Braised Red Cabbage

Braised red cabbage is a classic winter side dish: shredded red cabbage slowly cooked with apple, red onion, cider vinegar and warm spices until soft, glossy and sweet-sour. This version uses just a little maple syrup and butter, so it’s lower in sugar than many traditional recipes while keeping the rich flavor. It takes about 1 hour, mostly hands-off, serves 6, and has about 90 calories and 4 g of fiber per serving. It’s even better made a day ahead, and it freezes well, which makes it ideal for holiday meals.

• Serves: 6 as a side
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 45 to 60 minutes
• Total time: about 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium red cabbage (about 800 g after removing outer leaves and core), finely shredded
• 2 apples (about 200 g), peeled, cored and grated or chopped
• 1 red onion (about 100 g), thinly sliced
• 15 g (1 tablespoon) butter, or 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons (40 ml) cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• A pinch of ground cloves or allspice, or 1 star anise
• ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper
• About 100 ml (a scant ½ cup) water

Method

1. Soften the onion. Melt the butter in a large, heavy pan or casserole over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft.
2. Add the cabbage and apple. Stir in the shredded cabbage and apple until coated in the butter.
3. Add the flavorings: vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, salt, pepper and water. Stir well.
4. Braise. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook over low heat for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the cabbage is very tender. Add a splash more water if it starts to stick.
5. Finish. Remove the lid for the last 5 to 10 minutes to let any extra liquid evaporate, so the cabbage is glossy rather than wet.
6. Taste and adjust with a little more vinegar for sharpness or maple syrup for sweetness. Remove the star anise if used.

Tips

• Shred finely: use a sharp knife, a mandoline with a hand guard, or a food processor.
• Add the vinegar early. Acid keeps red cabbage a bright purple-red; without it, the color turns blue-gray.
• Cook low and slow for the best texture and flavor.
• Make it ahead: the flavor improves after a day in the fridge.
• Oven method: bake in a covered casserole at 160°C (325°F) for 1½ to 2 hours.

Swaps and variations

• Orange: add the zest and juice of an orange instead of some of the vinegar.
• Berries: stir in a handful of cranberries or blackberries in the last 15 minutes.
• No added sugar: skip the maple syrup and use an extra apple.
• Vegan: use olive oil instead of butter.
• Spiced: add a bay leaf, juniper berries or a little grated nutmeg.
• Lower carb: leave out the apple and maple syrup, and add a pinch of sweetener if you like.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is a sixth of the recipe. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for raw red cabbage, apples, red onion, cider vinegar, maple syrup, unsalted butter, cinnamon and salt.

Most of the sugar comes from the cabbage and apple; the maple syrup adds about 1.5 g of free sugar per serving. Many traditional recipes use several times as much sugar. Red cabbage is rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins, the pigments that give it its color, and provides fiber and potassium. Our article on whether cabbage is good for you explains its nutrition in detail, and our guide to cruciferous vegetables covers the whole family.

Contains: milk (butter). Use oil for a dairy-free version.

Storage and freezing

Cool quickly, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. It keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge, and reheats well in a pan or microwave until steaming hot. To freeze, cool completely and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. The FDA recommends using your freezer to keep food from going to waste, and braised red cabbage is a good candidate.

What to serve with it

• Roast chicken, turkey, pork or duck. Our guide on how to roast a turkey covers the festive centerpiece.
• Sausages and mashed potato, or our creamy cauliflower mash.
• Lentil or bean stews for a vegetarian meal.

Choosing and preparing red cabbage

Choose a cabbage that feels heavy for its size, with tight, glossy leaves. Pull off any tough or damaged outer leaves, cut the cabbage into quarters through the stem, and slice out the hard white core at an angle. Shred it as finely as you can with a sharp knife, a mandoline with its hand guard, or the slicing disc of a food processor. Thin shreds cook evenly and turn soft and silky, while thick ones stay chewy. Red cabbage stains wooden boards and fingers, so use a plastic board if you have one. A whole red cabbage keeps for up to two weeks in the fridge’s vegetable drawer, and a cut half wrapped tightly keeps for several days.

A make-ahead side

This is one of the few vegetable dishes that tastes better the day after it’s made, as the spices and vinegar soften and blend. That makes it useful for holiday meals, when oven space and time are short: cook it a day or two ahead, cool it quickly, and reheat it gently on the hob with a splash of water.

Common questions

Why did my red cabbage turn blue?

Red cabbage changes color with acidity. Without enough vinegar or apple, it can turn blue or gray. Add a little more vinegar to bring back the red.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, stirring once or twice.

Is braised red cabbage healthy?

Yes. It’s a vegetable-based side that’s low in fat and calories, and this version keeps the added sugar low.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.