Save It
Saved
A reader emailed the other day asking if I was Austrian on account of all the sauerkraut and cabbage recipes on Simply Recipes.
My father’s grandparents on both sides were from Austria and he grew up with many traditional German and Austrian dishes and a love for cooked cabbage in all forms.
A Simple Red Cabbage Recipe
This classic German red cabbage recipe is one of our favorite ways to prepare red cabbage—sautéed with butter, sprinkled with sugar and balsamic vinegar and simmered until tender. The sugar and balsamic vinegar give the sautéed cabbage a delightful sweet and sour glaze.
When the holidays come round, we take the cabbage up a notch, adding chopped apples, onions, and if we have them, roasted chestnuts. It’s wonderful served alongside pork chops or a pork roast!
How to Cut Red Cabbage
This recipe calls for half a head of thinly sliced red cabbage. The best way to prepare it is to cut the head of cabbage in half through the core, then cut one of the halves in to quarters (save the remaining half for another recipe). Then thinly slice the cabbage from the top down to the core. The core is tougher than the cabbage leaves, but if you want, you can thinly slice it as well and include it.
What to Serve with German Cabbage
Sweet and sour red cabbage is a perfect side dish for sausages, pork chops, or German pork burgers. This braised cabbage also pairs well with roast chicken, duck, and roast beef.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftovers will keep for about 5 days in the fridge. Reheat them in the microwave or over low heat in a skillet on the stovetop. This recipe does not freeze well, and we don’t recommend it.
Ideas for Your Leftover Half-Head of Cabbage
Sweet and Sour German Red Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 large red cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method
1 Sauté the cabbage: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced red cabbage and toss to coat with the butter. Sauté until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes.
2 Add seasonings and simmer: Sprinkle sugar over the cabbage and toss to coat evenly. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low.
Cover and simmer until the cabbage is completely tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. Thank you!
Products We Love
This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Simply Recipes. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.
Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family's recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
Sweet and Sour German Red Cabbage
Delicious! Added a little bit of crisp bacon, some apple slices I had in the freezer and a pinch of ground cloves.
xxxxxyyyyy
I made Rouladen for dinner and wanted red cabbage and spaetzel (I was voted against the spaetzel and made mashed potatoes instead). Overall this was of course a very simple and quick recipe. We enjoyed it, however, my only critique is it was too sweet for my liking. I will probably cut the sugar in half. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll try to modify it a little next time and see how it goes.
xxxxxyyyyy
What a dinner menu, Michael! Glad this went so well with it.
So good, so easy, no prep time really, and not costly to tight budgets. I made the “notched up” version. Next time I’m asked to bring a dish to a dinner party, I’ll bring this one if it pairs well with the menu. If you skip the bacon, vegetarian-friendly too.
xxxxxyyyyy
Can you use monk fruit as a sub for the sugar?
Hi Jenn, we’ve not tried it, but if you do, let us know how the flavors work for you!
Very easily done
xxxxxyyyyy