Food & Cooking Recipes Healthy Recipes Gluten-Free Recipes Braised Red Cabbage With Apple and Onion 4.0 (247) This easy, tangy-sweet side pairs well with so many dishes. Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 4 Jump to recipe Our braised cabbage with apples and onions recipe is an easy side dish that’s perfect for cool weather. We love it alongside pork chops but it’d be just as delicious with roast chicken, schnitzel, or braised sausages. It’s made with a few basic ingredients—red cabbage, an apple and onion, apple cider vinegar, and butter—and requires less than 30 minutes on the stove. And while cooked cabbage recipes can sometimes fall flat, this one is anything but boring; both in color and flavor, it’s bright and punchy. Even better, it’s an affordable side that makes a generous amount and requires minimal effort. One taste and you may never think of braised cabbage the same way again. How to Store Cabbage So It Stays Crisp for Weeks, According to Culinary Pros Credit: Brie Goldman Ingredients Red cabbage: Deep in color but relatively mild in flavor, red cabbage becomes mellow and sweet when braised. You'll need one medium-size head for this recipe; it should weigh about 2 pounds. In a pinch, you can swap in a head of green cabbage instead. Apple: Select a crisp, sweet apple such as Gala or Fuji for this recipe. Both are excellent for cooking, able to hold their shape without turning to mush when exposed to heat. The subtle sweetness is a lovely contrast against the onion and vinegar and pairs nicely with the cabbage. Onion: A basic yellow onion is our pick for this recipe, though you could use white or red instead. A sweet onion like Vidalia will take this dish in an even sweeter direction, though it will still be delicious if that's the flavor you're after. Sugar: We add a few teaspoons of granulated sugar to complement the apple's sweetness. You can use brown sugar instead for a warmer touch. Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar offsets the sweetness, adding a welcome tang. You can use white- or red-wine vinegar in place of cider vinegar if needed. Butter: Two tablespoons of unsalted butter is all the fat you'll need for this recipe. It adds a delicious richness without weighing the cabbage down. Tip Use water to keep this recipe vegetarian or swap in chicken broth or stock for even more flavor. How to Prep the Cabbage for This Recipe Remove outer leaves: The first layer or two of leaves on a cabbage tend to be tough; peel them off and discard before you begin cutting.Halve and core: Use a sharp chef's knife to slice the cabbage in half through the stem. To remove the core, make a diagonal cut on either side of the fibrous, white section, then pop it out.Slice thinly: Working with one half at a time, place cabbage flat side down on your cutting board and slice it crosswise into thin ribbons. For added stability, you can separate the pieces into thinner layers, pressing them flat on your cutting board before slicing. Directions Credit: Brie Goldman Cook onion and apple: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add onion and apple; cook, stirring, until onion softens, 4 to 6 minutes. Credit: Brie Goldman Add red cabbage, vinegar, sugar, and water: Stir in red cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Add vinegar, sugar, and water. Credit: Brie Goldman Cook: Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until cabbage is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Credit: Brie Goldman How to Store and Reheat Leftover Braised Cabbage If you find yourself with leftover braised cabbage, store it in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Reheat leftovers in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water or broth and an extra dash of vinegar to wake the dish up. What to Serve With Braised Cabbage Crispy, breaded proteins: Cooked cabbage is a natural accompaniment to schnitzel, whether made with chicken—like this dill-and-sesame-flecked recipe —or more traditional pork. For something less expected but still golden and crispy, try them alongside these salmon-mashed potato croquettes or our pan-fried salmon cakes. Sausage and pork chops: Not crazy about frying? Consider these saucy braised pork chops or our simple pork cutlets which cook up in under 5 minutes. And don't forget about sausage, perhaps the most natural pairing of all for cooked cabbage. Our beer-braised sausages with warm potato salad would be a perfect fit, as would these mouthwatering pan-crisped sausages. Roasted chicken: Whether you go with simple roasted chicken seasoned with nothing but salt or our easy marinated-and-roasted thighs, or these ham-and-cheese-stuffed cutlets, braised cabbage will complement your chicken dish. This cabbage recipe would also pair well with leftover roast turkey, offering a different flavor profile than standard Thanksgiving fare. 5 More Red Cabbage Recipes to Try Sautéed Red Cabbage Roasted Kielbasa With Apples and Cabbage Chicken, Red Cabbage, and Carrot Salad With Soy-Lime Dressing Sautéed Red Cabbage With Raisins Braised Red Cabbage With Caramelized Apples Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.