The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (2024)

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Katerina

4.94 from 15 votes

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Fried Cabbage is a delicious comfort food recipe prepared with fresh cabbage and smoky bacon! It is a quick and easy side dish perfect for a weeknight meal.

The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (2)

The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe

What comes together in 10 minutes, in just one pan, and with 3 main ingredients? FRIED CABBAGE! Sweet and tender cabbage cooked with bacon results in a delicious dish great to serve alongside lamb, beef, chicken, or pork. Growing up Macedonian, during the winter, we always had cabbage dishes. From Cabbage Soup with Rice to Cabbage Rolls and this Fried Cabbage, you just couldn’t escape it. But that’s AY-OK (now it’s okay, not when I was a kid and just wanted mac and cheese like everyone else) because cabbage is rich in nutrients and promotes detoxification; it’s also packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins.

This Fried Cabbage Recipe is all about mixing it up – it’s got crunch, flavor, and the kind of side dish that leaves you wanting seconds. Thanks to a good dose of bacon, garlic, and onion, every bite is a little celebration of taste that goes great with just about any main dish you’re serving up. And because it’s so quick to prepare and made with readily available ingredients, this recipe is a practical choice for busy weeknights.

Why You Should Make This Fried Cabbage Recipe

  • Easy: With minimal ingredients and a short cooking time, this dish is perfect for busy families.
  • Nutrient-Rich: Cabbage is packed with essential vitamins and antioxidants, offering a healthy yet tasty side option.
  • Versatility: This fried cabbage pairs beautifully with various chicken, beef, or pork dishes.
  • Low-Carb Friendly: A great option for those watching their carb intake, delivering flavor without the carbs.
The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (3)
The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (4)

Ingredients for Fried Cabbage

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this tasty fried cabbage – you might already have most of these ingredients in your kitchen!

  • Thick-Cut Bacon: You’ll need to dice 4 slices of bacon.
  • Yellow Onion
  • Green Cabbage: Remove the core and coarsely chop the cabbage or shred it.
  • Garlic
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Adds a spicy kick for those who love a touch of heat.
  • Green Onions: Provides a colorful garnish and an extra layer of flavor.

How To Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon

This recipe comes together quickly. I advise you to prep your ingredients – dice the bacon, onion, garlic, and chop the cabbage – before you start to cook.

  1. Cook the diced bacon in a large nonstick skillet until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, retaining the grease in the skillet.
  2. Sauté the onion in the bacon grease until tender. Add the chopped cabbage and minced garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir until the cabbage is tender.
  3. Mix the cooked bacon back into the skillet with the cabbage mixture.
  4. Garnish with red pepper flakes and green onions before serving.
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Tips and Variations For Frying Cabbage

  • Cabbage Selection: Choose a cabbage with tight, compact leaves, which is a sign of freshness. The outer leaves should be vibrant and crisp, not wilted.
  • Shredding Technique: When cutting your cabbage, make sure to shred or chop it uniformly. This ensures even cooking.
  • Don’t overcook the cabbage. Remove the skillet from the heat as soon as the cabbage is just tender. Overcooked cabbage will result in limp, mushy, and smelly cabbage.
  • Flavor the cabbage to your taste. Add paprika to it, dried herbs, onion powder, curry powder, or whatever else you might like.
  • If you want a vegetarian dish, leave out the bacon and use 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil instead of the bacon grease.
  • Veggie Variations: Consider adding other vegetables to the mix, such as bell peppers or sliced Brussels sprouts, for added flavor and texture.

How To Serve Cabbage

Cabbageis a versatile vegetable, and it goes well with chicken, pork, beef, or whatever you like to make a hearty meal. Consider making these smothered pork chops or this pork tenderloin, and then there’s my corned beef or a juicy roast chicken.

The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (6)

Storing Leftovers

  • Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for 3 days.
  • Freezer: This dish tastes best when fresh, but you can freeze it for 2 months and then reheat it in a skillet.

More Cabbage Recipes

  • Balsamic Roasted Cabbage Steaks
  • Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw Recipes
  • Classic Southern Coleslaw
  • Roasted Vegetable Salad
  • Cabbage Cucumber Salad
  • Corned Beef and Cabbage

ENJOY!

The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (7)

Fried Cabbage

Katerina | Diethood

Fried Cabbage is a delicious comfort food recipe prepared with fresh cabbage and smoky bacon. It is a quick and easy side dish perfect for busy days.

4.94 from 15 votes

Rate this Recipe!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 small head green cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
  • sliced green onions, for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Cook the diced bacon in a large nonstick skillet set over medium heat for about 5 minutes or to a desired crispness. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and set aside, leaving the bacon grease in the skillet.

  • Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in cabbage and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is just tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.

  • Remove from heat and stir the bacon back into the skillet.

  • Garnish with red pepper flakes and green onions, and serve.

Notes

  • Cabbage: Choose a cabbage with tight, compact leaves that appear vibrant and crisp, not wilted.
  • Shredding/Chopping: When cutting your cabbage, make sure to shred or chop it uniformly. This ensures even cooking.
  • Taste As You Go: Especially when seasoning, taste as you cook. This will help you determine if you need to add more salt, pepper, or other seasonings.
  • Veggies: Add other vegetables, such as bell peppers or sliced Brussels sprouts.
  • Spice: If you like a bit of heat, consider adding a dash of chili powder or a sprinkle of cayenne.
  • Cooking Time: Be cautious not to overcook the cabbage. You want it to be tender but still retain some crispness for texture.
  • Stir: While the cabbage is frying, make sure to stir it occasionally. This will help it cook evenly and prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 148 kcal | Carbohydrates: 11 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 16 mg | Sodium: 188 mg | Potassium: 338 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 182 IU | Vitamin C: 57 mg | Calcium: 67 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American/Southern, Balkans, Macedonian, Polish

Keyword: cabbage recipe, easy side dish, fried cabbage, keto friendly recipes, low carb side dish

Did you make this recipe?Leave a Rating!

Categories:

  • Dinner Recipes
  • Lunch
  • One Pot Meals
  • Quick Dinner Ideas
  • Side Dishes
The Best Fried Cabbage Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put baking soda in cabbage? ›

Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

Why do people add sugar to cabbage? ›

“It's mass death and destruction when you heat a fruit or vegetable,” she said. Adding sugar helps keep the glue between the cells intact, she said. “It's preventing the leaking of the acid.”

What takes gas out of cabbage? ›

To reduce the likelihood of experiencing gas after eating cabbage, consider cooking it thoroughly. This can help break down the fibers and make it easier to digest. Additionally, try adding caraway seeds or fennel seeds to your cabbage dishes, as these spices are known to help reduce gas.

How do you cook cabbage without making it soggy? ›

Giving sliced wedges of cabbage a quick roasting session in the oven will help them to caramelize and get nice and crispy. Instead of getting soggy and overcooked, the cabbage will have a nice crisp texture and a more complex flavor than raw cabbage. You can also infuse cabbage with tons of flavor by braising it.

Why do you put vinegar in cabbage? ›

Green is the heartiest variety; it takes well to all cooking methods. Red can turn a funny blue color when cooked, so it's best used raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect. Savoy can be used in any recipe that calls for green cabbage.

How long to soak cabbage in baking soda? ›

Submerge the fruit or vegetables in the baking soda water. Let soak for 12 to 15 minutes. The time will help the baking soda do its job. Swish the produce around in the water or push it down several times to ensure all sides of the produce is being cleaned.

What does eating a lot of cabbage do to your body? ›

Cabbage, especially red cabbage, seems to raise levels of beta-carotene, lutein, and other heart-protective antioxidants. It also helps lower something called “oxidized” LDL, which is linked to hardening of the arteries. And since it eases inflammation, it can help prevent heart disease.

What happens to the body when you eat cabbage everyday? ›

Many studies have suggested that increasing consumption of plant-based foods like cabbage decreases the risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and overall mortality. It can also help promote a healthy complexion, increased energy, and overall lower weight.

Should diabetics avoid cabbage? ›

Cabbage can be particularly beneficial for people with diabetes, but its high nutritional value makes it a healthy choice. This vegetable is loaded with nutrients, including vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and folate, and it is also high in fiber.

Why is cabbage so hard on my stomach? ›

Cabbage and Its Cousins

Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cabbage, have the same sugars that make beans gassy. Their high fiber can also make them hard to digest. It will be easier on your stomach if you cook them instead of eating raw.

Does cabbage make you sleepy? ›

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are very good for health in general but are probably not the best thing to load up on before you head to bed. These vegetables can interfere with your ability to sleep soundly because you're likely still digesting all that fibre while trying to fall asleep.

Can dogs eat cabbage? ›

Along with other cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, cabbage is fine to snack on with your dog. Just be sure to start slow and limit their intake, since the high fiber and water content can cause an upset stomach if your pup has too much.

Why is my fried cabbage bitter? ›

Cabbage and onions contain sulfur-based compounds and enzymes that are kept apart — and nonreactive — in separate cells when the plants are whole. But when you cut the vegetables, the compounds and enzymes mix, creating pungent, bitter and foul-smelling compounds that repel insects (and people!).

Is fried cabbage healthy to eat? ›

Rich in Nutrients: Cabbage is packed with essential nutrients such as vitamins (particularly vitamin K, vitamin C, and various B vitamins), minerals (including potassium and calcium), and dietary fiber. Boiling or frying it can help retain many of these nutrients.

How do you keep cabbage crispy? ›

If you're not quite ready to use your head of cabbage, don't rinse it, put it in a plastic bag, and store it in the crisper drawer of the fridge. You will be shocked at how long it will remain vibrant and crisp.

What happens if you add baking soda to cabbage water? ›

The cabbage juice is called an indicator because it can tell you the pH of a solution based on the color that it changes. The vinegar will turn the cabbage juice red because it is an acid (acetic acid). The baking soda will turn the cabbage juice greenish-yellow because it is a base (sodium bicarbonate).

What is the disadvantage of using baking soda to vegetables? ›

This is a bad practice, however, and you should avoid adding baking soda when boiling any type of vegetable. It has various unwelcome effects, such as softening the vegetable, altering the vegetable's flavor, destroying thiamine content, and hastening the loss of vitamin C.

Why do people put baking soda in greens? ›

Baking soda is an alkali salt possessing the tenderizing and flavor-enhancing properties of regular salt. As an alkaline ingredient, it will make boiling water alkaline, effectively protecting the chlorophyll in green vegetables from breaking down.

What does baking soda do to green vegetables? ›

We got some surprising results. Baking soda does help green vegetables retain color, but it causes undesirable color changes in red cabbage—it turned blue. The science can be distilled to this: Adding baking soda to cooking water makes it slightly alkaline, which stabilizes the green color of chlorophyll.

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