Southern Fried Cabbage is the ultimate comfort food! Tender cabbage cooked with smoky bacon and caramelized onions in one pan. Perfect for New Year’s Day or as a quick and easy side dish any time of year. Ready in under an hour with big, bold flavors your family will love!
I’ve always loved fried cabbage. Growing up, I looked forward to my grandma’s fried cabbage every New Year’s Day. She often added smoked sausage, but I prefer using bacon and cooking the sausage separately. This Southern Fried Cabbage recipe has such incredible flavor compared to boiling—caramelization brings out a natural sweetness that pairs beautifully with smoky bacon and tender onions.
If you’ve never tried cabbage this way, you’re in for a treat—it might just become your new favorite!
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To achieve the best flavor, I like to start by rendering some bacon fat before sautéing the onions. The bacon isn’t cooked to crispy perfection here—just enough to tenderize the onions and infuse them with rich, smoky flavor. Cooking the cabbage in the rendered fat adds another layer of deliciousness to the entire dish.
For perfectly cooked cabbage, I recommend sautéing it first, then covering it with a lid to let it steam. This method ensures the cabbage becomes tender without burning the bacon or onions. Keep the heat low and stir often while steaming to develop the perfect texture and flavor.
How To Make Southern Fried Cabbage
1. Cut cabbage into equal pieces, approximately 1-inch pieces.
2. Slice the bacon into equal pieces, approximately ¼-inch pieces.
3. Small dice the onion.
4. Place a large pot (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook (uncovered) for about 6 minutes or until about half of the fat has rendered off of the bacon.
5. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until the onions are tender.
6. Add the cabbage, a little at a time, stir to coat in the fat. Continue until all of the cabbage has been added.
7. Season with the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper powder. Stir, scrapping the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, turn the heat to low, cover and cook for 30-45 minutes.
8. Continue stirring often to prevent burning. The cabbage is done when the thicker white parts are tender.
9. Adjust seasonings if needed and enjoy!
Storing Southern Fried Cabbage
Cooked cabbage can be stored in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Reheated cabbage tastes just as good as freshly cooked cabbage. I recommend reheating low and slow on the stove or covered with a damp paper towel in the microwave.
More Delicious Side Dishes
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Tried This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Southern Fried Cabbage
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon cut into ¼" pieces
- 1 large onion small diced
- 1 ½ pounds cabbage cut into 2" pieces
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- To Taste salt
- To Taste pepper
- Pinch cayenne pepper powder
Instructions
- Place a large pot (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook (uncovered) for about 6 minutes or until about half of the fat has rendered off of the bacon.
- Add the onion to the pan and sauté until the onions are tender. This should take about 4 minutes.
- Begin adding the cabbage, a little at a time, stir to coat in the fat. Continue until all of the cabbage has been added. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne.
- Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 30-45 minutes.
- Continue stirring often to prevent burning. The cabbage is done when the thicker white parts are tender. Adjust seasonings if needed and enjoy!
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