Braised Cabbage: a kitchen method

A plate of grilled chicken along with braised cabbage, carrots and onions.

This braised cabbage recipe is wedges of cabbage slow cooked with carrots, onions, butter and seasonings until tender. The absolute finest way to eat cabbage!

When I’m looking for unfussy 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 tasty when prepared properly. This braised cabbage is my family’s go-to 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.

Wedges of cabbage, sliced carrots and onion in a baking dish.

Tips For The Reliable 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.

Quick Tip

Your cabbage wedges should be similar in size so that they all cook in the same amount of time.

Cabbage, carrots, onions, pieces of butter and seasonings in a baking dish.

Recipe FAQs

How do you cut a cabbage for braising?

The finest way to slice a cabbage for this recipe is to cut a thin slice off the bottom of the cabbage core. From there, cut the cabbage in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 equal pieces.

What is braising?

Braising is a method of cooking that involves slow cooking meat or vegetables with a small amount of liquid in a covered container. It’s a great way to tenderize tough cuts of meat, and many food greatly benefit in flavor and texture from being braised.

What do you serve with braised cabbage?

I serve braised cabbage as a side dish alongside a starch and a protein. Braised cabbage pairs perfectly with chicken, pork and beef.

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Braised cabbage, carrots and onions, topped with parsley.

Braised Cabbage Variations

This is a unfussy recipe, yet there are so many different ways to customize it to make it your own. Here are some of my go-to 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!

Main Courses To Pair With Cabbage

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

4 hrs 5 mins

Honey Mustard Chicken

40 mins

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak

4 hrs 10 mins

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

50 mins

Mushroom Pork Chops

30 mins

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen A plate of grilled chicken along with braised cabbage, carrots and onions.

This braised cabbage recipe is wedges of cabbage slow cooked with carrots, onions, butter and seasonings until tender. The absolute finest way to eat cabbage!
Time Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time2 hours 25 minutes

Course Side
Cuisine American
Serves 8

Ingredients

1 head cabbage cut into 8 wedges
1/2 cup onion sliced
2 carrots peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup butter cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Arrange the cabbage wedges in the baking dish, then scatter the carrots and onions around the cabbage.
Pour the chicken broth into the pan. Sprinkle the butter pieces over the cabbage and season everything with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the dish with foil, and bake for 2 hours. Uncover the dish halfway through the bake time and use tongs to carefully flip the cabbage wedges over.
Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Uncover the dish and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cabbage starts to brown at the edges.
Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Notes

Before slicing your cabbage, discard the outer leaves and then rinse and dry the cabbage.
Be sure to leave the core attached so that the wedges will hold together in one piece.
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.
Your cabbage wedges should be similarly sized so that they all cook in the same amount of time.