Sauteed Cabbage with Onions (The Best Easy Southern Recipe)

This Sauteed Cabbage with Onions recipe is a simple side dish full of delicious flavor. This southern recipe can be made with or without crispy bacon - if you're not using bacon fat, you can swap the bacon grease for a little bit of olive oil. 

What is Southern Fried Cabbage?

This sautéed cabbage with onions recipe is flavorful southern side dish that your whole family will love!

It's a 20-minute side dish that's made with super simple ingredients. All you'll need is a whole green cabbage, sweet onions, chicken stock, spices, sugar and vinegar.

The key to this flavorful side dish lies in cooking the vegetables until they're tender-crisp and caramelized. Cooking cabbage this way brings out its natural sweetness while maintaining a slight crunch. 

You'll love how this easy southern fried cabbage recipe transforms these simple ingredients into a totally satisfying side dish that deserves a 5 star rating. 

Whether you serve it with pork chops, a pot roast, a bunch of farmers market veggie side dishes, or even my st. patrick’s day Guinness Corned Beef, you'll be in love with this sauteed cabbage with onions recipe. 

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here's everything you'll need to make Sauteed Cabbage with Onions.

• Cabbage: This southern fried cabbage recipe is made with a small, whole head of cabbage. Traditionally, it's made with green cabbage but you could use another kind of fresh cabbage. Try red cabbage, napa cabbage or savoy cabbage. And yes, a whole head of cabbage may look like a lot of cabbage... But when you're pan-frying cabbage, it shrinks down considerably!
• Onions: In most southern cabbage recipes, sweet vidalia onions are used as that's what grows in this region. But if you had to, you could use red onions or white onions. You could also add thinly sliced fresh garlic cloves if you want to get fancy. 
• Grease/Fat: If you have bacon grease, I recommend using that for the ultimate smoky flavor. But if you don't have bacon fat, you can swap it for something else. I recommend a little bit of olive oil, avocado oil or unflavored coconut oil. 
• Chicken Bouillon & Water: To get those savory flavors really infused into this easy fried cabbage recipe, I recommend using chicken bouillon or chicken broth. You could also use Vegeta.
• Brown Sugar: A touch of brown sugar is essential in this easy caramelized cabbage recipe. It balances out the savory flavors and helps the raw cabbage caramelize easier. 
• Apple Cider Vinegar: I always recommend using a little bit of acid to really make this cabbage side dish sing. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, you could use another vinegar. Try seasoned rice wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or a little lemon juice. 
• Red Pepper Flakes: Although the red pepper flakes don't make it too spicy, they do add depth and flavor to this delicious side dish. 
• Salt & Black Pepper: I keep it pretty simple and use the most basic spices in this easy recipe for sauteed cabbage and onions. All you need is a little bit of kosher salt and some fresh cracked black pepper. However, if you wanted to, you could absolutely use some garlic powder. 

How to make it

Making this sauteed cabbage recipe is super easy! The first thing you'll want to do is decide on which grease you're using. 

Choose your Cooking Fat: If you want the best flavor possible, the easiest way to achieve that is to use a little bit of bacon grease. No bacon fat on hand? No problem. I recommend frying 3 pieces of thick cut smoked bacon. Then remove them from the pan and leave the renderings. If you're using olive oil or another neutral oil, you could skip the bacon step. Just add the olive oil to a large skillet, large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. 

Sautee Onions & Spices: Once the pan is hot, it's time to add the chopped onions, red pepper flakes and a ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir this mixture up and cook for 5-7 minutes, letting it get golden brown and begin to caramelize. This is a necessary step and great way to get even more flavor in this easy side dish. So def don't skip the caramelized onions!

Prep Cabbage: While the onion is cooking, it's time to prep the raw cabbage. Remove the outer leaves and wash the head of cabbage. Using a sharp knife, cut it in half then remove the core. Next, place the cut side down on your cutting board and roughly chop it or slice it into thin slices - whatever texture you prefer. 

Add Cabbage & Seasonings: Now add the chopped cabbage, water, chicken bouillon, (or chicken broth), brown sugar, and another ½ teaspoon kosher salt and stir. Place the lid on and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or so. Cooking time might vary. Be sure to check it, stirring every couple minutes or so to get up any brown bits. 

Add in Vinegar: Once the cabbage is tender, wilted and beginning to caramelize, stir in the apple cider vinegar and fresh cracked pepper. Cook the cabbage mixture down for another minute or so then season with more salt and pepper to taste before serving. 

Serve or Store: You can store your sauteed cabbage with onions leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

What goes with it

This sauteed cabbage with onions dish is so versatile - it goes with anything!

Here are a few of my favorite dishes to serve it with:

• Slow Cooker Collard Greens
• Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey & Sriracha
• The Best Dr Pepper Pulled Pork Recipe (Slow Cooker)
• Honey Bourbon Chicken
• Southern Cornbread Salad Recipe with Herby Buttermilk Lime DressingMy Mom's Southern Pineapple Cheese Casserole Recipe

Recipe

Sauteed Cabbage with Onions (The Best Easy Southern Recipe)

This sautéed cabbage recipe is a simple side dish full of delicious flavor. This southern recipe can be made with or without crispy bacon - if you're not using bacon fat, you can swap the bacon grease for a little bit of olive oil. 

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Side Dish, vegetable

Cuisine American, southern

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• Chef's Knife
• Cutting Board
• large cast iron skillet

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoon Olive Oil or the grease from 3 slices thick cut smoked bacon
• 1 large Sweet Onion roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt divided
• ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 small Green Cabbage roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon (or ½ cup chicken stock - leave out water)
• ½ cup Water
• 1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• Fresh Cracked Pepper

Instructions

 

• If using bacon, pan fry it over medium until crispy remove from the pan, leave drippings and set aside. If using olive oil, add it to a large pan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat.
• Add the onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and red pepper flakes and cook down until beginning to brown.
• Add chopped cabbage, water, chicken bouillon, brown sugar, another ½ teaspoon kosher salt and stir. Place the lid on and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or so.
• Once the cabbage is tender, wilted and beginning to caramelize, add the apple cider vinegar and fresh cracked pepper.
• Cook the cabbage mixture down for another minute or so then season with more salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Keyword simple, southern food, vegetables

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