This Bacon Braised Cabbage is a quick and easy vegetable side dish to make with a hearty dinner. Full of flavor from the caramelized cabbage, it’s perfect for winter.

bacon braised cabbage in black cast iron skillet

It may be the combination of my German and UK heritage, but I’m definitely a huge supporter of cabbage. Prepared right, it’s such a wonderful winter vegetable! I love braising it on the stove with just a few simple ingredients added – there’s no need to get fancy with this side dish. It’s pure hearty, homely comfort food.

I know many people associate cabbage with St. Patrick’s Day, and I mean… Colcannon? Yes, definitely proof that there is a connection to Irish cuisine. But I just generally love cabbage and make it all the time when it’s in season, so no reason to only cook this dish in March ?

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

ingredients for braised cabbage with text labels — Ingredients for Braised Cabbage; Cabbage, bacon, water, butter, salt and optionally cumin.

Ingredient notes

Cabbage: I like Savoy cabbage best, because it has so much texture and a great flavor. White cabbage can also be used. I do not recommend using red cabbage in this recipe – I prefer red cabbage in combination with a different flavor profile.
Bacon: I used thick-cut, diced bacon. If you’re using thin-cut bacon, it may get a little lost in the cabbage, but the flavor will still be there.
Cumin: My husband always adds some cumin when he cooks white cabbage, to aid with digestion. I don’t know if it works, ha! But I like the flavor it adds. Please skip this if you don’t like cumin, because it will ruin the dish for you.
Water: Feel free to use chicken broth for more flavor in place of the water. I also frequently use white wine or a blonde beer in place of the water, which adds even more interest and depth. My children don’t like it with beer though, so be mindful of this if you’re feeding little ones.

How to make braised cabbage

Start by slicing an washing the cabbage: Remove the outermost leaves, then cut your head of cabbage into quarters. Cut away the firm stem in the middle

cabbage cut into quarters and stem removed

diced and washed cabbage in white colander

Now roughly dice your cabbage. Wash it to remove any debris and drain it well.

Next, brown the bacon in butter in a large skillet. I know it sounds decadent to brown the bacon in butter, but the cabbage will get added next so it’s all good.

Add the cabbage and stir it into the bacon to coat with the bacon fat and melted butter. You’ll want to do this over medium-high heat to get the pan sizzling hot.

Then, stir in the salt and cumin and deglaze with the water (or wine, or beer, or broth). Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

female hand pouring water into cabbage in skillet

Now you’ll want to braise the cabbage over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Check and stir a few times and add more liquid if the cabbage starts to brown too much/the pan gets too dry. You do want some caramelization to happen during cooking here, but make sure you’re not burning your vegetable!

Once the cabbage is tender, check for salt and serve! And yes, I did switch to a different pan for the final photos. I needed some more contrast in the picture. Type A problems!

overhead view of black cast iron skillet with braised cabbage inside

Recipe tips

Roughly dicing the cabbage is perfectly fine for braising. Do not slice it into thin slivers, or the dish will come out mushy.
If you don’t want to use the bacon, feel free to add an additional tablespoon or two of butter instead.
You really want to get that caramelization going. Do not add too much liquid to the pan as the cabbage cooks. Only add a few tablespoons of extra liquid if the cabbage/pan start burning and scorching.
I recommend serving the cabbage steaming hot right out of the skillet. Cooled down cabbage is really not that amazing in taste if you ask me, so I prefer to get this on the table and eaten as soon as it’s ready.

How to serve braised cabbage

This is a great side dish with a hearty main like Salisbury Steak, Meatballs and Gravy or Meatloaf.

If you’re looking to build a St. Patrick’s Day dinner, this cabbage side dish goes great with Shepherd’s Pie or Bangers and Mash.

PS If you try this recipe, please leave a review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

Printable recipe

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Bacon Braised Cabbage

This Bacon Braised Cabbage is a quick and easy vegetable side dish to make with a hearty dinner. Full of flavor from the caramelized cabbage, it's perfect for winter.

Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings

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5 from 10 votes

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Recipe details

Prep 15

Cook 15

Total 30

Servings 6 servings

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

▢ 1 medium head cabbage I like savoy best but white cabbage also works great
▢ 1 tablespoon butter
▢ ½ cup diced bacon
▢ salt to taste
▢ ½ teaspoon cumin optional
▢ ½ cup liquid water, chicken broth, white wine or a blonde beer all work well

Instructions

Remove outer leaves from cabbage, then cut into quarters. Remove stem and roughly dice. Wash to remove any debris, then drain well.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until browned.
Add cabbage and stir to coat in fat, then increase heat to medium-high. Once pan is sizzling hot, add salt and cumin (if using), then deglaze with your liquid of choice. Stir well, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Reduce heat to medium and cook cabbage for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Stir a few times, adding more liquid as needed (cabbage should caramelize and brown lightly, so do not add too much liquid – but don’t let the pan completely dry out either, else the cabbage will burn).
Once cabbage is tender, check for seasoning and serve hot.

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