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Cozy Bavarian Red Cabbage Recipe Easy Side Dish

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This sweet-and-sour, bacon-flecked Bavarian red cabbage is the ultimate comfort food side dish. Made with simple ingredients like red cabbage, apples, and bacon, it comes together in about 45 minutes and pairs perfectly with roasted meats or sausages.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium head red cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and thinly sliced
  • 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji), peeled, cored, and diced into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 bay leaf (optional)
  • 2 whole cloves (optional)
  • Pinch of caraway seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon: Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and the fat has rendered, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Sauté the onion: Add the diced onion to the pot with the bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the onion starts to brown too quickly.
  3. Add the apples: Stir in the diced apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until they start to soften around the edges.
  4. Add the cabbage: Add the sliced red cabbage to the pot. Stir everything together, coating the cabbage in the bacon fat and onion mixture. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage starts to wilt.
  5. Add the liquids and seasonings: Pour in the apple cider vinegar, water or broth, and brown sugar. Add the bay leaf if using. Stir well to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the cabbage; if it looks dry, add another ¼ cup of water or broth.
  6. Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let it cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking. The cabbage should be tender but not mushy.
  7. Finish with butter and bacon: Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the tablespoon of butter until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the crispy bacon back to the pot and stir gently to distribute. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  8. Rest before serving: Let the cabbage sit, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Serve warm, not piping hot.

Notes

For best results, slice cabbage evenly (about ¼-inch wide). Do not rush the simmer; low and slow is key. Taste at 20 minutes and adjust sweet-sour balance. This dish tastes even better the next day. For a vegetarian version, skip bacon and use 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil plus ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.

Nutrition

Keywords: Bavarian red cabbage, German red cabbage, sweet and sour cabbage, braised red cabbage, easy side dish, holiday side dish, bacon cabbage

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/cozy-bavarian-red-cabbage-recipe-easy-side-dish/