Sautéed cabbage with bacon is a match made in Heaven. This side dish is quick, easy, affordable and full of satisfying flavor.
Green cabbage with bacon screams “SPRINGTIME”, to me. Hear me out…
Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and while they tend to get the most attention in the fall and winter, cruciferous vegetables are still in season through early spring. #themoreyouknow
With it’s bright green color, and tender leaves, green cabbage adds an affordable, nutrient-dense pop of color to your plate (and did I mention this has bacon?).
KEY INGREDIENTS
- Cabbage – I know this recipe is showcasing green cabbage, but you could totally make it with red cabbage as well. Both are full of fiber, vitamins (especially Vitamins K and C), and beneficial phytonutrients (more on that here).
- Bacon – I like to use a basic, run-of-the-mill cured bacon, but get as creative as you’d like. Smoked ham or pancetta will also work well here. A small amount of bacon goes a long way in this recipe, helping add loads of savory flavor, without an abundance of grease or sodium.
- Sweet Yellow Onions – There is no better aroma than bacon and onions, sautéing in perfect harmony. (Ok MAYBE fresh baked bread…maybe…). Sweet yellow onion adds a gentle (you guessed it) sweetness, as well a depth of flavor to this dish.
THE PROCESS
For this recipe, I start with the cabbage.
There are many ways to break down a whole cabbage. At the end of the day, do what you’re comfortable with! You’re the one wielding a knife, so you need to be comfortable with the method. Remove the core, and slice the cabbage into ¼″ ribbons. Set aside (I pop mine into a large bowl).
Next up Bacon: Chop the bacon into small bits. I like to slice the strip of bacon lengthwise (so now I have 2 skinny strips), then stack those strips and chop the bacon into small squares. Set aside.
Chopping Tip: You can also use clean kitchen scissors to cut the bacon, or partially freeze the bacon before taking the knife to it – both make easy work of the chopping process.
And finally the onion – peel and slice into VERY thin strips.
Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon
Equipment
- Large non-stick skillet with lid
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 slices center-cut bacon diced
- ½ medium sweet yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced (about ½c of ¼" slices)
- 1 large green cabbage rinsed, cored and thinly sliced (about 6-8 cups of ¼" ribbons)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar optional
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet, cast iron skillet, or Dutch Oven.
- Add chopped bacon and cook for about 5-10min, until the fat begins to render out and the bacon begins to crisp. Remove the cooked bacon and reserve in a bowl.
- Add the sliced onion to the bacon drippings and sauté until soft and light brown (turn the heat down to med-low if necessary to prevent burning).
- Add the sliced cabbage to the pan and stir well. You want to begin coating the cabbage in the bacon dripping/oil mixture. Add sugar, if using, and stir well to incorporate. Cover with lid, stirring occasionally to prevent over browning. Cook until the cabbage is tender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Top cooked cabbage with reserved cooked bacon, if desired. Serve immediately.
RECIPE NOTES:
- To help speed things along – add a couple of tablespoons of water to the cabbage to help it steam as it cooks.
- Can I use Red Cabbage instead of green? Yes!
- Can I use pre-cut cabbage, like a slaw mix? Absolutely! Just keep in mind, the thickness of the cabbage will alter the cook time a bit. The thicker it is cut, the longer it will need to cook. Angel Slaw (the SUPER thin cut slaw) will cook in no time!
- Do I have to use bacon? No – Smoked ham, or pancetta would work nicely too. Or leave the pork out altogether and make this vegetarian.
- What can I serve this with? Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon is a great side dish for pork chops or pork tenderloin, chicken, fish or smoked sausage like Kielbasa. This is also great topped with a fried egg and a sprinkle of cheese as a light main dish!
- How long will this recipe keep? Sautéed cabbage, in general, doesn’t have the longest shelf life. It will lose texture and start to get soggy the longer it sits. I would suggest eating it the day it is made, or the next day at the latest.
