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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
- Braised Red Cabbage with Chestnuts
- Crispy Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw
- Citrusy Cabbage Salad with Cumin and Coriander
- Roasted Cabbage with Bacon Gremolata
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.
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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
Had it for lunch today with pork ribs. Turned out amazing!
The combination of sugar and balsamic vinegar works really well. I took it up a notch by adding a few coarsely chopped dry prunes at the end and some finely chopped parsley
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Hi Anna, oh, prunes? That would be an interesting addition. Thank you for the idea!
This was terrific with tonight’s weisswurst! I have another red cabbage from my CSA box and I’m going to make a big pot of this and freeze it.
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I love German cabbage as I am German myself. This is a great recipe and goes great with beer brauts.
I’ve never tried red cabbage before and I used this recipe and I loved it.
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I made this tonight paired with a pork roast. I’ve never cooked red cabbage before, only green cabbage w/onions but OMG!!! This is my new favorite!! I did use bacon grease instead of butter (as suggested by another review) and added 1 med onion and 2 apples. I will definitely make this on the regular!
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Yum!