Don’t underestimate the humble cabbage. There’s so much more to this cheap workhorse vegetable than corned beef and cabbage and coleslaw, to say nothing of boiled or steamed cabbage. Cooking cabbage in bacon fat (you heard it right: bacon-fried cabbage!) lends it enough smoky, rich flavor to convert even the most ardent cabbage hater. Requiring only five ingredients (not counting salt and pepper), this recipe is the perfect last-minute addition to your St. Patrick’s Day feast, or to any simple weeknight dinner. Here’s everything you need to know:

What People Are Saying:

"This was delicious just the way it was written. Excellent low carb food- subbed with Splenda brown sugar. So good!" - Mama3plus

"Easy to make and delicious." - Lindalu80

How To Make Fried Cabbage

INGREDIENTS

Bacon: I chose thick-cut bacon because I love the meaty texture it brings to the party. Be sure to cook it until it’s crisp and the fat has cooked out. And hang on to that fat: It's liquid gold and the perfect medium for cooking the cabbage. For a vegetarian alternative, skip the bacon and sub in 2 Tbsp. olive oil (you’ll need to up the salt to taste as well).
Onion: Yellow onion contributes sweet-savory depth. I cook it just until soft and translucent, but not browned, to bring out its natural sweetness.
Cabbage: The star of this show, basic, ubiquitous green cabbage can’t be beat when it comes to fried cabbage. It has an extra-hearty texture that holds up well to cooking. What’s more, the heat of frying transforms its robust peppery flavor into mellow sweetness.
Brown Sugar: I included a little brown sugar because it brings a rich, caramel-like flavor that beautifully balances the smoky bacon and gives added depth to the dish.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Job number one: Cook the bacon. Grab a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) and add the bacon while the skillet is still cold; you’ll render more fat and produce crispier bacon by starting the bacon in a cold pan and cooking it slowly over moderate heat. With that in mind, place the skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon until it is crisp and the fat has cooked out, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the fat behind.

Fried Cabbage

Add the onion to the fat in the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Now, add the cabbage and brown sugar; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is firm-tender, about 5 minutes.

Fried Cabbage

Return the bacon to the skillet and toss to combine; cook 1 minute more, just to heat the bacon through. Top with parsley and serve.

Fried Cabbage

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

How to prep your cabbage: For the best results, you’re going to want to make sure your cabbage is properly prepped—no one wants to gnaw on a chunk of the tough core. So, to cut and core the cabbage, grab a sharp knife and first remove a bit from the stem end to create a flat, stable base. Place the cabbage stem side down and halve it vertically through the stem. Halve each half, again through the stem, to create 4 wedges. Cut out the core from each wedge, then slice the wedges crosswise into 1" pieces. Check out our guide for how to cut an onion and our tips for cooking bacon if you’d like some guidance there too.

Storage

Leftover fried cabbage can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it in a skillet over medium until warmed through.

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

4
slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1
small yellow onion, finely chopped
1
small head of green cabbage, cored, chopped into 1" pieces
2 tsp.
light brown sugar
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Finely chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Directions

In a cold, large, heavy skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.
In same skillet over medium-high heat, cook onion, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add cabbage and brown sugar; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is just tender, about 5 minutes.
Return bacon to skillet and toss to combine. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Top with parsley.

Bacon Fried Cabbage

What To Serve With Fried Cabbage

Want to turn this into a full meal? Take inspiration from our haluski recipe, and add some egg noodles. Alternatively, serve this cabbage as a side to your corned beef, ribeye steak, or melt-in-your-mouth chicken.