Caramelized Cabbage Recipe [Video] (2024)

Table of Contents

Cast Iron Fried Cabbage Recipe What is the best tasting cabbage? Is cabbage good for you to eat? How long do you cook cabbage for? How do you make Caramelized Cabbage? Recipe Variations: How to avoid soggy cabbage? Can you cook cabbage too long? Do you need to wash cabbage before cooking? How to store Fried Cabbage: How to reheat Caramelized Cabbage: More Cabbage Recipes: Caramelized Cabbage Recipe Ingredients For Serving: Instructions Nutrition Facts FAQs References

Caramelized Cabbage is full of umami from the lightly-charred cabbage wedges and the spiced tomato sauce. A savory side dish that’s as delicious as any main!

This dish is amazing on its own, but it also complements a lot of entrees. Serve it alongside Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Cheeseburger Meatloaf, or Beer Pot Roast.

Cast Iron Fried Cabbage Recipe

Caramelized Cabbage uses simple ingredients to make a veggie dish that’s jam-packed with flavor. It starts with seasoned, caramelized vegetables that are already delicious on their own. The tomato sauce takes it to the next level with bold spices like cumin and paprika.

For a final layer of flavor, it’s served with refreshing sour cream, lemon, and fresh herbs. It’s amazing how they all work together to create a stunning side dish that’s good enough for both weeknights and special occasions!

What is the best tasting cabbage?

The freshest, highest-quality ones you can get will always taste the best. Each variety has a unique flavor that complements different recipes.

For instance, green cabbage starts of peppery and gets sweeter as it cooks, making it delicious when boiled or sauteed.

The red ones are earthy and perfect for colorful coleslaws. Savoy is sweet, mild, and tender, while Napa is especially tasty in raw salads.

Is cabbage good for you to eat?

Yes, it’s one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet! It packs on the fiber without piling on the calories or carbs.

It’s also loaded with vitamins and minerals. In fact, you can get nearly 70% of your daily Vitamin C requirement from a cup of this vegetable alone!

This veggie has been linked with better complexion, weight loss, decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes, and so many more health benefits. On top of that, it’s super tasty too!

How long do you cook cabbage for?

Follow these general cook times:

Boil: 3 to 5 mins. for shredded, and around 8 minutes for a whole head sliced into wedges.
Bake: 30 mins. in a 450F oven, flipping at the 15-minute mark.
Grill: Cook covered on a medium-hot grill for about 20 mins.
Sauté: Thinly-shredded, it will take about 15 minutes to caramelize and become tender.
Steamed: Shredded pieces need about 5 minutes covered, then steamed for 2 minutes uncovered to evaporate remaining moisture.
Fried: Slice small and pan-fry for about 7 minutes.

How do you make Caramelized Cabbage?

Prepare. Stir the spices, sugar, and crushed pepper with the tomato paste. Cut the vegetable into wedges.
Sear. Place the wedges cut-side down in a hot pan with oil. Cook until all the sides have a light char. Set aside.
Make the sauce. Sauté the spiced tomato paste in a little oil. Simmer with a little water.
Bake. Arrange the wedges in the pan with the sauce. Bake in a 350F oven for about 40 to 50 mins, until the vegetables are tender with caramelized edges and almost are the liquid is gone.
Serve. Enjoy hot, with a sprinkle of dill plus lemon and yogurt on the side.

Recipe Variations:

Add bacon: Add crispy bacon for a more savory sauce.
Make it spicy: For a hotter version, double the pepper flakes or add some cayenne.
Add sausage: Make it heartier by adding some sliced and browned sausages before baking.
Use broth: Instead of water, boost the flavor of the sauce by using stock.

How to avoid soggy cabbage?

After rinsing, pat it dry and remove as much excess moisture as you can. I like using a salad spinner for shreds and small chunks.

If you’re cooking it with liquid, make sure to follow the exact amounts in the recipe.

Can you cook cabbage too long?

Yes, it’s very easy to overcook it. You will notice it become limp and emit a slightly sulfuric smell when it’s overdone.

To avoid this, just cook until it’s tender and bright green. Sample a piece to see if it’s already done to your liking.

Do you need to wash cabbage before cooking?

Yes. Washing removes any debris or dirt trapped between the outer leaves. A quick rinse will do, then shake off any excess.

How to store Fried Cabbage:

Cool any leftovers, then transfer to a tightly-sealed container along with any remaining sauce. It will keep up to 3 days in the fridge, and up to a month if you freeze it.

How to reheat Caramelized Cabbage:

No need to thaw before you reheat it, as doing so can make the vegetables soggy. Microwave directly or heat in a pan with a little water.

More Cabbage Recipes:

Instant Pot Cabbage Soup
Roasted Cabbage
Easy Bacon Fried Cabbage
Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Slow Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Recipe Tips:

Cut through the core, and don’t cut it off. We need them to keep the wedges together.
Sauté the spiced tomato paste until it splits and deepens in color.
Sear the wedges until they have nicely brown, toasted brown bits and edges. That caramelization is key to flavor!

Caramelized Cabbage Recipe

Prep Time20 MIN
Cook Time1H
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

▢ 1/4 cup tomato paste
▢ 4 garlic cloves minced
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
▢ 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
▢ 2 tablespoons brown sugar
▢ 1 medium head of green cabbage cut into wedges 4 or 6 wedges
▢ 1/2 cup olive oil divided
▢ Kosher salt to taste

For Serving:

▢ 3 tablespoons chopped dill or parsley
▢ 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
▢ Lemon wedges

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Instructions

▢
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
▢
In a small bowl, stir together tomato paste, garlic, coriander, cumin, onion powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar and red pepper flakes.
▢
Cut cabbage in half through the core and after that, cut each half through the core into 4 wedges.
▢
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high and add 1/4 cup of olive oil.
▢
Once the oil is hot, add the cabbage wedges to the pan cut side down and season with salt. Cook until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
▢
Pour remaining ¼ cup of oil into the skillet and add the tomato paste mixture, cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tomato paste begins to split and slightly darken, 2–3 minutes.
▢
Add water to come halfway up sides of the pan, and season the mixture with salt to taste, bring to a simmer.
▢
Add cabbage wedges back into the skillet and bake in the preheated oven, uncovered and turning wedges halfway through baking. The cabbage should be very tender, and the liquid mostly evaporated, about 40–50 minutes.
▢
Garnish with dill or parsley, and serve with yogurt and lemon wedges.

Nutrition Facts

Caramelized Cabbage Recipe [Video] (2024)

FAQs

Why do you put vinegar in cabbage when boiling it? ›

Green is the heartiest variety; it takes well to all cooking methods. Red can turn a funny blue color when cooked, so it's best used raw. If you do want to cook it, add a touch of acid like lemon juice or vinegar to lessen the effect. Savoy can be used in any recipe that calls for green cabbage.

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Why do you soak cabbage in vinegar? ›

Douse the cabbage in vinegar water, if desired.

Vinegar kills some types of bacteria and helps killing mold and mildew that could have grown on the cabbage.

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How to cook cabbage so it's not bitter? ›

If you want to serve cabbage wedges as a side dish with dinner (corned beef and cabbage, anyone?), heat a large pot of water on the stove on high heat. As it begins to steam, add the wedges. As it approaches the boiling point, the enzymes will be inactivated, so no more pungent, bitter compounds will form.

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Why do you put baking soda in cabbage? ›

You don't add baking soda. Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

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Why add bread when boiling cabbage? ›

Remember that boiled cabbage tends to have a strong odor. If you find the odor unpleasant, try adding a couple chunks of bread wrapped in cheesecloth to the water when you boil the cabbage. This might cut down on the strength of the smell.

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How long can you keep cabbage in vinegar? ›

You can use other types of vinegar, such as red wine, sherry, white wine, or rice vinegar, but keep in mind that they will have different flavors. Store in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator and use within 2 weeks.

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Why is boiled cabbage so good? ›

It's Packed With Nutrients

Half a cup of cooked cabbage has about a third the vitamin C you need for the day. It also gives you doses of fiber, folate, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A and K, and more.

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How do you take the bitterness out of cabbage? ›

Salt is your friend: Salt acts as a natural counter to bitter tastes. Adding a bit more salt or something salty like capers to bitter-tasting cabbage will dampen the bitter tastes and increase the sensation from the natural sugars.

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Can you overcook cabbage? ›

Yes, cabbage sizzles in stir-fries; simmers in soups, stews, and braises; adds healthy crunch to salads; and does wonders for casseroles, gratins, and meat pies — cabbage does it all, and for a bargain price. The key to cooking cabbage: Don't overcook it. Cabbage is sweet and aromatic when cooked correctly.

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Why is my cooked cabbage mushy? ›

It's easy to overcook cabbage using these methods, leaving it soggy, mushy, bitter, and odorous. However, there are many other ways to cook cabbage that shouldn't be overlooked. Probably the best ways to bring out the natural sweetness of this tasty vegetable are by sautéing, roasting, or grilling it.

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What takes the gas out of cabbage? ›

To reduce the likelihood of experiencing gas after eating cabbage, consider cooking it thoroughly. This can help break down the fibers and make it easier to digest. Additionally, try adding caraway seeds or fennel seeds to your cabbage dishes, as these spices are known to help reduce gas.

Why do you salt cabbage before cooking? ›

Toss 1 head of prepared cabbage with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Let it sit. Place salted cabbage in a colander over a bowl for 1 to 2 hours. The salt pulls moisture out of the cabbage, seasons it, and leaves you with a super-crunchy texture that isn't raw or tough-tasting.

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Why does cabbage take so long to cook? ›

The central vein in each leaf is tough, particularly on the outer leaves, so you may wish to cut this away, too, especially if you want to cook the cabbage quickly as this part is very dense and will take a long time.

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Will adding vinegar to cabbage during cooking make it turn blue? ›

When cooked in an alkaline liquid like water, red cabbage turns blue. Adding vinegar, lemon juice, or another acid helps the cabbage to retain its red-purple color.

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What happens when you mix vinegar and cabbage juice? ›

The cabbage juice is called an indicator because it can tell you the pH of a solution based on the color that it changes. The vinegar will turn the cabbage juice red because it is an acid (acetic acid).

How do you cook cabbage to prevent gas? ›

Chebotar recommends adding garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns to the pot of boiling water as this may help reduce gas. Bay leaf tea can help ease an upset stomach, so boiling it with the cabbage can prevent gas after eating the cabbage.

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Is cabbage in vinegar healthy? ›

Chockful of nutrients

Red cabbage offers another bonus: It's rich in natural pigments called anthocyanins, which new research suggests may help boost insulin production and lower blood sugar levels. Finally, cabbage is often prepared with vinegar, which can help lower the GL of your whole meal.

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