Simple Sauteed Cabbage Recipe (2024)

Dec 15, 2023 by Tania Sheff · This post may contain affiliate links

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This Sauteed Cabbage Recipeis flavorful and tasty. It takes less than 20 minutes to make and requires only 7 simple ingredients.

I've been eating this sautéed cabbage for years. Not only it is loaded down with flavors and taste but I LOVE how simple and easy it is to cook as well. This is one of my favorite cabbage recipes. It can be the main dish as well as a side dish for easy accompaniment to your meals.

Cabbage is versatile when it comes to adding ingredients. It's the perfect vegetable to sauté and have it taste like so many different things. This sautéed cabbage recipe has a bit of sweetness due to the added onions and carrot but you can very easily change it by adding in a bit of chili pepper or other hot spices to it as well.

Video Tutorial for this Cabbage Recipe

Main Ingredients

Cabbage.You'll need a medium-small head of cabbage.
Onion.For extra flavor and sweetness.
Carrots.For that beautiful color.
Oil.I like using olive oil or avocado oil. (Coconut oil can be used as well, although it adds a bit of flavor).
Tomato Paste.Favor enhancer.
Apple Cider Vinegar.Some people like to add a splash of soy sauce instead.
Salt and Black Pepper.To taste.

How to make this Sautéed Cabbage

1. Add oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onions for a minute or until just starting to soften and then add the carrots, and cook for a few more minutes.

2. Now, add the cabbage and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until it is softened enough to your liking.

3. Add in the tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything well and turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill. Serve.

Recipe Tips & Variations

It's hard to overcook cabbage. It's possible to do so, don't get me wrong. But overall, cabbage is a very forgiving vegetable. For this recipe, it takes at least 15 minutes of cooking it to get it to soften up in texture, but you could go a bit longer than that if you wanted to and not have any issues. There are also different types of cabbage out there, for example, white cabbage cooks faster than winter cabbage. You can also cook it for less time than that if you want your dish to have a bit more of a crunch. Since cabbage is good to eat raw, there are no issues in undercooking it either.
Slice the cabbage thin. One thing that I would recommend is to slice the cabbage thin so that it does cook up evenly. It's also easier to eat since you won't be trying to put big chunks of cabbage in your mouth. Get a large cutting board and a sharp knife to get this task done.
Don't leave out the apple cider vinegar.If you're questioning adding in this ingredient, don't. It does add such an awesome flavor burst to the taste. The way that it mixes with the tomato paste adds depth.
Add some heat.If you like a little spice to your cabbage, just add a splash of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes.
Use bacon grease.You can use bacon grease instead of oil, to add extra flavor to this delicious side dish.
Make it a full meal.Turn this simple dish into a full meal and serve some grilled orstuffed chickenon top.
Add butter.Another tasty way to change this easy side dish is to add a bit of butter at the end. The flavor of butter complements the cabbage and adds tons of flavor.
Add garlic.Some people have commented that they enjoy adding fresh minced garlic at theend of the cooking process. Of course, ½ tsp. of garlic powder would work, too.

How to store and reheat

The other great aspect of this simple recipe is that it stores and reheats well. And it's even easier to store and reheat.

Storage is simple in the fact that you just have to add it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Then, once you're ready to reheat, you have a couple of different options that you can easily do.

The first option is that you can reheat it low and slow on the stovetop. This is a simple way that will take about 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot your burner is. You will need to pay attention and stir it so that it doesn't burn and helps to have the heat distributed throughout.

The second option is to use your microwave and heat it for about 1-2 minutes. Either of these methods is perfectly fine for reheating and eating.

Fun toppings to add to this cabbage recipe

Toppings are a great way to change or add great flavor of this healthy side dish. You can always top it with one topping the first time you cook it and then top it with a different topping when you reheat it for leftovers.

Some simple topping ideas could be:

Using different kind of cabbage in this recipe

You can use other types of cabbage for this easy sauteed cabbage recipe. Red cabbage, savoy cabbage, or napa cabbage can be used. Shredded Brussels sprouts also can be used. You will need to reduce cooking time a little bit for napa cabbage.

What to serve this with

Meats.Serve this side dish withRoasted PepperStuffed Chicken Breast,Paprika Chicken Legs,Air Fryer Pork Chops,orChicken Stew.
Seafood.Enjoy this Steamed Cauliflower on the side ofAhi Tuna Steaks,Spinach Stuffed Flounder,Salmon in Creamy Sauce, orCreamy Seafood Pasta.
Grains.Pair this veggie with some rice, quinoa, bulgur, sorghum, or millet. Try it with thisRice with Mushrooms,Quinoa with Eggs and Vegetables,Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice), orMediterranean Quinoa Salad.
Potatoes.Serve it with someParmesan Mashed Potato Cakes, aTwice Baked Potato Casserole,Roasted Baby Potatoes, orPan-Fried Parmesan Potatoes.

If you're looking for a super simple lunch or dinner recipe that is fast and easy to make, you can't go wrong with this pan-fried cabbage. It's not only a hearty meal, but it's also one that is loaded down with amazing texture and taste. You might as well make a double batch of this recipe because you're going to find yourself filling your bowl over and over again!

If you try this healthy recipe, please, comment below and leave a star rating. I can't wait for the feedback!

Refer to the recipe card below for the nutrient information.

More Delicious Cabbage Recipes To Try:

Napa Cabbage Steaks
Cabbage Soup
Easy Sautéed Napa Cabbage
Roasted Cabbage Steaks
Cabbage Pancake
Garlic Roasted Cabbage
Cabbage Salad with Corn

Simple Sautéed Cabbage

Tania Sheff

Simple Sauteed Cabbage- A flavorful dish that takes less than 20 minutes to make and only requires 7 simple ingredients.

4.72 from 92 votes

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Ingredients

1 small cabbage, thinly sliced (about 2 lbs.)
1 medium onion, diced
2 small carrots, shredded
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
¾ tsp. salt or to taste
½ tsp. pepper or to taste

Instructions

Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for a minute or until just starting to soften and then add the carrots, and cook for a few more minutes.
1 medium onion, diced, 2 small carrots, shredded, 2 tbsp. olive oil
Now, add the cabbage and cook for about 15 minutes, or until it softened enough to your liking.
1 small cabbage, thinly sliced
Add in the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything well and turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill. Serve.
1 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, ¾ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. pepper

Notes

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT

The other really great aspect of this simple casserole recipe is that it stores and reheats well. And it's even easier to store and reheat.

Storage is simple in the fact that you just have to add it to a storage container with a lid and keep it in the fridge. Then, once you're ready to reheat, you have a couple of different options that you can easily do.