Sweet and Tangy Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
This braised red cabbage recipe slowly simmers fresh red cabbage with apples and onions for a tender side dish with a delicious sweet and tangy flavor and warm notes of spice. It’s a classic pairing for pork, beef, sausage, and hearty fall and winter dinners.
Spiced cabbage and apples make a great side
It’s almost impossible to sum up everything I love about this incredibly flavorful side dish, but I’ll give it a shot. It simmers slowly on the stovetop, filling the kitchen with an aroma that smells like fall, and it tastes like fall too — although I make this dish all year long. Its beautiful deep purple color makes it a stunning addition to the table, and it freezes incredibly well, so you can make it ahead and enjoy it later without waiting through the long simmer.
When the holidays come around and stovetop space is scarce, this recipe is easy to move to the slow cooker. Put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for about 6 hours. You’ll get the same sweet and tangy braised red cabbage without taking up valuable stovetop space.
Red cabbage was once a much more common part of the American diet, and it remains a traditional accompaniment to many main dishes in Germany. I think it’s time we bring it back to our tables here in the States. That gorgeous purple hue deserves to grace our dinner tables more often.
For more great side dishes to bring to your kitchen table, try my roasted carrots with honey balsamic glaze, fresh zucchini tomato side dish, and classic stewed green beans next.
Recipe ingredients
- Red cabbage: Choose a firm, heavy head with tightly packed leaves and good deep purple color. Red cabbage holds up especially well to slow cooking, becoming tender while giving the finished dish its distinctive color and hearty texture.
- Onion: Yellow onion is used in this recipe because its savory flavor becomes sweeter and mellower as it slowly cooks. White or sweet onions can also be used; sweet onions will give the finished cabbage a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Apples: Tart apples are a great choice because their acidity complements the sweetness of the cabbage and onions. Granny Smith apples are used here and hold up well during the long simmer; other good tart choices include Braeburn and Pink Lady. Sweeter apples can also be used if you prefer a sweeter finished dish, including Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp.
- Balsamic vinegar: Provides the acidity that gives braised red cabbage its characteristic tang while adding a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor. Choose a good everyday balsamic vinegar rather than a thick balsamic glaze or reduction.
- Allspice: Adds warm notes reminiscent of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, giving the cabbage its distinctive warm, aromatic flavor without requiring several individual spices.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make braised red cabbage
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is almost tender.
Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar to the onions. Continue cooking for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden.
Step 3: Add the sliced apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Would you like to save this post for later?
We'll email it to you, so you can come back to it whenever you like!
Step 4: Add the red cabbage, 2 more tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, and allspice. Stir well to evenly distribute the apples, onions, and seasonings throughout the cabbage.
Step 5: Cover the Dutch oven, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally, bringing the cabbage from the bottom of the pot to the top so it cooks evenly.
Step 6: Taste the braised red cabbage and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar, if desired, for a more pronounced tangy finish.
Top tips
- Cut the cabbage evenly: Slice the cabbage into consistently sized strips so it becomes tender at the same rate without some pieces turning too soft while others remain firm.
- Give the cabbage room to wilt: If all of the sliced cabbage does not fit comfortably in the Dutch oven at first, add it in batches as it wilts and makes room for the rest.
- Keep an eye on the moisture: The cabbage should gently braise in the liquid it releases rather than fry against the bottom of the Dutch oven. If the pot becomes dry before the cabbage is tender, add a small splash of water.
- Storage and reheating: Store leftover braised red cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently in a covered saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Freezing and reheating: Cool the braised red cabbage completely, transfer it to an airtight freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently in a covered saucepan over low heat until heated through.
Serve
Braised red cabbage is a natural side dish for pork and sausage, where its sweet and tangy flavor is a welcome contrast to the richness of the meat. Pair it with homemade apple pork tenderloin for a dinner that carries the apple flavor across the plate, or serve it with apple sausage from scratch for an especially good cold-weather meal. Italian fennel sausage, bratwurst, kielbasa, pork chops, ham, and roast pork are great choices too.
Chicken works surprisingly well with this cabbage too. Try seasoned baked chicken for a simple dinner, homemade italian chicken and potatoes when you want something heartier, or spicy grilled chicken thighs when you want the sweet cabbage to contrast with a little heat.
For a German-inspired dinner, serve the cabbage alongside schnitzel or bratwurst with a classic German potato pancake. If you’re putting together a hearty roast dinner instead, from scratch cheesy garlic potatoes make a rich, savory companion to the tangy cabbage. Mashed potatoes, buttered potatoes, and crisp roasted potatoes are also easy pairings.
And don’t overlook the simplest finishing touch: a dollop of sour cream right on top of the warm braised red cabbage. Its cool creaminess is particularly good against the tangy vinegar, sweet apples, and warm spice in the cabbage.
Other recipes you’ll love
If you loved this from scratch red cabbage recipe, give these other great side dish recipes a try too!
Caramel Applesauce Recipe
Old Fashioned Farmhouse Coleslaw
Old Fashioned Turkey Stuffing Recipe
Korean Vegetable Pancakes (with Dipping Sauce)
Garlic Asiago Potato Wedges
Classic Twice Baked Potato
Braised Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 samll yellow onion quartered, sliced thin
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar divided
- 2 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, sliced thin
- 2 pound red cabbage quartered, cored, cut in 1/2-inch thick strips
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until almost tender.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden.
- Add the sliced apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sliced red cabbage, 2 more tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, salt, black pepper, and allspice. Stir well to combine.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook the braised red cabbage for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender.
- Taste and adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Add the remaining balsamic vinegar, if desired.
Notes
- Granny Smith apples provide a tart flavor that works especially well in this recipe. Braeburn or Pink Lady can also be used, while Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp will make the dish sweeter.
- If the cabbage becomes dry before it is tender, add a small splash of water and continue cooking covered over low heat.
- Store leftover braised red cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a covered saucepan over low heat.
- To freeze, cool completely and transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
