Savory, easy, and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This super savory, crazy easy recipe for fried cabbage with bacon can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Cabbage cooks quickly in the bacon fat before getting tossed with apple cider vinegar and fresh parsley. Pair this bacon fried cabbage with chicken, pork chops, or fish and shrimp. It’s also delicious with cornbread or dinner rolls.
Affiliate Disclosure
My content may include affiliate links, which means that (at zero cost to you) I may earn some coffee money if you buy something through one of my links. I will use it to drink more coffee while creating more content like this.
Summary
- Use green cabbage, savoy cabbage, or napa cabbage for this recipe.
- Make this recipe in a large cast-iron pan or other heavy-bottomed pan. Cast-iron gets hot and stays hot. It retains heat evenly, meaning perfectly cooked bacon.
- Fried cabbage with bacon takes a lifeless veggie and turns it into something crave-worthy.
- I believe in cabbage supremacy. Cabbage is a perfect vegetable, reasons being: it’s cheap, it’s versatile in both form and cuisine, and it’s good for you. This time around, cabbage is roughly chopped and cooked down into a lightly charred, bacon-y, flavorful rubble.
Ingredients
(Serves 4-6)
- Bacon: If you can, use thick-cut bacon for this recipe.
- Yellow onion: Or white onion.
- Garlic: Garlic is the aromatic base in this recipe – use as much as you want.
- Cabbage: Green cabbage, savoy cabbage, and Napa cabbage are the best options for making fried cabbage with bacon.
- Kosher salt: I use and swear by Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- Red chili flakes: Omit these if you don’t want the heat.
- Smoked paprika: Smoked paprika adds a mildly sweet, smoky flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: You could sub in lemon juice, but I love apple cider vinegar for a punch.
- Parsley: Fresh chopped parsley is a non-negotiable.
How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon
- Cook the Bacon:
- Start with a large, cold cast-iron pan or heavy-bottomed pan. Add the bacon and turn the heat to medium-low. Starting bacon in a cold pan allows the fat to render, making for perfectly cooked, super crispy bacon.
- Once the bacon is crispy, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the pan.
- Sauté the Aromatics:
- Add the finely chopped yellow onion and garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is mostly translucent and the garlic is toasty. This shouldn’t take too long, about 2 minutes.
- Cook the Cabbage:
- While the onion and garlic are cooking, chop the cabbage into rough 1-inch pieces. Don’t forget to remove the core. Prop the cabbage up on the cutting board with the core sitting down. Slice two slits into the cabbage, forming an upside-down “V” shape around the core. Then just pull it straight out.
- Add the cabbage to the pan, along with the kosher salt, red chili flakes, and smoked paprika. Cook and stir occasionally, letting the cabbage take on some color, about 7-8 minutes. The cabbage should be mostly tender but still retain some crunch.
- Finish the Dish:
- Meanwhile, chop up the bacon and finely mince the parsley.
- Return the chopped bacon to the pan with the cabbage and add the apple cider vinegar. If you don’t like vinegar, you can use lemon juice here. Stir and cook until the raw flavor of the vinegar cooks off.
- Remove from heat and top with the chopped parsley. Taste and adjust for salt!
How to Store Leftovers
Store these leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. If you omitted the bacon, it’ll last longer. You can re-fry them in a cast-iron pan to add a little char, which is what I like doing.
How to Serve Fried Cabbage with Bacon
I’ve eaten this as dinner more than once, but there’s plenty of mains and sides that would work well alongside fried cabbage with bacon. Pair this recipe with:
- Proteins: Roasted, fried, or BBQ chicken; corned beef or beef brisket; homemade meatloaf; fried pork chops; fried catfish or shrimp.
- Sides: Smashed tater tots, baked potatoes, dinner rolls, or cornbread.
- Breakfast: Just put a fried egg on top!
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
- Large cast-iron pan: A large cast-iron is ideal for this recipe. Cast iron gets super hot and stays super hot, perfect for frying the bacon and charring the cabbage. Un-enameled cast iron is inexpensive and will last forever if you take care of it right (and yes, you can use dish soap to clean your cast-iron pan).
- 8” chef’s knife: One good 8” chef’s knife should be able to handle 90% of the knifework in your kitchen.
Substitutions and Additions to This Recipe
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Omit the bacon. You can use a vegetarian bacon substitute (just add a little extra oil at the beginning, as you won’t end up with rendered bacon fat) or leave it out entirely!
- Turkey Bacon: Use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon if you prefer. Again, you’ll need to fry this in some extra oil.
- Sausage: Substitute sausage in place of bacon for a heartier meal. Try andouille sausage or bratwurst.
- Potatoes: Add potatoes to turn this into a filling dinner. Add diced potatoes into the skillet after frying the bacon. Let them cook until they’re almost done, then toss in the cabbage and proceed with the recipe as instructed.
Final Thoughts
Fried cabbage with bacon is a simple, flavorful dish that transforms a humble vegetable into something truly special. Whether you serve it as a side or a main, it’s sure to become a favorite in your kitchen.
Pro Tip: Double the recipe – leftovers are just as delicious the next day!