, the eggs do their righteous work, and the charred cabbage makes the whole plate taste like it belongs together.
Try these next on Hey Lolly Salmon & Fennel Gnocchi Bake for creamy, chuck-it-in comfort, or my Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas and Caesar Dressing when you want another bowl of plant based satisfaction — a different mood, but the same righteous energy!
