Fried Cabbage
This easy Fried Cabbage recipe proves you only need a few basic ingredients to turn this budget-friendly vegetable into something that will have even the skeptics coming back for seconds. With sweet onions and crispy bacon for tons of flavor, it’s all brightened up with a squeeze of lemon juice. Perfect to whip up on a busy weeknight or share at a potluck.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
This fried cabbage recipe has quickly become one of our go-to side dishes when we want something comforting and cozy but also need a vegetable. It’s made with basic ingredients and, when you first look at the recipe, it may not seem like much. Perhaps a little too simple to really be THAT good, even. But the end result is savory and comforting, without being too heavy or salty, and with lots of flavor.
Before this recipe, I didn’t cook a lot of cabbage, except for corned beef and cabbage a couple of times a year, stirred into my egg roll in a bowl, and coleslaw in the summer (though I’m not sure that counts since there’s no cooking involved). But once I realized how easy it was to turn a very overlooked veggie into something everyone in the family enjoyed, it really became a staple in our veggie side dish rotation.
Why This Fried Cabbage Recipe Is A Family Favorite
- 5 main ingredients. I love any recipe with a short and sweet ingredients list, and this one certainly delivered.
- Quick & easy. This dish comes together in less than 30 minutes, with just a few simple steps. It’s easy to prepare this while grilling or air frying some meat to make a complete dinner.
- Lots of savory flavor. I wanted to make sure there was lots of flavor in my version, so I added both yellow onion and garlic. The bacon also adds some salty flavor, and that final squeeze of lemon juice really brings it all together.
Ingredient Notes
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
- Bacon – Any bacon works, though thick-cut will give you bigger chunks of bacon in the dish.
- Yellow onion – Sliced thinly so it sautes easily. It adds a nice, sweet touch to the cabbage.
- Garlic – Freshly minced is ideal.
- Cabbage – Remember to remove the core. It will look like a lot of cabbage when you chop it, but it cooks down quite a bit.
- Light brown sugar – Helps balance any bitterness from the cabbage and adds a bit of sweetness.
- Salt & pepper – I highly recommend using kosher salt. If you use normal table or sea salt, use half the amount. Add more salt to taste. Remember, the bacon will also add saltiness.
- Lemon juice – The acidity of the lemon juice helps cut through the richness of the dish and brightens it up a bit.
How To Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon
This recipe makes such an easy side dish, even on busy weeknights. The printable instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the bacon. Cook the bacon over medium heat for about 6-7 minutes, until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the grease, leaving 3-4 tablespoons in the pan.
- Sauté the aromatics. Sauté the sliced onion in the bacon grease for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic cloves and sauté for another minute.
- Cook the cabbage. Add the cabbage, sugar, salt, and pepper to the pan. Cook for 7-9 minutes, stirring every few minutes until the cabbage is tender.
- Combine & enjoy. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cabbage. Return the bacon to the pan and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
Here are a few tips for making this easy fried cabbage with bacon, as well as some ways to switch it up.
- Core the cabbage. Remember that the center of the cabbage is thick and tough. While you can cut through it, it won’t cook down, and it doesn’t taste great.
- Add salt to taste. I recommend starting with less salt and adding more as the cabbage cooks down, especially if you are sensitive to salt. It’s necessary for flavor, but bacon can be pretty salty. Definitely use less if you are using sea salt or table salt.
- Fry in oil or butter. If you don’t want to fry with bacon grease, you can remove all of it and use olive oil or butter instead.
- Add sausage. To make this fried cabbage into a heartier dish, you can swap the bacon for ground sausage or kielbasa-type sausage. Ground sausage will create grease as the bacon does, but if you use kielbasa, you’ll want to add some butter.
- Spice it up. If you prefer a bit of heat, add some red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce with the salt and pepper. Smoked paprika is also a great option for some warm, smoky flavor.
How To Store Leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover fried cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy within 3 days. It will not freeze well.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.
Make It A Meal
- As an entree: This fried cabbage recipe can easily be enjoyed as a meal itself. Serve over noodles (gluten-free, if needed), rice, or mashed potatoes.
- With a weeknight meal: It’s quick to serve alongside garlic butter pork chops, and even steak bites.
- For weekends or holidays: Despite bring simple and affordable, there’s no reason you can’t serve it with a Sunda lemon roasted chicken, or with your St. Patrick’s Day crockpot corned beef, if you prefer to cook your cabbage separately.
- Share at a potluck: It fits in nicely alongside classics like gluten free corn casserole and gluten free baked mac and cheese or other veggies like creamy cucumber salad for dishes to share with family and friends.
Fried Cabbage
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bacon , chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion , sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 pounds green cabbage , cut into bite-sized pieces (about a medium cabbage, cored)
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- In a large high-sided skillet or heavy-bottomed pot, fry the 8 ounces bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 6-7 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain all but 3-4 tablespoons of the grease.
- Add the 1 medium yellow onion to the reserved bacon grease and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the 3 cloves garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
- Add the 2 pounds green cabbage, 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the pan and sauté, stirring every few minutes until the cabbage is tender, about 7-9 minutes.
- Squeeze the ½ tablespoon lemon juice over the top and toss with the cooked bacon. Serve warm.
Notes
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