How to Cook Fried Cabbage with Bacon | 4-Ingredients

Close up view of fried cabbage with bacon in a white bowl.

Learn how to cook fried cabbage with bacon using only four simple ingredients in this basic, old-fashioned, yet delicious side dish!

Close up view of fried cabbage with bacon in a white bowl.

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Fried Cabbage with Bacon

I feel like cabbage is a very polarizing vegetable. It seems like either you love it or can’t stand it. I fall into the love it camp and I’m assuming that you do too, since you’re here reading this, right?

Unfortunately, I’m the only one in my family who likes it, so I don’t tend to make it very often, but when I do it makes me happy.

This old-fashioned recipe for making fried cabbage with bacon reminds me of my southern, country grandparents. They loved this dish and so do I. In fact, every time I fry bacon, it reminds me of their house, because they had it every morning.

If you haven’t tried making fried cabbage, what are you waiting for?

Can You Make Fried Cabbage Without Bacon?

You can make fried cabbage without bacon, in fact I’ve done it many times. The bacon, however, adds a depth of flavor that can’t be matched. If you save your bacon grease, then you can simply add a dollop to fry the onions in and you’re good to go. Alternatively, you can fry your onions in any oil if you don’t have bacon grease on hand.

What’s in Fried Cabbage?

  • bacon
  • onion
  • chicken broth
  • cabbage
  • salt and black pepper

Chopped cabbage, diced bacon, diced onion, chicken broth, salt and pepper sitting on a white countertop.

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon:

In a stock pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon and onion over medium heat until the bacon is cooked through and the onions are tender.

Bacon and onion being sauteed in a dutch oven.

Add the chicken broth, scraping the bottom to release any stuck on bits.

Bacon and onion being deglazed with chicken broth in a dutch oven.

Place the chopped cabbage into the pot and season with salt and black pepper as desired. (Optional: If you like vinegar in your cabbage, this is where you could add it in.)

Cover the pot and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the broth has been absorbed, stirring as needed.

Fried Cabbage with bacon in a dutch oven with a wooden spoon.

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Close up view of fried cabbage with bacon in a white bowl.

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Chopped cabbage cooked in chicken broth with fried bacon and onion.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bacon, fried cabbage, old-fashioned recipe, Sauteed Cabbage, southern cooking
Servings: 6
Calories: 107kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon cut into smaller pieces
  • ½ cup onion chopped
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 head cabbage cored and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a stock pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon and onion over medium heat until the bacon is cooked through and the onions are tender.
  • Add the chicken broth, scraping the bottom to release any stuck on bits.
  • Place the chopped cabbage into the pot and season with salt and black pepper as desired. (Optional: If you like vinegar in your cabbage, this is where you could add it in.)
  • Cover the pot and continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the broth has been absorbed, stirring as needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 270mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg

*This recipe was originally published in November of 2014, but has been updated for your convenience.

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8 Comments

  1. I am a cabbage girl, too. My mouth is watering just thinking about making this. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe. I am pinning this for keepers!! :)
  2. My whole family loves sauteed cabbage--even the little ones. I simply melt some butter in a pot/pan/whatever, throw in the cabbage with some salt and pepper, stir it around a bit, and cover it. If it gets too juicy, I just take the lid off. Yours looks like a yummy recipe, too!
  3. I LOVE cabbage, although the rest of the family is somewhat ambivalent. I planted two cabbages in the garden this year, and got six heads. We're swimming in cabbage! This is going on the menu for sure! So easy!
    1. I'm so glad you will be enjoying this recipe. I just ate it for lunch today. :) My family isn't so happy about eating cabbage either, but I love it. I've never had much luck growing cabbage because they always get eaten up with bugs, but I'm going to cover them with row cover next year. Enjoy!
  4. Goodness. Am I really that old (67)??? I've been cooking and eating like this all my life. When I was growing up, we had white beans and potatoes and cornbread at most meals. If we were fortunate, we had fried chicken after Sunday services. Sad comment that we need a blog to remind young people of these basics.
  5. Cabbage, olive oil, butter, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar. Everyone has different taste but I use around a Tbl of everything to the cabbage in a large skillet. Keep turning with tongs to your desired tenderness. Season with salt &papper to taste.
  6. This is my favorite way to cook cabbage. I think it may be the sautéing part that makes it taste so good to me. It’s delicious! Every time I cook it my husband says, “ I wish I liked cabbage:” More for me.

    5 stars

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