When I’m looking for simple yet satisfying veggie side dish recipes to go along with a meal, I turn to glazed carrots, parmesan zucchini or this succulent braised cabbage. In my opinion, cabbage is a totally underrated vegetable. It’s inexpensive, readily available year round and is totally delicious when prepared properly. This braised cabbage is my family’s favorite way to eat cabbage. The long cooking time transforms the cabbage into a tender and flavorful side dish that is mild enough for even the kids to enjoy.
Braised Cabbage Ingredients
When you make braised cabbage you will need cabbage, onion, carrots, broth, butter, parsley, kosher salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Braised Cabbage?
Preheat the oven, then coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage and then rinse and dry the cabbage. Cut your cabbage into wedges. Arrange the wedges in the casserole dish, then add the carrots and onions around the cabbage. Pour the chicken broth into the pan, then add butter, salt and pepper. Cover the dish tightly, then bake for two hours. Be sure to flip the cabbage halfway through the baking process. Finally, increase the oven temperature. Uncover the dish, and bake until the cabbage starts to brown. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Braised Cabbage
Leftover cabbage will stay good in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 3 days. Freezing the cabbage is not recommended as frozen cabbage tends to be limp and watery when reheated. Be sure to leave the core attached so that the wedges will hold together in one piece. You can use different types of cabbage for this recipe such as red cabbage, Savoy cabbage or the traditional green cabbage. Make sure the cabbage wedges are placed laying down on the bottom of the pan so that the cabbage can absorb the braising liquid and the butter can get into the cabbage. I use a small to medium sized cabbage for this recipe, but if you’re feeding a crowd, you can grab a large cabbage and double the rest of the ingredients in the recipe.
Braised Cabbage Variations
This is a simple recipe, yet there are so many different ways to customize it to make it your own. Here are some of my favorite add-ins to this dish.
Bacon: Add 1/2 cup of cooked crumbled bacon right before serving. Garlic: Stir in 1 teaspoon minced garlic when you add the carrots and onions. Vegan: Substitute extra virgin olive oil for the butter and vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Spicy: Sprinkle crushed chili flakes over the top of the cabbage before it goes into the oven. Toppings: Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese after you uncover the dish for the final bake. Another option is to add a sprinkle of caraway seeds. You can also use other types of fresh herbs as garnish such as thyme, dill or chives. Tangy: For extra flavor try adding a drizzle of 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the broth in the baking dish.
Once you try this cabbage, you’ll want to make it all the time. It’s totally worth the long wait time as it braises. I often make this recipe on the weekends when we’re home relaxing and I have a little more time to prepare dinner. This one is sure to get rave reviews!
