Fried Cabbage Recipe

Cabbage is, to us, the unsung hero of the cruciferous veggies. Kale gets lauded as a superfood, roasted Brussels sprouts are always a hit, and it's just plain fun to pretend you're a tree-eating giant while chomping down on some broccoli. But cabbage gets relegated to the pungent or (perhaps worse) boring categories? Not fair.

The truth is: Cabbage is a super versatile vegetable, and it has a long shelf life. So if you're not a fan, it's possible that it's not the cabbage itself, but the way you're eating it. Fortunately, recipe developer Susan Olayinka of The Flexible Fridge has a solution: fried cabbage. It's hard for a dish with "fried" in the name to disappoint. 

No, we're not dunking whole heads or leaves of cabbage into a vat of hot oil. Instead, this dish involves shreds of cabbage cooking down in a decent amount of fat (in this case, butter) until they get nice and golden. You end up with pieces that are cooked but not soggy, with an almost sweet caramelization.

One of the best things about this quick and easy fried cabbage recipe is that the ingredients are all so fridge-, shelf-, or freezer-stable, so you can really make it any time. (That freezer part relates to the bacon. For the record: Frozen pre-cooked bacon re-heats quite well.) 

All you need is four cups of shredded cabbage (which is about half a medium cabbage), two tablespoons of butter, half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of chile flakes, a tablespoon of chopped parsley, and four slices of bacon, chopped.

Cut the cabbage in half and remove the stalk.

Place the cabbage face down and slice vertically into thin strips.

Melt the butter in a medium-heated pan.

Place the sliced cabbage into the pan and begin stirring. Turn down the heat to medium-low heat and stir every 2 minutes for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, sprinkle in the salt, chile flakes, chopped parsley, and chopped bacon.

Stir for a further minute and place in a serving dish.

First, let's get the obvious out of the way: If you're looking to capitalize on the health benefits of cabbage, cooking it in butter and tossing in some bacon is perhaps not the most effective way. That said, cabbage is in a family of vitamin-rich vegetables, and moderation is key. That said, let's get into it.

Cabbage, like many green vegetables, cabbage has a high water content, so it's low in calories while still providing lots of nutrients. It's a great pick to get solid doses of vitamins C, A, and K, as well as folate and potassium. Cabbage is also high in fiber, so it will fill you up without being super energy-dense, and it's also great for the digestive system.

Like other cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts and kale, cabbage also packs an antioxidant punch, which could help alleviate chronic inflammation.

While we could frankly eat fried cabbage on its own, it makes a great side to a variety of meals.

Corned beef and cabbage is a classic Irish pairing; replace the sad, soggy cabbage that all too often accompanies the corned beef with this undeniable upgrade. The subtle sweetness of the slightly caramelized cabbage — as well as the inclusion of some bacon — also makes this dish a great pairing with pork, be it seared chops, grilled sausages, or full-on roasts. Don't eat pork or beef? That's fine: Ditch the bacon in the recipe and serve this fried cabbage alongside chicken, turkey, or even a sunny side-up egg. As you pierce that runny yolk, it'll coat the cabbage leaves for a delightfully unctuous bite.

To make it a full meal, incorporate a starch. We enjoy topping a big platter of mashed potatoes with this cabbage, as a sort of play on the British favorite bubble and squeak.