Sautéed Cabbage
88 Comments
Updated Sep 19, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Sautéed cabbage is a simple side dish that has more flavor than you’d imagine. Sliced cabbage is tossed in ghee, garlic, and onions, then caramelized until golden brown. It’s absolutely delicious and I guarantee you’ll go back for seconds.
If you haven’t experimented with cabbage much, now’s the time. Aside from being shredded into coleslaw or slow-baked in the oven, it tastes amazing sautéed. The cabbage slices become meltingly tender with slightly crispy caramelized edges.
And when you cook it with garlic and onions, it makes for a warm, fragrant and delicious side dish. Not to mention, perfect for any of your Saint Patrick’s Day festivities!
What Type Of Cabbage To Use
Cabbage comes in many forms, from savoy to green to red. But for this recipe, you’ll want to grab a head of green cabbage. This is commonly used across various recipes, from salads to slaws to stir-fries. And when it’s cooked through long enough, it’s natural sweetness will come out.
Cabbage should feel heavy in size, with tightly packed leaves. You’ll also want to avoid any signs of discoloration.
Which to Use: Butter, Oil or Ghee
After trying this recipe a few different ways, I have to say that my favorite method is with ghee.
If you saute too long with butter it can easily burn and olive oil doesn’t have as sweet a flavor. You could do a combination of butter and oil (the higher smoke point of the oil prevents the butter from burning). But at that point I say just use ghee. Ghee has a high smoke point, won’t burn and you’ll get that delicious buttery flavor.
How To Make Sautéed Cabbage
The great thing about this recipe is that it’s fast and easy. Here’s how you make it:
- Prep the cabbage and onion. Cut the cabbage in half, slice out the core and chop into thin slices. Then chop the onion into slices.
- Cook the onions and garlic. Add the ghee to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for a minute or until starting to soften. Then add the garlic and stir again.
- Cook the cabbage. Add the cabbage to the skillet and sauté for about 12-15 minutes. Stir the cabbage occasionally, until it becomes soft and caramelized.
- Season. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
- Serve. Remove the skillet from heat and serve immediately.
What Pairs Well With Sautéed Cabbage?
Before you sauté the cabbage, you’ll need to prep a main entree first. I recommend either chicken, pork, or lamb, which will complement this recipe. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Chicken: Nothing gets easier than whipping up some chicken for a weeknight dinner. Especially if you’re looking for a meal that’s a bit on the lighter side. This cabbage will taste great alongside slow cooker whole chicken, crispy baked chicken thighs, basil chicken or stir it up with shredded chicken.
- Pork: If you haven’t tried pork with cabbage before, you’re in for a treat. The flavors from the pork mesh beautifully with the cabbage, creating one tasty meal. Try my slow cooker pulled pork or pork and fennel meatballs.
- Lamb: Looking to step it up a notch? Serve with these rosemary grilled lamb chops or a classic shepherd’s pie.
More Savory Side Dish Recipes
Need more side dish ideas? These recipes are hearty and bursting with savory flavors.
- Roasted Garlic Herb Potatoes
- Balsamic Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- Green Beans With Shallots And Lemons
- Classic Potato Salad
- Parmesan Truffle Sauteed Zucchini
- Garlic Sauteed Swiss Chard
And if you love this recipe….you’ll be over-the-moon for my fried cabbage recipe with bacon, spices and mustard.
Sauteed Cabbage (Easy & Healthy)
Description
Ingredients
- 1 small head green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon ghee, or a blend of butter and olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage in half, remove the core and chop into thin slices. Then chop the onions into slices.
- Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the onions for a minute or until just starting to soften. Then add in the minced garlic and stir again.
- Add the cabbage and saute for about 12-15 minutes. During this time, stir the cabbage occasionally until the cabbage becomes soft and caramelized.
- Before serving, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Lisa’s Tips
- Because the cabbage may take up most of your pan, it’s easiest to stir the cabbage with tongs. You could also saute the cabbage in batches if your pan isn’t big enough. But cabbage, similar to spinach, will wilt down once it cooks.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
I always make my cabbage this way, years ago an Italian man told be to do this, love the caramelized bits. Even people who do not like cabbage, I find, like it cooked this way.
I agree! It’s such a loved recipe across the board. Thanks Connie!
Sauté some colored bell peppers ( cubed) with cabbage or carrots 🥕 and peas. Add some turmeric and red chili powder and garnish with fresh or frozen grated coconut 🥥 at the end . Yum!
My favorite, usually stir in buttered noodles for a meal. Reheated leftovers are the best..
If you like cabbage, this is super simple and delicious. I always sprinkle a little bit of fennel seed in with mine while sautéing. You would be surprised what a great little flavor boost it gives.
The best way to cook cabbage in my opinion! :)
We love, love, love this simple and amazing recipe!
Can’t ever go wrong with a simple sauteed cabbage dish :)
Ridiculously easy and super flavorful! Followed the recipe exactly, using a blend of oil and butter. Next time, I’ll try 10-12 minutes to maintain a slight crunch. Really great side!
Glad you enjoyed this cabbage dish Kelly!
I made this as a side dish to leftover meatloaf, potatoes and carrots. It was a perfect compliment. I fried three pieces of pastured bacon and used some of the grease with a little butter. I crumbled the bacon on top to serve. Hubby loved it. It will go on our regular rotation.
Love the addition of bacon! Almost like my fried cabbage recipe as well :)
Great recipe! Unfortunately, I bought my cabbage before finding your recipe. It’s important to use SMALL heads of cabbage. Mine was large and took too long to get tender. Nex time, I’ll be sure to get SMALL heads of cabbage. My husband has kidney disease, so I couldn’t use butter. Will definitely buy some ghee for the next batch.
Thank you.
At the end I added couple scrambled eggs. Bit hot sauce. So yummy
Thank you this dish is Excellent! Followed the recipe and added some thyme at the end. Will be having again very soon.
Love this! I added shaved carrot, fresh ginger, aged soy sauce, mirin, sesame seeds,and a sprig of fresh thyme as a garnish. Wish I could share a pic. Thanks for this!
Loving all those additions Victor, sounds delicious! Also, I’d love for you to share any of your recipe creations in my private Facebook community group (if you’re not a part of it yet)!
Great recipe! Quick and easy. I had mine with turkey sausage.
Looks very doable…thank you for easy instructions
Such a simple yet tasty side dish :)
I made this and ended up adding some ground turkey for more of a hearty meal and it turned out great! I love Lisa’s recipes, I’m 24 and a lot of my friends still don’t know how to cook but I’ve made about 10 of her recipes now and kinda feel like I know what I’m doing :)
Happy to hear you’re learning how to cook from my channel! It’s all about utilizing wholesome ingredients with easy methods :)
Could I use one of those bags of coleslaw at the grocery store?
This is better if you use fresh whole cabbage.
I made this exactly as written and it was delicious. I had a Vietnamese neighbor who gave me a recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce. We put this sauce on the cabbage and it was wonderful with grilled chicken breast.
Sounds great Joni! Glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
This is a wonderful recipe. I’m dealing with some health problems and I’m trying very hard to boost my immune system. So I’m looking for healthy options that are fairly easy to make. This fit the bill. Tastes so good and I’ve read that cabbage has wonderful health benefits. Thanks for this great recipe!
Happy to hear you’re finding tons of healthy inspiration through my channel Joy :)
Excellent and so easy to make!
Glad you enjoyed this cabbage recipe!
Taste amazing every time. I often have this as a main but also a side dish.
Works well either way! Glad you enjoy this recipe Shelly :)
My partner and I never used to like cabbage until we tried this recipe! Thank you!!
Glad I could convert you two into cabbage lovers now! :)
Cabbage is so simple but I always consult this recipe to ensure I get it just right for dinner!
Glad to hear this is your go-to recipe for sauteed cabbage!
This recipe helped me fall in love with cabbage. I never knew how to prepare it well, and this is it. The perfect side dish.
Happy to hear I could introduce to you a new and simple way to enjoy cabbage :)
Lisa thank you.
I eat cabbage soups,cobbege with lemon, but this way was delicious
Making this for the second time tonight….SO good. I think it speaks to the Hungarian in me : )
Thank you for all your terrific, well-tested recipes Lisa!
Hi Mary- So glad you enjoyed this simple cabbage dish!
New favorite way to eat cabbage. So good!
Hi Devon- You can never go wrong with a simple sauteed cabbage dish!
Made this recipe today. Really good. I will add it to my recipe box. Thank you!
Hi Cristina – This is definitely a quick and easy side dish to keep on hand! It’s simple, but the flavors are so good :)
This is one of the simplest yet most delicious side dishes I’ve ever made in my life! The texture and the flavor of the cabbage is unbelievable and I can’t wait to make it more times in the future! Keep up the good work Lisa!
Hi Valentina – This really is a great recipe to keep on hand for a quick and delicious side dish! Tons of flavor comes out of the cabbage when it’s simply sauteed :)
This is a dish that we had growing up as we had a garden to feed the community. Was a cheap delishes meal. Glad your opening eyes to it and it’s so healthy. I am 72.
Hi Linda – Cabbage can sometimes, be a forgotten vegetable. But, it is such a great way to feed a large crowd and the flavors come naturally as you cook it!
This was so easy to make and delicious! Cabbage is such a simple and cheap vegetable but unfortunately a lot of people steer away from it. This recipe is a game changer! My boyfriend who normally doesn’t like any kind of cabbage, could not stop eating this!
As always Lisa’s recipe is clear and gives you the perfect result. Definitely will make tis again.
Hi Eva – It definitely is a veggie that people tend to forget about, but has so much flavor and texture when cooked! Glad to hear both you and your boyfriend enjoyed this side dish :)
This dish is so great and easy! I added some ground sausage and served it with some crusty bread with dijon mustard and it was so delicious!
Hi Danielle – Sausage with cabbage is always a winning combination! Glad you enjoyed this one :)
Made this tonight! Happy St Patty’s Day! It was super easy and delicious! Normally I would have just boiled the cabbage and added butter, salt and pepper. This has a nuttier, sweeter flavor. Yum!
Hi Emily – So glad everyone enjoyed this recipe! It’s such a simple St. Patty’s day recipe :)
Loved it! This was so easy to make. I tried it to taste it for salt and couldn’t stop eating it afterwards. Thank you Lisa!!
Hi Brie – This really is such a simple and easy recipe that’s delicious enough to pair back with any meal :)
Now why didn’t I ever think to sauté cabbage?!? We had this over the weekend and it was so perfect with pulled pork. I used sweet onion and ghee and yummmm!!!! Thank you Lisa!
Hi Sasha – This dish will definitely taste amazing alongside my pulled pork! I’m so glad you enjoyed this dish though. Cabbage can often be overlooked, but once it’s simply sauteed – the flavors are amazing.
Hi Lisa,
many thanks for all of your recipes : )
I have been sautéing cabbage with coconut oil for quite a while now and I always top it with a couple of easy over eggs … delicious ! sometimes I add mushrooms but will try your idea of adding onions next time !
cheers … Claire
Hi Claire – Yum! I love the addition of an egg on top or mushrooms. But definitely try it with onions – it gives it a sweet and delicious flavor :)
I also like adding bean sprouts to mine. If you’re adventurous, try this as a topping on a hot dog. It’s the same concept as a Japadog.
Hi Louis – Adding bean sprouts sounds like a great idea! :)
I know this will be my go to sauted cabbage. Usually I cook it with polish so had to find a healthier way to cook it. I usually will do half a cabbage and use other half for cabbage soup I’m sure sure I will love it. Great job
Glad you love this recipe Mary!
Hi Lisa,
I got a fresh cabbage from my sister-in-law’s farm. Can’t be fresher than that. Then I cooked the sauted cabbage not with ghee as I had only coconut oil in our rural upcountry home. It’s super easy to cook and tastes delicious. Will try to cook it back home in Mombasa-Kenya with ghee, but there’s a lovely taste with the coconut oil.
There’s no receipe that didn’t come out right so far. I love your ideas as they bring a fresh wind into my international cuisine at home. I am from Switzerland originally.
Best regards and keep it up.
Dominique
Hi Dominique – Ghee is just an option for this recipe, as you can also use oil if you’d like :) But I’m happy you enjoyed this dish overall! I love intertwining different cuisines from around the world, and I hope to do more international recipes soon.
This look so fresh and delecious.So easy to make and so delicious too.
Hi Mohan – Definitely an easy recipe that’s bursting with flavor!
I made this the other night for dinner to pair with kielbasa sausage. They went together perfectly! That was also the night I discovered my husband doesn’t like cabbage (we have been together for 16 years and I didn’t know this), but guess what?! He loved Lisa’s cabbage! He said it tasted buttery and sinful, like you shouldn’t be eating it, cause its bad for you, but since it’s one of Lisa’s recipes, he knew it had to be healthy. He even took some for lunch the next day. This was very easy to make, and my first time using ghee. Thanks for getting me try new things! And thanks for another delicious recipe!
Hi Christy – I love cabbage with kielbasa sausage! The flavors meld beautifully together. But I’m so glad I can continue to provide new inspiration for healthy recipes :)
We always have sauteed cabbage with Keilbasa.
Made this yesterday for lunch…very easy to make and so yummy! I will be having this more often.
Hi Lyn – Definitely a great side dish recipe to keep on hand. Especially with how easy it is! :)
HI LIsa
I have been watching a lot of your YouTube lately after I accidentally discovered your channel. I am always trying to improve my family’s overall health thru menus that I plan for my family every week. Your channel has given me more inspiration and purpose to do better. Thank you! I signed up my email address to receive weekly recipe but I haven’t been getting it.
Hi Lisa – So happy to hear that you’ve been learning tons of new things from Downshiftology and are able to apply it to your family’s everyday eating :) As for the weekly emails, it looks like you did receive the last email – which was the chicken fajitas :) I only send out emails once a week so if you don’t receive one by the end of the week, do check your spam/junk folder as well.
Thank you so much for all the work you put into your recipes, blog, videos,shopping and the list goes on .I have a lot of health issue and was looking for someone with knowledge to help . I found that help in you .
Bless you !!
Hi Theresa – I am so happy to hear that I am able to help you when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle :)
Yum, how long will this keep?
Hi Paul – This will last for about 4-5 days in the fridge :)
Hi Lisa, this sounds similar to something I used to make but it had Bacon in it. I will try this without Bacon first as it sound delicious as it is.
Hi Priscilla – This is definitely a dish that would taste amazing with bacon!
This is so good! I sprinkled it with chili and lime and used it as a base for my taco salad!! Thanks for sharing 🤩!
Hi Dana – Yum! I bet those flavors mesh beautifully with each other.
Yum! In my family we add minced meat, soy sauce and some black pepper.
Hi Janina – Adding a bit of meat in this definitely brings out tons of flavor :)
a really nice finishing touch on sauteed cabbage is a lovely splash of plum vinegar at the very end! If you don’t have plum vinegar, apple cider would do.
Hi Colleen – That sounds amazing! Will have to try that sometime.