Fried cabbage and bacon is a delicious way to eat fresh cabbage. As the cabbage cooks with the bacon, onion, garlic and seasonings in butter the wilted cabbage will absorb all of the flavors.
This Southern fried cabbage recipe is a great side dish to serve with many meals. It is one of the best side dishes to serve with ham or a pork roast.
Southern style food is always easy to make and packed full of flavor.
This cabbage recipe is a delicious side dish for many meals or can be served as a full meal itself.
It is a perfect side dish for a family dinner or served at a back yard barbecue with ribs or chicken.
Ingredients to make fried cabbage with bacon
Fried cabbage ingredients are not complicated at all. This southern style fried cabbage recipe is made with basic ingredients you probably have at home.
How to make fried cabbage and bacon
- Prep the cabbage before starting: Remove the outer damaged leaves of a 2 or 3 pound head of cabbage and rinse under cold running water. Carefully cut the cabbage in quarters. Cut the core from each quarter and thinly slice each quarter piece of cabbage. Place the sliced cabbage into a large bowl and set aside.
Step 1: Cut the bacon into cubes. Place the bacon into a medium hot skillet and cook until the edges are golden brown.
Step 2: Add the diced onion to the iron skillet and cook the onion in the bacon grease until the onion pieces start to turn are translucent.
Step 3: Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Do not over cook the garlic or it will become bitter.
Step 4: Add the butter to the skillet and as it melts stir it into the other ingredients.
Step 5: Dump the sliced cabbage into the skillet. Even though it looks like it is too much for the pan the cabbage will quickly begin to wilt and there will be plenty of room to toss the ingredients.
Step 6: Add the seasonings to the skillet and toss the cabbage with the other ingredients to combine.
Step 7: Fry the cabbage constantly tossing to prevent the bottom of the skillet from burning.
Step 8: Continue to fry the cabbage for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cabbage is tender or has cooked to your desired tenderness.
Step 9: Serve the cabbage as a side dish or a full meal. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Recipe FAQS
Cooking fried cabbage with bacon or bacon fat will add a lot of flavor to cabbage. You can also season it with onion, garlic and seasoned salt.
Fried cabbage makes a great side dish with many meals. It goes well with ham, pork, and is a perfect side dish served with any barbecued meat like ribs.
Leftover fried cabbage can be frozen. Allow the cooked cabbage to come to room temperature before putting it into a freezer bag or an air tight container with a tight fitting lid. Freeze the cabbage and use it within 3 to 5 months.
Recipe Expert Tips
Follow these expert tips to make this delicious fried cabbage recipe.
- cabbage: Many varieties of cabbage are available all year long. I've used a round head of green cabbage but you could also make this recipe using other cabbage types like Bok choy or Napa cabbage to make it.
- cutting the cabbage: I cut the cabbage in long narrow strips but you could also cut the cabbage into larger square pieces. The thinner pieces of cabbage will cook quicker.
- cooking the bacon: fry the bacon until the edges are golden. Do not over cook the bacon at this time or it could burn while cooking the cabbage.
- seasoning the fried cabbage: as the cabbage cooks in the bacon grease it will add a lot of great flavor. Cabbage, onion, garlic and the bacon will taste delicious on its own. I added seasoned salt and red pepper flakes for more added flavor. Text out some of your other favorite seasonings.
- Iron skillet cooking: Iron skillets hold heat better than other skillets. If you have one use it to cook this recipe. The iron skillet retains heat on all sides of the pan and helps the cabbage cook quicker.
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Fried Cabbage and Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 lb. head cabbage
- 8 oz. bacon
- 1 medium medium onion (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (season to taste ¼ tsp for less spicy)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Prepare the cabbage
- Remove the outer damaged leaves of a 2 or 3 pound head of cabbage and rinse under cold running water. Carefully cut the cabbage into quarters. Cut the core from each quarter and thinly slice each quarter piece of cabbage. Place the sliced cabbage into a large bowl and set aside.
How to make the fried cabbage
- Cut the bacon into cubes. Place the bacon into a medium hot skillet and cook until the edges are golden brown.
- Add the diced onion to the iron skillet and cook the onion in the bacon grease until the onion pieces start to turn are translucent.
- Add the minced garlic to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Do not over cook the garlic or it will become bitter.
- Add the butter to the skillet and as it melts stir it into the other ingredients.
- Dump the sliced cabbage into the skillet. Even though it looks like it is too much for the pan the cabbage will quickly begin to wilt and there will be plenty of room to toss the ingredients.
- Add the seasonings to the skillet and toss the cabbage with the other ingredients to combine.
- Fry the cabbage constantly tossing to prevent the bottom of the skillet from burning.
- Continue to fry the cabbage for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cabbage is tender or has cooked down to your preference.
- Serve the cabbage as a side dish or a full meal. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- cabbage: Many varieties of cabbage are available all year long. I've used a round head of green cabbage but you could also make this recipe using other cabbage types like Bok choy or Napa cabbage.
- cutting the cabbage: I cut the cabbage in long narrow strips but you could also cut the cabbage into larger square pieces. The thinner pieces of cabbage will cook quicker.
- cooking the bacon: fry the bacon until the edges are golden. Do not over cook the bacon at this time or it could burn while cooking the cabbage.
- seasoning the fried cabbage: as the cabbage cooks in the bacon grease it will add a lot of great flavor. Cabbage, onion, garlic and the bacon will taste delicious on its own. I added seasoned salt and red pepper flakes for more added flavor. Text out some of your other favorite seasonings.
- Iron skillet cooking: Iron skillets hold heat better than other skillets. If you have one use it to cook this recipe. The iron skillet retains heat on all sides of the pan and helps the cabbage cook quicker.
Corrine A Geiger
I grew up with this delicious dish in South Florida as a child and still make it now as an adult.