This fried cabbage with bacon is a skillet side dish that takes about 25 minutes. I cook chopped bacon in a large cast-iron skillet until it is crisp, then cook a finely chopped onion and a small head of green cabbage in the bacon drippings with a teaspoon of sweetener, salt, and pepper until the cabbage is tender but still has a slight crunch. The bacon goes back in at the end, with fresh parsley on top. It tastes smoky and savory with a little sweetness, and the recipe makes 6 servings.
We love adding cabbage to our menu by making this recipe along with Cabbage and Sausage and Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls.
Cabbage is an easy way to get more vegetables on the table. It costs little, a whole head keeps for weeks in the refrigerator, and it takes on the flavor of whatever it cooks with.
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💛 Why you’ll love this recipe
- Made in only 25 minutes.
- Can be a side dish or a main dish.
- Cooks in one skillet from start to finish.
- Includes straightforward ingredients that are widely available or you may already have on hand.
➡️ Ingredients
⏲ How to make fried cabbage with bacon
This is an overview of the recipe’s instructions. The full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook Bacon: In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, pan-fry some chopped bacon until crisp, stirring regularly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set it aside. Do not wipe out the bacon grease drippings from the skillet.
- Cook Remaining Ingredients: Increase the stovetop heat to medium-high, add your onion, and cook until it has softened and browned. Add cabbage, sweetener, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender.
- Stir In Bacon, Garnish, And Serve: Return the cooked bacon to the skillet and stir that in to combine with the other ingredients. Cook all of that for 1 minute. Carefully taste test and add additional salt and pepper based on your preferences. Top the dish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
👉 Ingredient substitution suggestions
- Bacon: Turkey bacon or diced ham can be subbed in for pork bacon. If you do either of these, you will need to add some oil to the pan before adding the onion.
- White Onion: Red onion is the closest substitute. A yellow onion also works.
- Sweetener: I use Lakanto Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener here. Regular monk fruit sweetener or allulose works too. Brown sugar or white sugar also works, or you can leave the sweetener out.
✨ Variations
- Pour in 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to brighten up the dish’s flavor.
- Add some heat by sprinkling in a little ground cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes when adding the salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle in some Cajun seasoning for a spicier, Cajun-style version.
〰️ How to serve
- Pork: Plate with pork chops or smoky tender ribs.
- Chicken/Turkey: Serve alongside chicken nuggets, Italian chicken cutlets, or air fryer turkey breast.
- Bread: Feature the cabbage as your main dish and serve rolls on the side.
- Soup: Serve alongside Zuppa Toscana or Italian sausage soup.
➜ Cooking and recipe tips
- Be sure to use a skillet with high enough sides to fit all of the ingredients. I use a large cast iron skillet. A Dutch oven also works really well for this dish.
- You can cook the cabbage a little longer if you want it to be softer. The original recipe yields cabbage with a slight crunch, which pairs nicely with the bacon’s texture. But, if you prefer soft cabbage, let it cook longer in the pan, and it will continue to soften up.
💬 FAQs
How do you clean and cut the cabbage for frying?
Rinse your cabbage under water to clean it. Then, take it and slice it into fourths. I personally cut out the core, but it is edible, so you can leave it in if you’d prefer. Then, move on to slicing the quartered cabbage into small pieces, about 1-inch squares.
How should fried cabbage and bacon be stored?
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How should fried cabbage and bacon be reheated after storing?
Reheat in a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed throughout. You may need to add 1 teaspoon or so of water while reheating on the stovetop to help it warm through. Or, microwave in 30- to 60-second increments until warmed throughout.
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Fried Cabbage With Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 small head cabbage (~28 ounces), cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon sweetener of choice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Optional Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook Bacon: In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, pan-fry chopped bacon until crisp, about 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Do not wipe out skillet.
- Cook Remaining Ingredients: Increase stovetop heat to medium-high, add onion and cook until softened and browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add cabbage, sweetener, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Stir In Bacon, Garnish, And Serve: Return bacon to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute to heat through. Taste and add additional seasoning, based on your preferences. Top dish with parsley and serve.
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