10+ Fried Cabbage Recipes to Spice Up Your Dinner Table

Fried cabbage recipes are a simple, tasty way to enjoy this healthy veggie. They make a quick side dish that fits with all sorts of meals and bring that comforting, homey flavor to your table.

You can whip up fried cabbage with just a handful of ingredients and not much time. That makes it a solid pick for any home cook.

This dish is easy to tweak with different seasonings or add-ins, so you can match it to whatever you’re craving.

Ingredients

• Cabbage
• Bacon or oil
• Onion
• Salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat bacon or oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Add chopped onion and cook until soft.
3. Add chopped cabbage and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender and slightly browned.
5. Serve warm.

1) Classic Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon and Onion

This recipe keeps things classic and simple. Start by cooking bacon until it’s crispy—can’t go wrong there.

The bacon fat brings so much flavor to the cabbage and onion. Next, toss in chopped onions and cook them until they soften up.

Add your cabbage and cook everything together until the cabbage is nice and tender. A little garlic, salt, and pepper help boost the taste.

You’ll notice how the cabbage soaks up that smoky bacon flavor. It’s a perfect side for all kinds of meals.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large head cabbage, cored and sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy.
2. Remove bacon, leaving fat in the pan.
3. Add onion and garlic; cook until soft.
4. Add cabbage, salt, and pepper, stirring well.
5. Cook until cabbage is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
6. Stir bacon back in before serving.

2) Easy Fried Cabbage with Smoked Paprika and Stone Ground Mustard

Want a fried cabbage with a twist? Try smoked paprika and stone ground mustard. These spices add a warm, smoky flavor that pairs so well with the natural sweetness of cabbage.

Fry up some bacon until it’s crisp, and let the bacon fat work its magic. Sauté onions and minced garlic until soft.

Add sliced cabbage, then sprinkle in salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and a spoonful of mustard. Cook until the cabbage is tender and caramelized.

Ingredients

• 6 pieces of bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large head of cabbage, core removed and sliced
• 1 tbsp stone ground mustard
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside.
2. In bacon fat, sauté onion and garlic until soft.
3. Add cabbage and stir well.
4. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and mustard.
5. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until cabbage is tender.
6. Mix bacon back in before serving.

For more details, see this fried cabbage recipe with smoked paprika.

3) Budget-Friendly Fried Cabbage with Chicken Broth

You can make a super simple fried cabbage with chicken broth instead of oil or butter. This keeps things light and adds some extra flavor without piling on calories.

The broth steams and softens the cabbage while giving it a nice, savory taste. If you want, cook up some bacon or onion first for more flavor.

Add chopped cabbage and pour in about a quarter cup of chicken broth. Let it simmer until the cabbage is tender but still has a bit of crunch.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz bacon (optional)
• 1/2 head green cabbage (about 6 cups chopped)
• 1 yellow onion (optional)
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp seasoning salt or regular salt
• Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cook bacon or onion in a large skillet until browned.
2. Add chopped cabbage to the skillet.
3. Pour in chicken broth.
4. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve warm.

For more details, see the budget-friendly fried cabbage recipe with chicken broth.

4) Crispy Bacon and Caramelized Onion Fried Cabbage

Start by cooking bacon until it’s crispy. That crunch and smoky flavor are hard to beat.

Use the bacon fat to cook thinly sliced onions until they turn golden and sweet. Add chopped cabbage to the pan and stir so the cabbage soaks up all that bacon and onion goodness.

Let it cook until the cabbage softens and gets a bit caramelized. Season with salt and pepper, and you’ve got a killer side dish.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large pan over medium heat until crispy, about 8 minutes.
2. Remove bacon, leaving fat in the pan. Add onions and cook until golden, about 7 minutes.
3. Add cabbage to the pan and stir well. Cook for 10-12 minutes until tender.
4. Stir in cooked bacon, salt, and pepper. Mix and cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Serve warm.

5) Southern-Style Fried Cabbage with Bell Peppers

Southern-style fried cabbage starts with bacon, onions, and bell peppers. Cook them until the bacon is just starting to brown—so much flavor already.

Add chopped cabbage and cook until it’s tender but still has some crunch. Season with salt, pepper, and a little Cajun spice for a kick.

Stir in some butter at the end to make it extra rich and tasty.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped cabbage
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until it starts to brown.
2. Add onions and bell peppers; cook 2-3 minutes until softened.
3. Stir in cabbage and Cajun seasoning. Cook until cabbage is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
4. Add butter and mix until melted.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

6) Garlic and Onion Fried Cabbage in Bacon Grease

Start by cooking bacon in a large skillet until it’s crispy. The bacon fat left behind adds loads of rich flavor to your cabbage.

Add diced onion and minced garlic to the bacon grease. Cook until they’re soft and fragrant.

Toss in sliced cabbage and stir everything around. Cook until the cabbage is tender and just a bit browned.

Season with salt to taste.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large head cabbage, cored and sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat (about 325°F/160°C) until crispy.
2. Remove bacon, set aside, leaving grease in pan.
3. Add onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until soft (3-4 minutes).
4. Add sliced cabbage, stir well to coat with grease.
5. Cover and cook until cabbage is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
6. Stir in bacon pieces and salt before serving.

7) Quick 20-Minute Fried Cabbage with Simple Seasonings

You can throw together a fried cabbage dish in under 20 minutes—super handy for busy nights. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces.

Use simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and garlic powder to keep things straightforward. Heat some oil or butter in a pan over medium heat.

Add the cabbage and cook until it softens and starts to brown a little. This quick method gives you a nice mix of texture and flavor without much fuss.

If you want, add chopped onions or a bit of bacon. This works well as a quick side to lots of main dishes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add onions if using; cook 3-4 minutes until soft.
3. Add cabbage, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Cook, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes until cabbage is tender and slightly browned.
5. Serve warm.

8) Fried Cabbage with Sausage Pairing

Fried cabbage with sausage is hearty and filling. Pair it with simple sides like steamed rice or mashed potatoes to balance out the rich, savory sausage.

A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette adds a crunchy contrast and a fresh taste.

For drinks, a cold beer or a glass of iced tea works great. Both refresh your palate while you enjoy this classic combo.

Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped
• 1 pound smoked sausage or kielbasa, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons oil or butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat (350°F / 175°C).
2. Add sausage slices and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Add onions and garlic; cook until softened, 3 minutes.
4. Stir in the cabbage and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

9) Rustic Appalachian-Style Fried Cabbage

This fried cabbage recipe pulls inspiration straight from the Appalachian region. You start by frying bacon until it gets nice and crispy, which sets the smoky tone for the whole dish.

Next, toss diced onions into the bacon grease and let them cook until they’re soft and smell amazing. That aroma? It’s kind of irresistible.

Chop up your cabbage and let it cook low and slow. Some of the cabbage caramelizes, adding a rich, almost sweet flavor that’s hard to beat.

Season everything with salt, pepper, and a little garlic. Simple, right?

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium head cabbage, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

1. Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium heat (about 350°F / 175°C) until crispy. Remove bacon and set it aside.
2. Add diced onion to the bacon grease. Cook for 3-4 minutes, just until soft.
3. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.
4. Add chopped cabbage. Cook, stirring now and then, for about 15 minutes, letting some pieces caramelize.
5. Crumble the bacon and mix it back in.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm, and enjoy.

For more details, check this Appalachian fried cabbage recipe.

10) Sweet Onion and Bacon Fried Cabbage Side Dish

Here’s a fried cabbage side dish that leans into the sweetness of onions and the punch of bacon. The sweet onion really balances out the smoky, salty bacon—honestly, it’s a combo that just works.

Fry up your bacon until it’s crisp. Set it aside, and then let sliced sweet onions cook in the bacon fat until they’re soft and golden.

Add in the shredded cabbage and mix it all up. If you want to highlight the natural sweetness, sprinkle in a bit of sugar, but that’s totally up to you.

Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the cabbage is tender, but don’t let it lose all its crunch.

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 1 large head cabbage, sliced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a large pan over medium heat until it gets nice and crisp. Take it out and set it aside.

2. Toss the sweet onions into the same pan with the bacon fat. Let them cook for about 5 minutes, just until they’re soft.

3. Stir in the cabbage. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and a bit of sugar if you want.

4. Keep cooking for 10 to 12 minutes. Stir often so nothing sticks, and wait until the cabbage turns tender.

5. Mix the bacon back in. Let everything heat together for 2 minutes, then serve it up warm.