This braised cabbage recipe is wedges of cabbage slow cooked with carrots, onions, butter and seasonings until tender. The absolute best way to eat cabbage!
When I’m looking for a simple yet satisfying veggie dish to go along with a meal, I turn to glazed carrots, parmesan zucchini or this succulent braised cabbage.
In my opinion, cabbage is a totally underrated vegetable. It’s inexpensive, readily available year round and is totally delicious when prepared properly. This braised cabbage is my family’s favorite way to eat cabbage. The long cooking time transforms the cabbage into a tender and flavorful side dish that is mild enough for even the kids to enjoy.
Braised Cabbage Ingredients
When you make braised cabbage you will need cabbage, onion, carrots, broth, butter, parsley, salt and black pepper.
How do you make braised cabbage?
Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage and then rinse and dry the cabbage. Cut your cabbage into wedges. After the cabbage wedges go into the pan, it’s time to add the carrots and some sliced onion. The finishing touch is butter, salt and pepper, along with a little chicken broth. The pan is covered and everything gets braised until tender.
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Tips for the perfect braised cabbage
- Leftover cabbage will stay good in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 3 days. Freezing the cabbage is not recommended as frozen cabbage tends to be limp and watery when reheated.
- Be sure to leave the core attached so that the wedges will hold together in one piece.
- You can use different types of cabbage for this recipe such as red cabbage, Savoy cabbage or the traditional green cabbage.
- Make sure the cabbage wedges are placed laying down on the bottom of the pan so that the cabbage can absorb the braising liquid and the butter can get into the cabbage.
- I use a small to medium sized cabbage for this recipe, but if you’re feeding a crowd, you can grab a large cabbage and double the rest of the ingredients in the recipe.
RECIPE FAQS
The best way to slice a cabbage for this recipe is to cut a thin slice off the bottom of the cabbage core. From there, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 equal pieces.
Braising is a method of cooking that involves slow cooking meat or vegetables with a small amount of liquid in a covered container. It’s a great way to tenderize tough cuts of meat, and many food greatly benefit in flavor and texture from being braised.
I serve braised cabbage as a side dish alongside a starch and a protein. Braised cabbage pairs perfectly with chicken, pork and beef.
Braised cabbage is a healthy dish. Cabbage is loaded with nutrients including antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber and may help lower inflammation. This recipe is a healthy way to eat cabbage with low calories and fat. If you want to make the recipe healthier you can always reduce the amount of butter.
Your cabbage wedges should be similarly sized so that they all cook in the same amount of time.
Braised cabbage variations
This is a simple recipe, yet there are so many different ways to customize it to make it your own. Here are some of my favorite add-ins to this dish.
- Bacon: Add 1/2 cup of cooked crumbled bacon right before serving.
- Garlic: Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic when you add the carrots and onions.
- Vegan: Substitute olive oil for the butter and vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
- Spicy: Sprinkle crushed chili flakes over the top of the cabbage before it goes into the oven.
- Cheese: Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese after you uncover the dish for the final bake.
- Tangy: For extra flavor try adding 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the broth in the baking dish.
Once you try this cabbage, you’ll want to make it all the time. It’s totally worth the long wait time as it braises. I often make this recipe on the weekends when we’re home relaxing and I have a little more time to prepare dinner. This one is sure to get rave reviews!
Main dishes to serve with braised cabbage
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
- Honey Mustard Chicken
- Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
- Mushroom Pork Chops
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
Braised Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage cut into 8 wedges
- 1/2 cup onion sliced
- 2 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup butter cut into small pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Arrange the cabbage wedges in the baking dish, then scatter the carrots and onions around the cabbage.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pan. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the cabbage and season everything with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 2 hours. Uncover the dish halfway through the bake time and use tongs to carefully flip the cabbage wedges over.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Uncover the dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cabbage starts to brown at the edges.
- Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Notes
- Before slicing your cabbage, discard the outer leaves and then rinse and dry the cabbage.
- Be sure to leave the core attached so that the wedges will hold together in one piece.
- Make sure the cabbage wedges are placed laying down on the bottom of the pan so that the cabbage can absorb the braising liquid and the butter can get into the cabbage.
- Your cabbage wedges should be similarly sized so that they all cook in the same amount of time.
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Fantastic! Just made this. Delicious and worth the wait. Your recipes are always so good.
Fantastic!
This braised cabbage looks and sounds marvelous. I will be making this often.
I love cabbage but the kids hate it. I think they’d like it this way though, especially with bacon and cheese!
Such a simple and delicious dish! Perfect with corned beef for St Patricks Day dinner.
Such an easy cabbage recipe. My family is going to love them for dinner.
I made this cabbage over the weekend and it was delish! Making again for St. Patrick’s Day for sure!
Can you speed up the cook time with a Dutch oven?
You can cook it for less time, the cabbage just may not be as tender.
I added a Granny Smith apple sliced up. Delicious.
Made it exactly as written and it’s delicious! It even reheats well as leftovers. Great recipe, thank you!
BTW: I used vegetable broth
I made this tonight for dinner. My wife’s comment was “I LOVE this cabbage!” Not often cabbage gets accolades.
Delicious! I added 2 small potatoes cut into chunks + thyme. Perfect vegetarian main.
Loved this. Super easy to make and was delicious. Only changes I made were adding white wine to the broth as well (adds some tang) and I sprinkled with caraway seeds after…for better digestion. One child did not like it (so he ate the carrots) and the other child devoured it! 😂👍🏻
This dish is absolutely perfect. I served it with corned beef. It melted in your mouth.
This is now my favorite way to make cabbage! Thank you for the recipe!
When you uncover it half way through and turn the cabbage over due you recover it and cook for another hour and then turn up the temperature?
Yes cover it back up!
yes