Fried Cabbage with Bacon Recipe
Fried Cabbage is one of the easiest comfort-food recipes you can make. When you add in bacon, onions, and garlic, this five ingredient southern staple is perfect as a side dish, or as your main meal with a big hunk of cornbread on the side!
The humble and economical cabbage is the star of today’s recipe, and makes this quick and easy meal a regular in our dinner rotation. It’s right up there with Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese for when I need a simple dinner that’s ready in a pinch.
Growing up, we spent a few years living with my grandma, and fried cabbage was a meal that she used to make for us all the time.
She made it with bacon, sausage, spam, or lots of the time meatless and simply seasoned with salt and pepper.
My favorite way to prepare it these days is with thick cut bacon and a heavy hand of minced garlic and Cajun seasoning.
Necessary Ingredients
- bacon
- onion
- garlic
- green cabbage
- Cajun seasoning
- salt + pepper
- red pepper flakes
How to Make Fried Cabbage – Step by Step
1 .In a large skillet or dutch oven, fry chopped bacon until crispy, about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon and place in a bowl for later. Leave bacon drippings in the pan.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions. Cook until soft and translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
3. Add the cabbage to the skillet along with the Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything well. Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pan. Cook for 10 minutes, removing the lid to stir occasionally.
4. Once cabbage is cooked, remove lid and stir in the bacon. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.
Tips and Notes
- Feel free to substitute sausage for the bacon in this recipe. I’ve made it with sliced smoked sausage and followed the same recipe as below and it’s delicious as well.
- I like to sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on at the end for a little heat, but this is optional!
- Fried cabbage is perfect as a side dish, especially for a big family or potluck meal.
- It also makes an excellent main dish when you serve it with cornbread on the side.
- Store fried cabbage in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3-4 days.
Is Fried Cabbage Keto Friendly?
Yes! Fried Cabbage is low carb, Keto, and even Paleo and Whole30 friendly if you purchase a compliant brand of bacon.
Whole30 compliant bacon contains no added sugar or additives. Paleo bacon is free of nitrates or nitrites.
Cabbage itself is packed with good for you nutrients like vitamin C, Vitamin K, fiber, folate, and antioxidants. It’s excellent for reducing inflammation, aiding in digestion, and even has potential cancer fighting abilities.
Bacon’s health benefits are more debatable, but as with all things, enjoy in moderation!
What to Serve with Fried Cabbage
Recipe: Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces (I prefer thick cut bacon)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 large green cabbage, chopped into square pieces (about 8 cups)
- 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet or dutch oven, fry the chopped bacon until crispy, about 5-8 minutes over medium high heat. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon and place in a bowl for later. Drain about half of the bacon drippings from the pan, leaving the rest to cook the remaining ingredients.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the onions. Cook until soft and translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the cabbage to the skillet along with the Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything well. Reduce heat to medium low and cover the pan. Cook for 10-15 minutes, removing the lid to stir occasionally.
- Once cabbage is cooked, remove lid and stir in the bacon and sprinkle with red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute sausage for the bacon in this recipe. I've made it with sliced smoked sausage and followed the same recipe as below and it's delicious as well.
- I like to sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on at the end for a little heat, but this is optional!
- Fried cabbage is perfect as a side dish, especially for a big family or potluck meal.
- It also makes an excellent main dish when you serve it with cornbread on the side.
- Store fried cabbage in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3-4 days.
Made the recipe with NY grandmother tweaks that says always some acid with cabbage so added 1 tsp of red wine vinegar and 1 1/2 t of sugar. Also finished it with 2 T of butter.
Thanks for the recipe. It’s really great!
I tend to love all things with bacon. I am excited to try this!
Instead of Cajun seasoning I used a little celery salt and instead of bacon I used the horseshoe link of beef smoked sausage cubed. I also used a little olive oil as the sausage has plenty of grease in it. It’s been awhile since I made this but I think I sauteed the cabbage a few minutes stirring often and then added the beef and cooked until tender.
oh yum!!! I love anything with bacon lol! I actually make my brussel sprout like this last night