If you're looking for the perfect side dish recipe look no further! Cozy, country comfort food at its best! You might also like these smothered green beans.
❤️ Why you'll love it
- Inexpensive
- Quick and easy one pot side dish
- Make it ahead and warm it up when you're ready to eat (but leave the cooked bacon in a ziploc by itself and add it in just before serving)
Southern fried cabbage and onions become sweet and tender as they cook; absorbing the flavors of the bacon, garlic, and chicken stock.
🧾 Ingredients
If you'd like to keep this vegetarian simply leave out the bacon and use 2 tablespoons of butter to saute in. Substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
Step 1
- Chop the cabbage in small pieces.
- Chop the onions.
- Cut up the bacon.
Step 2
- Fry the bacon in a heavy skillet until crisp.
- Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease.
- Add the onions and saute until they start to get translucent.
Step 3
- Add the cabbage and garlic; saute, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and seasoned salt.
- Simmer over medium heat until the cabbage is as tender as you like.
Step 4
Stir in the bacon and serve immediately.
🥄 Cook along!
Easily follow along on your phone.
🥫 Storage
Leftover fried cabbage should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 4 days or so.
You can also freeze it after cooking. It'll be fine for up to 3 months.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: The best variety for this southern fried cabbage recipe is the plain, ordinary green kind. Other types don't hold up as well.
- Some people like to add a teaspoon or so of brown sugar to give the dish a little sweetness.
- Make this a main dish by slicing up smoked sausage and adding it with the onions.
- Cut the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. If you slice it in thin shreds it's just not as good.
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the most commonly asked questions about this recipe. If you don't find the answer to yours here leave a comment below or email me - I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
Just about anything! Meatloaf, French onion chicken, or smothered chicken are some of my favorites.
Cut it in half from its top down through the tough core. Now, place it on the cutting board, cut side down, and slice it around the core. Throw the core away and repeat with the other half.
This southern fried cabbage recipe has about 7 net carbs per serving.
📖 Variations
There are plenty of variations to this southern fried cabbage recipe. Here are some of my favorites.
- Fried cabbage and potatoes are another classic combination. Just add small, peeled and cubed potatoes with the cabbage and cook until they are cooked through. This is a great way to use up leftover potatoes, too!
- A Louisiana fried cabbage recipe is made by adding sliced andouille sausage in with the bacon and using about a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning instead of the salt and pepper. Serve over cooked white rice.
- Fried cabbage and noodles is another favorite. Just stir in ½ pound of cooked, drained egg noodles in during the last 5 minutes of cook time.
🎥 Video
Click on the image to watch me make this recipe from start to finish with extra tips! (Video opens in a new tab).
Related recipes
My mom used to keep a pressed glass vinegar cruet filled with tiny, hot peppers and vinegar on the table. It had a matching stopper and you'd pull the stopper up and dribble some of that tangy, spicy goodness over your fried cabbage.... mmmm.... nothing like it!
📞 The last word
One of the things that I've learned over the years is that you don't know what you don't know. Here are some things to keep in mind when making this recipe for the first time:
- Make sure the bacon is extra crispy! It adds texture as well as flavor to the dish.
- Add the bacon JUST before serving. If it simmers with the cabbage it will get unappetizingly floppy.
- Give the cabbage time to soften but try a bite of it every couple of minutes. Some people like it with a little crunch and some like it very soft. If you taste it every few minutes then you'll know exactly how long to cook it next time!
- If you taste your southern fried cabbage and feel like it's just missing "something" sprinkle a little cider vinegar over it.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Southern Fried Cabbage
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cut in pieces
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 1 ½ pounds cabbage, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- ⅓ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, or more to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Saute the bacon in a heavy skillet until crispy.
- Remove the bacon from the skillet and set aside.
- Spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.
- Add the onions to the skillet and saute until they just begin to become translucent.
- Add the cabbage and garlic; saute, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and seasoned salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until it is as tender as you like and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
- Stir in the bacon and serve.
Notes
- Some people like to add a teaspoon or so of brown sugar to give fried cabbage a little sweetness.
- Make this a main dish by slicing up smoked sausage and adding it with the cabbage.
- Cut the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. If you slice it in thin shreds it's just not as good.
Deborah
I make my fried cabbage in the microwave. I do use bacon grease for seasoning as well as salt and pepper. It is so good.