Braised Red Cabbage

Braised Red Cabbage—a German side dish—is sweet and sour and delicious all over!

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Red cabbage might be one of the great underrated vegetable side dishes. Braised cabbage, in particular, is popular in German restaurants and in the U.K. It’s considered comfort food and is most popular during winter months. Fortunately, you don’t have to go overseas or visit a German restaurant to eat braised red cabbage because it’s easy to make at home. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can make your own braised cabbage, giving you a sweet ‘n’ sour side dish fit for a special occasion.

If you’re skeptical about the taste of cabbage, don’t be. This recipe contains a lot more healthy and delicious ingredients than just cabbage, including onion, apple, and cinnamon. This helps create a diverse flavor profile, especially once you let all of the ingredients braise together for an hour. You’ll be amazed at how tasty and nutritious braised red cabbage can be, as it can serve as the perfect side dish for a wide variety of meals.

Once the dish has won you over, there is a lot you can do with it. At first, you may want to keep things simple by going with a cabbage salad or perhaps cabbage soup, but don’t be intimidated by slightly more complicated fare like keto cabbage rolls. If you don’t mind something a little spicier, you can try shredded cabbage salad with apples and curry.

Is Braised Red Cabbage Healthy?

Braised red cabbage is a healthy side dish for virtually any diet. It’s gluten-free, keto friendly, and vegan friendly. It contains almost a day’s worth of vitamin C, as well as vitamin A, fiber, and antioxidants. Also, thanks to the cabbage, onion, and apples, the dish offers multiple servings of fruits and vegetables.

Be Sure to Plan Ahead

For the best results, prepare this cabbage dish the day before you plan to eat it. By giving the dish a night in the fridge, the ingredients have an opportunity to get to know each other, creating stronger flavors. You should also make sure that the pot used for braising is big enough to comfortably fit all of the ingredients, thus making it easier to mix everything together and for the ingredients to cook evenly. This will add to the texture and flavor of the dish when it’s ready to be eaten.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium red cabbage, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 apples, cored and sliced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

INSTRUCTIONS

Sauté

Cook onions until soft.

Combine

Add cabbage, apples, and seasoning; stir.

Braise

Simmer covered, stirring occasionally.

Season & Serve

Adjust taste and enjoy.

Devour

FAQs & Tips

How do I prep and store this cabbage?

As mentioned, it’s a good idea to make braised red cabbage the day before it’s consumed. It will be good in the fridge for at least 2 days. It can also be frozen for up to a month.

What’s the difference between red cabbage and green cabbage?

Red cabbage tends to be a little tougher, meaning you will need to cook it a little longer than you would green cabbage.

Serving Suggestions

Braised red cabbage can be used as a side dish for a variety of meals, including sausages and roasted meats. Specifically, try it with a German dish like air fryer brats. It will also go well with oven-baked chicken thighs or homemade orange chicken. Cabbage complements pork dishes, including air fryer pork tenderloin and even Asian Instant Pot pork tenderloin, so be sure to give them a try.