Caramelized Cabbage With Spiced-Braised Beans

Asha Loupy of Diaspora Co. brought our Bean People members a cozy braised beans recipe featuring caramelized cabbage and their warming Hawaij Masala, a fragrant blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. Now, we're sharing it for everyone to enjoy! Our Flor de Mayo beans soak up the spices beautifully, while wedges of caramelized cabbage roast until they're silky and sumptuous. A bright cilantro-serrano herb sauce ties it all together for a dish that's sure to wow your dinner guests.

Creator notes

Diaspora Co.'s Hawaij Masala is perfect for cold-weather cooking, bringing deeply spiced depth to long braises, stews, and, of course, pots of beans. Here, it's used as a cozy base along with onions, carrots, ginger, and garlic for Flor de Mayo, which have a nutty taste and firm, supple texture. While we love this dish with Primary Beans Flor de Mayo, this recipe works with a variety of beans, especially ones that result in a good potlikker, try it with other beans that have a rich, hearty flavor, like Peruano, Southwest Gold or Red, or Speckled Bayo.

– Asha Loupy (@fromheadtotable)

Why This Recipe Works

What makes this dish so successful is how it layers warm, complex spices with sweet caramelized cabbage and bright, fresh herb sauce. The Hawaij Masala, "a fragrant blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg", creates depth and warmth. The cabbage wedges caramelize until "silky and sumptuous," adding sweetness and textural contrast. The cilantro-serrano sauce provides brightness that cuts through the rich, spiced beans.

As Asha describes, this is "perfect for cold-weather cooking," bringing the kind of deeply satisfying flavors you crave when it's cold outside. Yet the bright herb sauce keeps it from feeling heavy.

The Star: Flor de Mayo Beans

Let's talk about Flor de Mayo beans and why they're perfect for this spiced braise. These beautiful Mexican beans (their name means "May flower") have a nutty taste and firm, supple texture, as Asha notes.

What makes Flor de Mayo beans ideal for this preparation is their firm texture that holds up through long braising without falling apart, their nutty flavor that complements warm spices beautifully, and their ability to create good potlikker (flavorful cooking liquid).

When braised with Hawaij Masala, aromatic vegetables, and stock, these beans absorb the complex spice blend while maintaining their distinctive texture and contributing to a rich, flavorful broth.

The Diaspora Co. Collaboration

This recipe was created by Asha Loupy of Diaspora Co., a company known for sourcing exceptional, fairly-traded, single-origin spices. Their Hawaij Masala is a Yemeni spice blend traditionally used in soups and stews, bringing warming complexity that's perfect for bean dishes.

The collaboration between Primary Beans and Diaspora Co. makes sense, both companies prioritize quality, transparency, and the stories behind their products. This recipe showcases how exceptional beans and exceptional spices elevate each other.

The Cabbage Caramelization

Cut a head of Savoy or green cabbage in half, then each half into thirds through the core, creating six wedges. Keeping the core intact is important, it holds the wedges together during cooking.

Heat a quarter cup of olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the cabbage wedges, working in batches if necessary, until deep brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

This deep browning is essential. You're not just wilting the cabbage, you're caramelizing it, creating sweet, complex flavors through the Maillard reaction. The cabbage should be "deep brown," not pale golden. Transfer the caramelized wedges to a plate and set aside.

Building the Spice Base

Reduce heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add finely diced onion, carrots, garlic, ginger, and fine sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onions start turning light golden around the edges, 11 to 14 minutes.

This slow cooking develops sweet vegetable flavors that become the foundation for the spices.

Stir in tomato paste, Hawaij Masala, and a quarter cup of water. Cook, stirring frequently, until most of the water has evaporated and the tomato paste has turned "a couple shades darker", 3 to 5 minutes.

This technique, cooking tomato paste until it darkens, concentrates its flavor and removes any raw taste, while the water helps distribute the spices evenly.

The Braising Process

Drain the soaked beans (they've soaked 2 to 8 hours) and add them to the pot along with vegetable or chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to a 350°F oven.

Bake until the beans are 75% cooked through, tender yet still with bite in the center, 1.5 to 2 hours. This timing ensures the beans won't overcook when you add the cabbage and continue baking.

Nestle in the caramelized cabbage wedges, spooning some of the flavorful broth over each wedge. Cover and continue baking until the cabbage is cooked through and "starts to slump", 20 to 30 minutes.

Increase heat to 400°F and continue baking uncovered until the tops of the cabbage are burnished and the broth has reduced by one-third, 15 to 20 minutes more. This final high-heat blast caramelizes the cabbage tops and concentrates the sauce.

The Cilantro-Serrano Sauce

During the last 15 minutes of cooking, make the herb sauce. Combine finely chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped serrano pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir to combine, taste, and adjust salt if needed.

This bright, fresh, slightly spicy sauce is what "ties it all together." The cilantro provides herby freshness, the serrano adds heat, and the lemon brings acidity that cuts through the rich, spiced beans and sweet cabbage.

It's served generously over the top, not mixed in, so each person gets that bright contrast with every bite.

About Hawaij Masala

Hawaij (pronounced ha-WA-ij) is a traditional Yemeni spice blend used in soups, stews, and coffee. The version Diaspora Co. makes includes cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg, warming spices that create complexity without overwhelming heat.

If you can't find Hawaij Masala, you could make your own blend with these spices, though Diaspora Co.'s version is specifically formulated and worth seeking out.

The Potlikker

Asha mentions beans "that result in a good potlikker", Southern terminology for the flavorful cooking liquid from beans or greens. Good potlikker is what makes bean dishes memorable, it's the liquid you want to soak up with bread or spoon over rice.

Flor de Mayo beans create excellent potlikker, especially when cooked with aromatics and spices. That flavorful broth is part of what makes this dish special.

Serving Suggestions

Serve from a platter or directly from the pan. Spoon "a liberal amount" of cilantro sauce over each cabbage wedge. Finish with a dollop of sour cream or labne (if desired) and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

The sour cream or labne adds cooling creaminess that balances the spices, while the flaky salt provides final seasoning and textural interest.

Dinner Party Worthy

This is described as a dish that's "sure to wow your dinner guests," and it delivers. The presentation is beautiful, caramelized cabbage wedges nestled in spiced beans, topped with vibrant green herb sauce. The flavors are complex and sophisticated. Yet the technique is straightforward, mostly hands-off braising with some careful timing.

Bean Versatility

Asha notes this "works with a variety of beans, especially ones that result in a good potlikker." She suggests Peruano, Southwest Gold or Red, or Speckled Bayo as alternatives.

This flexibility means you can make this recipe with whatever beans you have or prefer, as long as they're substantial enough for long braising and create flavorful cooking liquid.

Cold Weather Comfort

As Asha describes, Hawaij Masala is "perfect for cold-weather cooking." This dish embodies that, it's warming, spiced, braised in the oven, the kind of food that makes cold days feel cozy.

The bright herb sauce keeps it from being too heavy, but the overall effect is deeply comforting.

A Special Collaboration

This recipe represents a collaboration between two companies committed to quality and transparency, Primary Beans and Diaspora Co. It showcases how exceptional ingredients from different categories (beans and spices) can come together to create something memorable.

Caramelized Cabbage With Spiced-Braised Beans

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Category

Main Course

Cuisine

Middle Eastern-Inspired

Creator notes Diaspora Co.'s Hawaij Masala is perfect for cold-weather cooking, bringing deeply spiced depth to long braises, stews, and, of course, pots of beans. Here, it's used as a cozy base along with onions, carrots, ginger, and garlic for Flor de Mayo, which have a nutty taste and firm, supple texture.

– Asha Loupy (@fromheadtotable)

Featured bean: Flor de Mayo

Other beans to try: Peruano, Southwest Gold, Southwest Red, Speckled Bayo

Ingredients

• ½ pound Flor de Mayo, or dried beans of your choice

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• 1 head Savoy or green cabbage

• ½ cup, plus 3 tablespoons, extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 white onion, finely diced

• 1 large carrot or 2 medium carrots, finely diced

• 4 garlic cloves

• ½-inch ginger, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons Diaspora Co. Hawaij Masala

• 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 2 teaspoons Surya Salt

• 1 cup finely chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems

• 1 to 2 serrano peppers, finely chopped

• Zest of 2 lemon (about 2 to 3 teaspoons)

• ¼ cup lemon juice (from about 1½ to 2 lemons)

• Sour cream or labne, for serving (optional)

• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

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Directions

1. Place dried beans in a colander, pick through for stones, rinse, and transfer to a large bowl. Cover with cold water and let soak for at least 2 hours, up to 8 hours. When you're ready to make the beans, preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Meanwhile, cut the cabbage in half and then each half in thirds through the core, so you have six wedges. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown cabbage, working in batches, if necessary, until deep brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the caramelized cabbage to a plate or sheet pan and set aside.

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add 3 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. When shimmering, add the onion, carrots, garlic, ginger and ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onions start to turn light golden around the edges, 11 to 14 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, hawaij masala, and ¼ cup water, and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the water has evaporated and the tomato paste has turned a couple shades darker, 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot along with the vegetable or chicken stock and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Bake until the beans are 75% cooked through and are tender yet still have a bite in the center, 1½ to 2 hours. Nestle in the cabbage wedges, spooning some of the broth over the top of each wedge, cover, and continue to bake until the cabbage is cooked through and starts to slump, 20 to 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 400°F and continue to bake until the tops of the cabbage are burnished and the broth has reduced by one-third, 15 to 20 minutes more.

5. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, make the sauce. Combine the cilantro, finely chopped serrano, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining ¼ cup olive oil and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt, if necessary. Set aside.

6. To serve, transfer to a serving platter, or serve directly out of the pan. Spoon a liberal amount of the cilantro sauce over the top of each wedge and finish each serving with a dollop of sour cream or labne, if desired, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.