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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
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.
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.
- Cook the diced bacon in a large nonstick skillet until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside, retaining the grease in the skillet.
- 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.
- Mix the cooked bacon back into the skillet with the cabbage mixture.
- Garnish with red pepper flakes and green onions before serving.
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
Cabbage is 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.
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!
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Fried Cabbage
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
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.
I love how simple this is to make but it’s oh so tasty too! One of our favorites!
I love cooking with cabbage. There are so many great dishes it makes; including this one!
This looks so yummy! I love cabbage and who could say no to bacon! I am going to try this out next week for sure. Thanks so much for sharing!
This is such a great side dish, so yummy
Such a tasty and super easy side dish. Bacon makes everything better!
I make this all the time and it’s sooooo delicious!!!
Such a great an easy side dish!
It took me a while to try cabbage and now I love it! The addition of the bacon is awesome 🙂
This was a great side dish with dinner last night! Quick, easy and flavorful-yum!
Does the cabbage have a bad smell when frying?
Hi!
No, I don’t think it’s a bad smell at all.. it’s a sweet smell combined with bacon. 😊
When you fry cabbage it does not smell !!! Just don’t cook it all day. My husband asked why my cabbage did not smell and his mother’s smelled the entire house up. (She boiled her cabbage ALL day long) oh and no bacon. Use Katrina’s recipe!