In this perfect Braised Cabbage dish, caramelized cabbage and onions are paired with kale and sweet-tart apples to create the perfect side full of delicious flavors.
Recipe by Stefani of Savor and Sage.
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Hey there! My name is Stefani Renee and I’m the creator of Savor and Sage. I inherited a love of cooking, throwing parties, telling stories, and creating a beautiful lifestyle from my Granny Octavia; Savor and Sage is a celebration of all of those things.
My tribe hails from the South but I’m a Cali girl so my style of cooking is a heavy dose of southern charm and flavor with some California love. My Braised Cabbage and Kale is one of my favorite dishes to cook and is a riff on my Granny’s fried cabbage. This dish is deeply flavorful and a great vegan option but if you need some bacon in your life, I got you covered so keep reading.
Perks and Highlights of the Best Braised Cabbage
Cuisine Inspiration: Soulful Southern with a Touch of Sweetness This isn’t just your grandmother’s braised cabbage; we’re talking a dish that sings with notes of Southern comfort food, intertwined with the unexpected sweetness of apple and a sassy kick from red pepper flakes. It’s tradition, with a delightful twist!
Primary Cooking Method: Braising Ah, braising! That slow cooking method that infuses our cabbage and kale with so much flavor, they practically melt in your mouth. It’s all about that low heat and slow rhythm, letting the ingredients sway together until they’re perfectly tender.
Dietary Info: Omnivore’s Delight (with Vegetarian Options) While the bacon adds a smoky depth that’s tough to beat, our plant-based friends can skip it or opt for a smoky tempeh to keep things 100% vegetarian without losing that flavorful punch.
Key Flavor: Smoky, Sweet, with a Hint of Heat Imagine this: smoky bacon, the earthy greens of cabbage and kale, the sweetness of apple, a touch of brown sugar, and a spark of red pepper flakes. It’s a symphony of flavors that just makes your taste buds dance!
Skill Level: Easy Peasy Don’t you worry about difficulty; if you can chop, stir, and show some patience, you’ve got this in the bag. It’s about letting the heat do the work and the flavors do the talking.
Special Perks:
Complexity in Each Bite: This isn’t a one-note dish; it’s a full-on flavor concert. Every forkful brings a new experience, keeping your palate guessing and your plate full.
Nutrient-Rich: With cabbage and kale as the stars, you’re getting a hefty dose of vitamins and fiber. Who said delicious couldn’t be nutritious?
Comfort Food with Flair: It’s everything you love about comfort food – warmth, flavor, and that feel-good vibe – but with a level of sophistication from the blend of sweet and spicy.
Versatile Side or Main: Serve it up beside your main dish, or let it shine on its own. It’s flexible and ready to adapt to your meal planning.
Crowd-Pleaser: This dish has something for everyone. It’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s spicy. It’s a surefire hit at your next family dinner or potluck.
I love cabbage and it just doesn’t get the love it deserves. Cabbage is one of the most underrated greens, usually getting over shadowed by super star greens like kale, but don’t sleep on cabbage. Cabbage is super versatile, it’s a value vegetable, and can go a long way. Cabbage is also packed with nutrients—like almost all vegetables—and is a good source of fiber, iron, vitamin C and vitamin K. With the combined green powers of cabbage and kale, you’re still riding the health train even if you sprinkle some bacon on this dish.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil or Bacon Fat: We’re starting this party with the good stuff. If you’re team bacon, save that precious fat after frying for a smoky base. Otherwise, olive oil kicks things off with a smooth start!
- Cabbage: The belle of the ball! A head of this crunchy goodness, cored and chopped, ready to soak up all those glorious flavors.
- Kale: Bringing in the cool kid on the block. Stemmed, chopped, and ready to add some earthy tones and nutrient power.
- Yellow Onion: Slice up some sweetness with this kitchen staple. It’s here to lay down those foundational flavors.
- Broth: Whether you’re all about veggie vibes or a chicken connoisseur, a cup of broth ensures everything gets nice and cozy.
- Apple: Sweetness alert! Go for Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Granny Smith; just make sure it’s cored and sliced. Think of it as the secret melody in this culinary symphony.
- Butter: Oh, we’re bringing in the big guns. Dairy or vegan, butter makes everything better – it’s a fact.
- Brown Sugar: Just a teaspoon, light or dark. We’re not making dessert, but a touch of sweetness balances things like a charm.
- Apple Cider: Splash in the good stuff (up to 3 tablespoons, if you’re feeling it). It’s a nod to the apple and a perfect tangy twist.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Who likes a little heat? A quarter teaspoon gives this dish a gentle kick.
- Celery Seed: Don’t sleep on this one; a quarter teaspoon adds a depth that’ll make you go, “Hmm, what’s that?”
- Salt & Pepper: Classic seasonings for a classic dish. You know the drill – to taste!
- Bacon (optional): For our meat lovers – crisp it, chop it, and if you’re up for the challenge, try not to snack on it before it hits the pot.
How to Make Braised Cabbage
Braising isn’t just for meat. This slow-cooking method—which combines searing/sauteing (dry heat) then cooking slow in a small amount of liquid (moist heat)—can be used for a variety of vegetables. The gentle cooking in this recipe helps to caramelize and deepen the flavors of the cabbage and onions so their natural sweetness shines. Layer that with the earthiness of kale, some quick fried apples, and a little tang from vinegar, this dish is a sweet and savory harvest. Here’s how you cook it:
- Cut your cabbage in half and remove the core. Place half the head on a cutting board, cut side down, slice it crosswise into 4 wide ribbons, rotate the head and cut the ribbons into cubes. Repeat for the other half.
- Rough chop your kale; thinly slice onion; and slice apples in the shape of half moons, no need to peel.
- Warm your oil/bacon drippings over medium heat
- Add onions and cabbage and let them caramelize and get slightly golden, about 20+ minutes; add broth then kale.
- Start apple “sauce” by combining the apple cider vinegar, sugar, butter and apples; and add to greens.
- Viola!
Tips
- You’ll need a large heavy bottomed skillet like a cast iron or Dutch oven that holds at least 3.5-4 quarts
- This is a great vegan dish. However, bacon is a wonderful addition! Brown 4-5 slices of bacon in skillet/pot; remove bacon and chop; cook onions and cabbage in bacon drippings, instead of the 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the dish is finished, sprinkle with bacon.
FAQs
What type of apple should I use?
You want your apples to be sweet, tart and not break down too quickly when cooking so apples like Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith are ideal.
Can I use any type of Kale?
Yes! Any type of kale is good for this recipe. I like using lacinato kale—aka dinosaur kale, tuscan kale, black kale— because it’s great for braising, has an earthy and nutty flavor, has a hint of sweetness and isn’t as bitter as other varieties of kale. You’ll commonly find curly at the market but if you can find lacinato kale, which has dark flatter leaves, go for it!
Don’t like kale?
No worries. Use chard or collards. If using collards, cut them in small-ish pieces and add to the pot at the same time as the cabbage. Collards are tougher than kale and need more time to break down.
Want a shortcut?
Grab a bag of pre-cut/shredded cabbage or kale in your produce aisle. If cabbage or kale is shredded you may need to adjust your cooking time because shredded greens will cook faster.
My favorite recipes are those where you only need a few simple ingredients to make something magical and soulful and this dish fits the bill. Have a bowl with some cornbread or pair it with chicken, pork or fish. However you decide to eat it, your belly will be satisfied. Are you ready to eat yet? Let’s go!
What to Serve With Braised Cabbage
You can serve this amazing cabbage recipe with these Fried Oyster Mushrooms or my Vegan Fried Chicken.
More Greens Recipes to Try
If you love this recipe, you will also love this Green Bean Casserole, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens, and Creamed Spinach.
Braised Cabbage and Kale
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil if using bacon, use reserved bacon fat
- 1 small head of cabbage cored and chopped
- 1 bunch of kale stemmed and chopped
- 1 small yellow onion sliced
- 1 cup broth vegetable or chicken
- 1 large apple cored and sliced/Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith
- 2 tbsp butter dairy or vegan
- 1 tsp brown sugar light or dark is fine
- 2 tbsp apple cider up to 3/ optional
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 bacon slices optional: cooked, chopped with fat reserved/ up to 5
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet, Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium high heat, add oil. Once oil is heated, add onion and cook 2-3 minute, until onions start to soften.
- Add cabbage and season with pepper flakes, celery seed and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine onion and cabbage and add ½ cup of broth. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 17 to 20 minutes. minutes. Cabbage and onion will start to caramelize. During this time check and stir to ensure cabbage and onion are not sticking. Add a little more broth to prevent sticking.
- Add kale, remaining broth, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir, cover with lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- While kale and cabbage are cooking, start on apples.
- In a small skillet melt butter, vinegar, sugar over medium high heat. Add apples. Give a good toss so apples are coated. Cook about 2-3 minutes, until apples are crisp-tender.
- Gently combine apples with cabbage and kale. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Remove from heat and place cabbage and kale into a serving bowl. Top with chopped bacon if desired.
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I’ve only seen apples with cabbage in German cuisine. I’m southern and have eaten a lot of cabbage. Curious, did the addition of apple come from your southern roots or from your Cali experience? Can’t wait to try this!
Oh yum! What an incredible variety of flavors! I especially love the addition of the caramelized cabbage and onion.
Loved how easy this braised cabbage was! So flavorful as well.
Brown sugar, apples, oh my how could this not be delicious! Need to try this
I am loving all the colors and flavors in this delicious dish! Excited to enjoy this with dinner tonight, indeed!
Such a beautiful way to enjoy cabbage! Can’t wait to try it!
I love how easy you make cooking look. You are a joy to have in my kitchen 🙂