Braised Cabbage and Vegetables are a flavorful one-pot meal packed with tender cabbage, bell peppers, potatoes, and carrots. The generous blend of seasonings brings out the veggies' natural sweetness while adding savory notes. It's also a great way to use up extra produce hanging around in your fridge.
Braised Cabbage & Vegetables Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Side dish
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: About 20-30 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 8
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Savory, hearty, and lightly garlicky with sweet vegetables, smoky bacon, and Italian herbs.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Roast chicken, pork chops, grilled sausage, meatloaf, or crusty bread.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, prepare ahead and refrigerate for up to several days; the flavors deepen after reheating.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I love making this recipe when it's time for a refrigerator clean-out because it's so easy to use what I already have on hand. On lazy Sundays, I'll even grab a bag of coleslaw mix as a shortcut to save a little prep time.
Whether I serve it as a comforting side dish or a light meal, the flexible ingredients make it one of those recipes I can adapt to whatever I have on hand.
If you're looking for more hearty veggie side dishes, you should try slow- cooked Brussels sprouts and easy vegetable casserole.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's budget-friendly: This is the perfect, inexpensive recipe that you'll want to keep on your dinner rotation. It uses cheap veggies and pantry staples, but isn't short on taste or texture.
- It's made in one pot: All the elements of this recipe are cooked in the same skillet, saving you time on the dishes.
- It's easily made vegetarian: Omit the bacon and use vegetable broth for a simple vegetarian-friendly cabbage dish.
Ingredients
The components below are most important to the cooking process and the final flavor of this braised cabbage dish.
- Cabbage: Fresh, green cabbage is perfect. You can buy it preshredded as well if that's what you prefer.
- Broth: I use chicken broth in this braised cabbage recipe because it adds the most flavor. Try this slow cooker chicken broth. It's even better than store-bought!
- Bacon: If you cook and crumble it ahead of time, it can save you some time. If you prefer to cook it fresh, you can. Just drain the fat on paper towels before you crumble it.
- Italian seasoning: I love the herb flavor of this because it brings everything together. If you prefer, you can skip it, but you should try it at least once!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes or some freshly diced jalapeno for a delightfully spicy version.
- Swap the bacon for sausage: Instead of crumbled bacon, use diced smoked sausage like kielbasa to change the flavor slightly without giving up the smoky element.
- More veggie ideas: Make this recipe with green beans, frozen mixed veggies, sweet potatoes, and more!
How to Make Stovetop Braised Cabbage with Vegetables
Chop all of your vegetables and cabbage before you get started. Also, ensure your bacon is cooked and ready to go, so you can add it to the recipe at the end!
Step 1: Soften the celery and carrots. Lightly saute the onions in oil for about 5 minutes, and then an additional minute with the garlic before adding the celery and carrots.
Step 2: Add broth: Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
Step 3: Add the cabbage and remaining veggies. Add the cabbage, peppers, potatoes, and spices. Allow them to simmer covered for about 20-30 minutes, or until the veggies are cooked to your preference.
Step 4: Add the bacon. Stir in the bacon. Serve the braised cabbage and veggies with Parmesan chicken thighs.
Expert Tips
- Check after 20 minutes: Temperatures and different types of cookware on stovetops can vary, so I like to check on the cabbage and veggies after about 20 minutes of cooking. This can prevent any of the components from becoming mushy.
- Taste and adjust salt: Different brands of broth can vary in salt level. Taste test before adding any salt and adjust as needed to fit your personal preference.
- Add the veggies in stages: Each of the veggies cooks at different rates, so don't try to add them all at once. Start with the carrots and celery and allow them to cook for a few minutes before you add the peppers and potatoes. This keeps any of them from overcooking or undercooking.
- Storage: Store the cabbage and veggies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before you reheat it.
This kielbasa and cabbage recipe has a similar flavor profile and caramelization as this braised cabbage dish.
Serving Suggestions
- Make it a complete meal: Some of my favorite main courses to serve alongside this easy cabbage side dish with bacon include a juicy chicken meatloaf and sliced roasted brisket.
- Add a side salad: Prepare a simple garden salad and jazz it up with this homemade pomegranate dressing.
- Holiday serving: Corned beef and cabbage are classic for St. Patrick's Day! Serve air-fried corned beef with this one-pot cabbage and vegetables this year.
Braised Cabbage and Vegetables Recipe FAQs
Sauteed cabbage is cooked at a higher temperature to get a brown and crispy result, while braised cabbage is a slower, gentler method that uses liquid to cook it down.
Yes! The same way you would make it vegetarian, you would also make it vegan! Omit the bacon and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and this recipe would also be vegan-friendly.
I prefer over medium-low heat on the stovetop, but the microwave also works in a pinch. The key in either method is to add a splash of broth, so the cabbage doesn't dry out.
Sure, you can do some prep like chopping the cabbage and veggies and cooking the bacon up to 24 hours ahead. Pack everything up in separate containers and store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to make the dish.
More Easy Cabbage Recipes
Do you like cooking cabbage? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Braised Cabbage and Vegetables
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups cabbage shredded or coleslaw mix approximately
- 2 cups baby carrots or regular carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks approximately
- 2 cups peppers green, yellow, orange or red, chopped approximately
- 2 cups red or yellow onions large, thinly sliced approximately
- 2 cups celery ribs sliced approximately
- 2 cups potato shredded approximately
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 3 tablespoon olive or another vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups broth chicken or vegetable or beef approximately
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning dried optional
- 1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- In a large pot heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
- When a drop of water flicked in the oil dances add onions and stir with a wooden spoon. After about 5 minutes add garlic and stir.
- Next add celery and carrots. Sauté for a couple minutes and then add broth, cabbage, potatoes and peppers. Sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Cover and simmer for usually between 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally. After 20 minutes check to see if vegetables are as soft as you like them.
- Add the bacon when vegetables are almost done to your liking. If you decide to use other vegetables season to your own personal tastes.
Notes
- Check the cabbage and vegetables after about 20 minutes of cooking. Stovetop temperatures can vary, and an early check helps prevent the veggies from becoming too soft.
- Save time by chopping the cabbage and vegetables up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerating them. You can also cook and chop the bacon ahead of time-just keep it stored separately until you're ready to cook.
- Taste the dish before adding extra salt. Broth brands vary in sodium content, so you may not need as much seasoning as you think.
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