Fried Cabbage With Bacon Recipe

A pan of fried cabbage with a red and white napkin and apples in the background.

Fried Cabbage With Bacon Recipe

This fried cabbage with bacon recipe is a quick, flavorful side dish that comes together in 25 minutes. The mix of smoky bacon, tender cabbage, and tart apples makes it a comforting yet fresh dish that pairs well with just about anything.

Course side, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Low Lactose

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 158kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

6 slices bacon
½ cup onion diced
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
1 Tablespoon sugar
6 cups savoy cabbage sliced into thin ribbons
3 cups apples cut on the 3 millimeter / ⅛ inch setting on a mandolin with the large julienne blade about 2-3 apples- I like RubyFrost
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook your bacon until it is crispy and remove from the pan leaving all of the grease.
Add the onions to the grease and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
Reduce the heat to medium and mix in vinegar, water and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the dressing into a separate bowl and return the empty pan to the heat.
Add the cabbage and RubyFrost apples to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the half the dressing back to the pan and cook for 3 more minutes. You can add more if needed.
Stir in salt and pepper and crumble the cooked bacon over the top and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Use a big skillet. The cabbage needs room to fry instead of steaming, so don’t crowd the pan.

Cook the bacon first. The drippings give the cabbage all that smoky flavor you can’t get any other way.

Take your time with the onions. Let them soften and caramelize a bit. They balance the tangy vinegar perfectly.

Don’t overdo the apples. Add them toward the end so they stay crisp-tender and give little pops of sweetness.

Taste as you go. Adjust the vinegar, sugar, or spice until it’s just right for you.

Start with half the dressing, then add more if needed. You can always add more but you don't want it drowning in liquid either.

Ingredients to prep ahead- Slice the cabbage, dice the onions, and julienne the apples up to a day in advance.

Leftovers and storage- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet so the cabbage doesn’t get soggy.

Nutrition