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Southern Fried Cabbage
This Southern-fried cabbage recipe is a simple, savory, and smoky side dish that tastes great, takes no time to make, and is full of flavor!
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Southern-fried cabbage is a simple, savory, and smoky side dish that tastes great and takes no time to make! It’s not actually deep-fried, so don’t let the name put you off. Rather, the cabbage is sautéed and stewed with lots of seasonings.
This easy to make recipe is the perfect side dish for any of your weeknight dinner recipes.
MORE RECIPES: Strawberry Southern Sweet Tea | Cabbage Dinner Recipes | Egg Roll In A Bowl | Cabbage Rolls
Southern-fried cabbage with bacon is easy and pairs well with almost anything. Since it’s “Southern,” a classic way to serve Southern bacon fried cabbage is with fried chicken and cornbread. It’s also fantastic with creole flavorings and rice.
Don’t let the Southern theme stop you from trying it with just about anything though: roasted chicken, grilled meats, even meatloaf. Fried cabbage is right at home with other sides such as mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, baked potatoes (really, any potatoes), corn in various forms (like corn casserole), and beans. Besides versatility, cabbage is cheap, available year-round, and full of vitamins!
Southern Fried Cabbage Ingredients
- Bacon
- Unsalted butter
- White onion
- Garlic
- Cabbage
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Oregano, dried
- Basil, dried
- Paprika
- Thyme, dried
- Salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Apple cider vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
This southern fried cabbage recipe begins with crispy bacon. Add onion and garlic directly to the bacon grease to build scrumptious flavor profiles. The cabbage gets well coated and cooked down until tender, but not wilted - you want to keep some of that delightful texture.
The bacon adds a lot of flavor, along with garlic, onion, and other spices. You can also try it with sausage, smoked turkey, or even crawfish! Add some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat.
How to Make Southern Fried Cabbage
FIRST STEP: In a large frying pan, cook 6 strips of bacon over high heat. Once cooked, remove bacon from the pan and set it aside. Leave bacon grease in the frying pan.
SECOND STEP: Add butter, onions, and minced garlic to the frying pan. Cook over high heat (stirring often so it doesn’t burn) until onions just start to brown.
THIRD STEP: In a large saucepan, add chopped cabbage (cabbage should be chopped into bite-sized pieces), contents of frying pan (onions, garlic, and remaining butter), all the spices, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir all until the cabbage is well coated.
FOURTH STEP: Cover the pot with a lid and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes (stirring often so nothing burns on the bottom of the pot). Cabbage is cooked when it is softened but not wilted.
FIFTH STEP: Cut bacon into small pieces and stir into cabbage mixture.
SIXTH STEP: Serve hot.
Southern Fried Cabbage Cooking Tips
If you have a frying pan big enough with a lid, this could all be made in a frying pan. Foil over the frying pan won’t work as a “lid” since enough steam won’t stay in the pan to cook the cabbage. So if you don’t have a large enough frying pan with a lid, move everything into a large pot when it’s time to cook everything together.
Cook the cabbage to your own preferences. If you like more bite and crunch, cook for less time. Cook longer if you like it super tender. Taste as you go until you get the right texture.
Definitely do not use the pre-shredded, bagged cabbage sold for coleslaw. It will quickly turn to mush. A whole head of cabbage is easy to chop up and yields much more satisfying results.
Storing this Recipe
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftover cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Cooked cabbage can also be frozen. Transfer cooled cabbage to freezer bags, making sure to get the air out of the bags. Alternatively, use airtight storage containers and wrap the container in an extra level of foil. Freeze for 3-5 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a pan over medium heat.
Southern Fried Cabbage
This Southern-fried cabbage recipe is a simple, savory, and smoky side dish that tastes great, takes no time to make, and is full of flavor!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 6 strips bacon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 white onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium head of cabbage chopped with core removed
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tbsp worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, cook 6 strips of bacon over high heat. Once cooked, remove bacon from pan and set aside. Leave bacon grease in the frying pan.
- Add butter, onions and minced garlic to frying pan with bacon grease. Cook over high heat until onions just start to brown. Keep stirring the onions often so they don't burn
- In a large saucepan, add chopped cabbage (cabbage should be chopped into bite-sized pieces), contents of frying pan (onions, garlic and remaining butter), all the spices, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir all until cabbage is well coated.
- Cover pot with a lid and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often so nothing burns on the bottom of the pot. Cabbage is cooked when it is softened but not wilted.TIP: If you don’t have a lid big enough for the pan, you can move everything into a large pot when it's time to cook together. Foil over the frying pan won’t work as a “lid” since enough steam won’t stay in the pan to cook the cabbage.
- Cut bacon into small pieces and stir into cabbage mixture.
- Serve hot.
Notes
If you have a frying pan big enough with a lid, this could all be made in a frying pan. Foil over the frying pan won’t work as a “lid” since enough steam won’t stay in the pan to cook the cabbage. So if you don’t have a large enough frying pan with a lid, move everything into a large pot when it’s time to cook everything together.
Cook the cabbage to your own preferences. If you like more bite and crunch, cook for less time. Cook longer if you like it super tender. Taste as you go until you get the right texture.
Definitely do not use the pre-shredded, bagged cabbage sold for coleslaw. It will quickly turn to mush. A whole head of cabbage is easy to chop up and yields much more satisfying results.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 577mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 384IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg
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