German Red Cabbage (sweet & sour)

At a glance

What stands out: Sautéed red cabbage is quite strikingly purple, making it rather fun to eat (and it tastes great, too).

How long it takes: 10 minutes to prep, 35 minutes to cook, depending on how tender you like. it.
Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, large skillet with a lid
Servings: 8

You might Start To Actually Crave Cabbage…

Red cabbage might be called “red,” but to us it’s a brilliant royal purple – beautiful on the plate and packed with nutrition. We love serving it alongside rich meats like pork, because the sweet and tangy flavor balances out the richness evenly. This simple recipe shows you how to braise red cabbage so it’s tender, flavorful, and a gorgeous addition to any meal.

What makes it special:

• Freezer-friendly: Cook ahead and freeze for convenient, ready-to-go sides.
• Nutrient-packed: It’s part of the Brassica group of vegetables, along with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and kale. Like all dark red vegetables (be sure to try roasted beets!), red cabbage has lots of health benefits, according to Healthline. It contains 4.5 times more antioxidants than green cabbage!
• Straightforward braising method: First, it’s sautéed in a bit of oil, then slowly simmered until tender. This cooking method is often used to cook tougher cuts of meat. Try our braised lamb shanks or our Instant Pot pot roast. They turn out meltingly tender using the braising method of cooking (and would go great with this red cabbage).

Kim Said:

“This was seriously rich! We loved the sweet and savory flavor. Will definitely make it again, thank you!”

See More Reader Reviews

How To Cut A Head of Cabbage

• Remove the outer leaves if they are wilted. Rinse the outside of the cabbage and shake off excess water.
• Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom, through the core. Remove the core by making vertical cuts on either side and lifting it out.
• Place the cabbage halves cut side down on the cutting board and thinly slice. Cut across the slices for bite size pieces.
• Watch a short YouTube video (Martha Stewart) to see a demonstration.

How it comes together

You’ll need a large skillet with a lid, or a Dutch oven. The cabbage cooks down quite a lot but when you first put it into the pan, it will fill it up.

Sauté the cabbage. Over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil together. When the butter is melted, add the chopped red cabbage. Season it with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring frequently until the cabbage begins to wilt, about 5 minutes.

Simmer. Stir in the cider vinegar and sugar, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover the pan and simmer the cabbage until it’s tender, about 30 minutes, giving it a stir now and then.

Check for tenderness. How can you tell when the cabbage is tender? A standby way is to take a bite and see what you think. It’s a matter of personal preference. Some folks like the cabbage to have a crisp tender texture, with a little crunch. Others like it to be melt-in-your-mouth tender. If it’s not what you’d like it to be, give it a little more cooking time.

Adjust seasoning and serve. Be sure to check the seasoning before serving the cabbage, and add more salt and/or pepper, if you like. Check out the section below if you’re wondering what to eat with your German red cabbage.

Why add vinegar? Adding vinegar to the red cabbage has more than one purpose. Vinegar is the tangy part of the sweet and sour flavor, and it also keeps the cabbage looking good. The compounds that give red cabbage its color and antioxidants (anthocyanins) are water-soluble. Without a mild acid like vinegar or lemon juice, the cabbage will turn an unappetizing grayish blue color.

Large Skillet With Cover

This large covered skillet is one of our favorite pans. The cover is essential to hold in the steam when cooking cabbage. This pan also works beautifully for one pan dinners like this Cajun chicken pasta or skillet lasagna.

Buy on Amazon

What To Serve With German Red Cabbage

• Baked Breaded Pork Chops with herbs and Parmesan
• Breaded Air Fryer Pork Chops
• Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast
• Slow Cooker Pork Loin with balsamic glaze
• Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork
• Pork Tenderloin Recipe with straightforward spice rub
• Pork Tenderloin with apples and onions
• Grilled Pork Kabobs with apples
• Instant Pot Short Ribs & Mashed Potatoes (at the same time!)
• Classic Meatloaf Recipe – a standby!
• Parmesan and Almond Crusted Salmon
• Slow Roasted Salmon with lemon pepper
• Baked Salmon with Maple Mustard Glaze (5 ingredient recipe)
• Any kind of sausage

Ways to change it

• Add an onion. Thinly slice it and add it to the pan when you add the cabbage.
• Add apples. One or two Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced, can be added with the cabbage.
• Make it with bacon. Saute bacon in the skillet until mostly crisp. Add the cabbage to the pan and continue with the recipe as directed, omitting the oil and butter.
• Try different vinegars. Substitute a different type of vinegar such as balsamic vinegar, cider vinegar, or plain white vinegar.
• Make it dairy free and vegan. Omit the butter and use 2 tablespoons of olive oil instead.
• Rather have green cabbage? Try our sautéed cabbage recipe.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Since red cabbage freezes well, it can be made ahead. Make a big batch and freeze it in portion-sized resealable bags for later use. It’s reliable when you want to add another veggie to your menu.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze: Cooked red cabbage will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if refrigerated promptly and covered. You can freeze cabbage, too, for at least 3 months. The texture does get a bit softer when the cabbage is reheated. To freeze, cool the cooked cabbage and place in resealable freezer bags. Flatten the bags and label. There’s no need to thaw the cabbage out before reheating.

Reheat: Place cabbage, either chilled or frozen, in a skillet over low to medium heat. Heat until warmed through. If the cabbage seems dry, add a splash of water. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.

How To Store Red Cabbage

If the cabbage is uncooked, leave the head whole and unwashed. Cutting it will make it spoil more quickly. Store the cabbage in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. It will keep for a month, and often up to two months.

• Yield: 8
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 35 minutes
• Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head ( 1.5 pounds) red cabbage (see note 1)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter (see note 2)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon pepper, more to taste
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Method

1. Halve cabbage and cut out core. Thinly slice cabbage halves into ¼ to ½ inch slices; cut across slices for bite-size pieces. You should have about 8 to 10 cups.
2. In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil together. When butter is melted, add cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook for 30 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. If cabbage starts to stick to bottom of the pan, add water, a tablespoon at a time.
4. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Red Cabbage: Look for a head of cabbage in the produce section of your grocery store. It should feel quite heavy and firm. The outside leaves should be shiny and crisp. You’ll need a cabbage that is about one and half pounds, more or less. If you buy an extra large cabbage and don’t use it all, use the remainder to make this cabbage salad with honey lime dressing.

Olive Oil and Butter: Combining these two oils has a couple of benefits: more flavor and a higher smoke point. If you’d rather use one or the other, that will work, too. To make it vegan and/or dairy-free: use 2 tablespoons olive oil; omit the butter.

Flavor variations: Add an onion or apple, thinly sliced, to cook with the red cabbage. Stir in a half teaspoon of caraway seeds, if desired. Use balsamic vinegar instead of red vinegar.

To freeze: Cooked red cabbage can be frozen in freezer safe bags for up to 3 months. There’s no need to thaw it before reheating.