The humble cabbage turns into a masterpiece side dish in just 30 minutes with this fried cabbage recipe! The cabbage caramelizes slightly, developing a natural sweetness as it sautés in olive oil or butter. Add in smoky bacon and a splash of apple cider vinegar for subtle tang, and it’s A+!
Fried cabbage is all the things: sweet, smoky, salty and tangy. Whether you’re here to make this Southern classic, or if you’re celebrating St. Patrick’s Day along with Beer Cheese and Colcannon Potatoes – or if you just want a darn good side dish – you’ve found your winner. Simply chop up a green cabbage, and “fry” it in olive oil or butter along with a generous amount of onion and garlic.
Once your cabbage just starts to brown and it’s tender-crisp, throw in your bacon bits, a dash of smoked paprika to enhance that smokiness, and splash of cider vinegar to cut the richness. You’re going to flip!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy, one-pot side dish: this fried cabbage recipe takes only 30 minutes from start to on-the-table!
- Flavor-packed: we aren’t skimping on flavor here.
- Delicious leftovers: fried cabbage keeps really well for several days!
Fried Cabbage Ingredients
- Green cabbage – look for a standard green cabbage. Choose a medium one, about 2 ½ pounds in weight, to make sure the quantities of the other ingredients are right for this recipe!
- Bacon – I use applewood smoked bacon that’s slightly sweet and smoky, but feel free to use your favorite type of bacon. Want to make a vegetarian version of fried cabbage? No problem! Double the smoked paprika so you still have nice, smoky undertones.
- Sweet onion – sweet onion adds just that…a bit of sweetness and mild onion flavor.
- Garlic – who doesn’t love a little garlic in just about everything?
- Extra virgin olive oil – olive oil helps sauté and caramelize the cabbage. You can also use butter if you’d like, or even the bacon grease, to fry your cabbage.
- Apple cider vinegar – a touch of tang cuts the richness. Apple cider vinegar is a great complement to the sweetness of the cabbage. Don’t have it? A splash of white wine vinegar or sherry wine vinegar is great too!
- Smoked paprika – a sprinkle of smoked paprika enhances the smokiness of the bacon. Yum.
How to Make Fried Cabbage
Whip up the best fried cabbage in just a few steps. You’ll never want cabbage any other way again! This is an outline; the full recipe is in the recipe card.
Chop the cabbage. Slice cabbage into quarters and cut out the core. Chop.
Cook the bacon. In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy over medium-high heat.
Drain the bacon. Use a slotted spoon to drain the bacon and set aside.
Drain the pot. Drain the grease out of pot, leaving just the drippings.
Fry the cabbage. Add the olive oil, cabbage, onion, and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat, tossing every minute, for 9-13 minutes until the cabbage just starts to caramelize and is tender-crisp.
Add the seasonings. Add vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Toss.
Serve! Add bacon, toss again, and enjoy!
Watch How to Make Fried Cabbage: Video
Serving Suggestions
You can serve fried cabbage as a veggie side dish to pretty much any main! Here are some of my favorite entrées to pair with it:
FAQs
Rinse a medium cabbage, pat dry, and slice into quarters. Cut out the core from each quarter. Then chop into roughly ½ inch pieces. Now you’re ready to start cookin’!
While the bacon won’t be quite as crisp, fried cabbage keeps really well. Store leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container once cooled completely, for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave, in increments of 30 seconds, stirring every increment until hot. Or reheat on the stovetop, in a covered pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Re-moisten with a splash of olive oil if needed!
I don’t recommend freezing fried cabbage. Unfortunately it can become watery when thawed, and the bacon will get soggy.
More Easy Veggie Side Dishes You’ll Love!
Snacks & Side Dishes
Sautéed Broccoli With Garlic and Lemon
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Roasted Zucchini With Lemon & Garlic
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Best Pea Salad
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10-Minute Sautéed Spinach
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Italian Roasted Green Beans
If you’ve tried this Fried Cabbage Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you are here!
Easy Fried Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 medium head green cabbage, about 2 ½ pound cabbage
- 12 ounces applewood smoked bacon, or your favorite bacon, diced
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, or butter
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Slice cabbage into quarters and cut out the core from each quarter. Then chop, and set aside.
- In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy over medium-high heat, tossing often.
- Use a slotted spoon to drain the bacon and set aside in a paper towel-lined bowl.
- Drain the grease out of pot, leaving just the drippings (bacon bits).
- Add the olive oil, cabbage, onion, and garlic. Sauté over medium-high heat, tossing every minute (not more or less for proper caramelization), for 9-13 minutes until the cabbage just starts to caramelize and is tender-crisp.
- Turn heat off, and add vinegar, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Toss.
- Add bacon bits, toss again, and serve!
Video
Notes
- This recipe is perfect for a medium, 2 ½ pound cabbage. If the cabbage is smaller or larger, the quantities of the other ingredients may be off!
- You can use the bacon grease to “fry” your cabbage instead of olive oil or butter if you’d like!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Incredible!!! I love the addition of bacon in this and will never go back!
😀 Woohoo!!
Grace