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    Home » Vegetarian

    Simple Sautéed Cabbage

    Published: Sep 19, 2019 / Updated: Mar 2, 2020 / 28 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

    Jump to Recipe

    This sautéed cabbage recipe is an incredibly flavorful low-carb side dish that's easy to make from a handful of ingredients. 

    fried cabbage in a serving bowl

    This recipe came about when I was making my kielbasa soup. It was very spur-of-the-moment. I had more than half a head of cabbage left, so I figured that I should really do something with it then and there. This doesn't always happen when I am cooking, mind you. 😛 The motivation was there that day.

    My chicken and cabbage stir fry and my cabbage and kielbasa recipes continue to go strong, so I took inspiration from them. This cabbage recipe has the same cooking technique and similar ingredients, but it does not contain any meat. It could even work as a meatless main course if you want to serve it over rice or with noodles or something. Or, if you're on a low-carb/keto diet, this could quite easily become a staple since it's just that yummy. 

    It's hard for me to describe just how tasty sautéed cabbage is. You basically just have to try it. Growing up with a Czech mom, I definitely ate my fair share of cabbage when I was little. The lightly browned onion imparts a delicious flavor into this dish. And the butter and smoked paprika take it up another notch. Oh, and this recipe did pass my mom's taste test. 🙂 

    You can easily control how crisp the cabbage remains in this recipe depending on your personal preferences. I like mine to be slightly softer than tender-crisp, but you can cook it even longer (or less) if you prefer. 

    easy sautéed cabbage in a skillet

    How to make sautéed cabbage

    1. Prep your ingredients. Slice the cabbage into thin-ish strips (you don't need to be too precise);
    2. Sauté the onion in the olive oil + butter for 3 minutes;
    3. Add the cabbage to the skillet and cook for 10-15 minutes (toss occasionally) until it's tender-crisp;
    4. Add in the paprika and garlic;
    5. Season with salt & pepper and enjoy!

    (full instructions are in the recipe card below). 

    What kind of cabbage to use?

    I just use a regular green cabbage (also sometimes called "cannonball" cabbage). Red cabbage or savoy cabbage would work too, but the red cabbage will discolor a bit when you cook it, so keep that in mind. 

    What size of cabbage to use? 

    Size-wise I usually just eyeball it, but to give you an idea of weight, a small-to-medium cabbage for this recipe weighs around 3 pounds. You don't have to worry about being too exact. If you're using a much smaller cabbage, you might want to cut the butter to 1 tablespoon. 

    Love cabbage? Try my stuffed cabbage roll soup or this Crockpot cabbage soup. 

    sautéed cabbage and onions close-up

    Will you give this easy cabbage side dish recipe a try? Do you cook cabbage often?

    Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions. 

    fried cabbage in a serving bowl

    Simple Sautéed Cabbage

    This sautéed cabbage recipe is an incredibly flavorful low-carb side dish that's easy to make from a handful of ingredients. 
    4.88 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Central European
    Servings 6
    Calories 87 kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 medium head green cabbage cored & sliced into thin strips
    • 1 medium onion chopped
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 teaspoon olive oil
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • Salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Prep the cabbage and chop your onion. I just slice the cabbage thin (cut out the core) and chop the onion like usual.
    • Add the butter and oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes.
    • Add the cabbage to the pan and toss/stir it as best as you can (use 2 spoons or tongs to make it easier). Don't worry, as it cooks the cabbage goes down and it becomes more manageable. Stir/toss it often and let it cook until it's just about as soft as you want it (about 10-15 minutes).
    • Add in the paprika and garlic. Cook it for a couple more minutes. If the cabbage starts to brown too quickly, turn the heat down. Some browning is good - it adds extra flavor.
    • Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Serves 4-6 as a side dish. 
    • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 87kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 62mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 429IUVitamin C: 57mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword sauteed cabbage
    Author Natasha Bull
    « Crockpot Ragu Recipe
    10 Easy One Pan Gnocchi Recipes »

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    1. Paula Slack says

      March 20, 2023 at 4:25 PM

      4 stars
      What an easy recipe. I love cabbage and always looking for recipes that don’t require a lot of effort. I added a red pepper cut into strips. Really tasty and quick.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 20, 2023 at 4:26 PM

        So glad you enjoyed it, Paula!

        Reply
    2. Bruce says

      January 25, 2023 at 12:44 PM

      5 stars
      Very good and so much better than bacon with all the drippings . Just the right amount of butter. Thank ya mam ! 😊

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 25, 2023 at 2:18 PM

        You're very welcome, Bruce! 😀

        Reply
    3. Lana says

      September 17, 2022 at 3:36 PM

      5 stars
      I share my recipe. Combine cabbage, onions, carrots, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil or any vegetable oil that you use. Quantity - all to your taste. Stir and let stand for 20 minutes. Then fry in a preheated skillet for 15-20 minutes. Very simple and very tasty.

      Reply
    4. Ruth says

      April 19, 2022 at 1:52 PM

      Recipe needs sugar and vinegar.

      Reply
    5. Brenda Hilley says

      April 11, 2021 at 5:31 PM

      FINALLY!! It's so nice to find something that's very close to the "southern fried cabbage" I grew up loving! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 11, 2021 at 6:47 PM

        Excellent! You're very welcome!

        Reply
    6. Paige says

      January 28, 2021 at 6:42 PM

      5 stars
      This was really great! Simple and flavorful.

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        January 29, 2021 at 11:51 AM

        Thank you!! So happy you enjoyed it, Paige!

        Reply
    7. Kylli says

      December 23, 2020 at 8:11 AM

      Holiday Greetings from Estonia! Czech food is delicious and beer too 🙂 We use often same ingredients, but not the same spices. Smoked paprika is very good with cabbage. Thank You!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        December 23, 2020 at 10:25 AM

        You're welcome!! Merry Christmas! 😀

        Reply
    8. Michele S says

      October 11, 2020 at 3:15 PM

      5 stars
      Made this tonight and it is so yummy!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        October 12, 2020 at 9:14 AM

        Wonderful! Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    9. Chris Cameron says

      July 2, 2020 at 11:54 AM

      5 stars
      This is so good. Easy to make and can be added to a cooked meat later...just waits them together to heat up!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        July 2, 2020 at 12:41 PM

        I'm so glad you like it, Chris!!

        Reply
    10. Cecilia from Georgia says

      April 27, 2020 at 11:02 AM

      HI! I just saw the sauteed cabbage on Yvonne at Stone Gable's weekly menu and can't wait to try it. Your recipes look scrumptious!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        April 27, 2020 at 11:14 AM

        Ooh awesome!! So glad you found me. 🙂 Let me know if you try it!

        Reply
    11. Darlene says

      March 19, 2020 at 4:38 PM

      I made this as a side dish and loved it!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 19, 2020 at 9:49 PM

        Excellent!

        Reply
    12. FG says

      March 14, 2020 at 1:16 AM

      5 stars
      nice change from irish / western euro style. smoked paprika makes all the difference!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 14, 2020 at 9:52 PM

        So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Paige says

      March 2, 2020 at 1:23 PM

      Was hoping itd State calories and carbs

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        March 2, 2020 at 2:10 PM

        Just added it for you. Keep in mind it's just an estimate and ingredients etc. can vary.

        Reply
    14. Tricia B. says

      September 24, 2019 at 9:29 AM

      Ok... I'm sooo gonna try this - and your Cabbage Soup!!! My mother-in-law's heritage was Czech & let me tell you she used cabbage a lot!! Looking at this reminds me of her...! So... off to the grocery store with my list of items I need to buy to make several of your recipes!!
      Thanks again!!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 24, 2019 at 9:44 AM

        Yay! Let me know how the recipes go. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Jenn Marthaler says

      September 23, 2019 at 5:53 PM

      5 stars
      I made this cabbage tonight with the honey mustard pork chops! I used purple cabbage and it came together so well!! I love the two recipes together but I also made extra cabbage to have around as a snack because leftovers are the best! This was so yummy and simple after working all day!

      Reply
      • Natasha says

        September 23, 2019 at 7:55 PM

        So glad you liked it, Jenn!! 🙂 Thanks for leaving me a comment!

        Reply

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