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Home » Side dishes » Braised Red Cabbage

Braised Red Cabbage

Published: Nov 27, 2019 · Modified: Nov 27, 2019 by Kate Hackworthy · 5 Comments

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pinnable image for easy spiced red cabbage recipe

Braised Red Cabbage is my favourite easy, tasty traditional side dish! It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas or any time. Cabbage, apples and spices all mingle together in this vibrant recipe.

A bowl of braised red cabbage - a spiced side dish that's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or roast dinners

Braised red cabbage

If you’ve ever tried braised red cabbage, then I’m sure you’ve fallen in love with this simple, flavorful side dish.

Red cabbage with apples is a traditional sweet and sour recipe that usually accompanies a roast and is commonly served as a side dish at Christmas dinner around the world.

It’s bright purple, has a glorious texture and the flavour of the cabbage is perfect with the apples and warming spices.

Why You’ll Love this Braised Red Cabbage Recipe

  • Perfect side dish for the holidays
  • You can make it ahead
  • Freezable
  • Easy to make
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • It’s sweet from the apples and spices, and tangy from the vinegar – a flavor explosion!
A bowl of braised red cabbage.

Ingredients for Braised Red Cabbage

You only need a few simple ingredients for this red cabbage side dish!

  • red cabbage
  • apples
  • red onion
  • red wine (or additional water)
  • red wine vinegar
  • brown sugar
  • star anise (optional)
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • cloves
  • Salt and pepper

Can you freeze braised red cabbage?

This dish is freezable. Just be sure it is completely cooled, then place into freezable container(s) and freeze for up to 3 months.

To use, simply thaw (in the fridge or on the counter), then reheat in a pan on the stove.

How do you reheat spiced red cabbage?

Absolutely! I always make this recipe ahead of time, especially at Christmas. I tend to make it 2-3 days before Christmas and store it in the fridge. Then just heat it in a pan on the stove. You may need to add a little water.

You can also reheat the cabbage side dish in a microwave. Which is very useful if you’re using all of your stove elements for Christmas dinner!

How long does it keep (in the fridge)?

You can keep the spiced cabbage side dish in the fridge for up to 7 days. This means it’s great for the holidays and saves you making one side dish on the day! Reheat as instructed above.

Serving Suggestions

Traditionally, this spiced red cabbage with apples is served over the holidays with a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. It is often served with roast dinners too.

We love having it along with all the Christmas dinner leftovers. It brightens up the plate and tastes so festive.

But I’m sure you’ll love this dish so much that you’ll want to serve it far more often!

Red Cabbage nutritional info: All varieties of cabbage (red, green, or the paler Savoy cabbage) are high in vitamin C and low in calories. A half-cup contains about 45% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C, but just 14 calories. Cabbage is also a good source of fiber and other vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A and potassium.

Harvard

Festive Side Dishes

If you’re looking for other great gluten-free vegan side dishes, try these!

  • Green beans almondine
  • Baby hasselback potatoes
  • Parmentier potatoes
  • Garlic stuffed mushrooms
  • Caponata alla Siciliana
A bowl of braised red cabbage - a spiced side dish that's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or roast dinners

How to make braised red cabbage

This side dish is super easy to make. You can slice the cabbage by hand, or use a mandoline or food processor.

sliced red cabbage on a wooden board
  1. Simply slice the cabbage, apples and onion. Then add them to a pot, along with the water, wine and vinegar.
  2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, give it a stir, cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes.
    Tip: Stir the pot occasionally so it doesn’t scorch. If necessary, add a little extra water.
  3. Stir in the sugar, star anise (if using) and spices, season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the cabbage and apples are soft.
  4. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge. You can also cool completely and freeze for later.
    NOTE: scroll down for the full recipe in the recipe card.

Looking for more red cabbage recipes? Try these!

  • Cabbage Salad
  • Red cabbage and sprout tart

Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and write this food blog. I love sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake, vegan cake recipes and easy vegan desserts.
Kate x

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes.   Follow me on Instagram * Twitter * Facebook * Pinterest * Youtube

Get the Easy Braised Red Cabbage Recipe

A bowl of braised red cabbage - a spiced side dish that's perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas or roast dinners

Braised Red Cabbage

Braised Red Cabbage is my favourite easy, tasty traditional side dish! It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas or any time. Cabbage, apples and spices all mingle together in this vibrant recipe.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: British, German, International
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts

Ingredients

  • 1 red cabbage
  • 2 apples
  • 1 red onion
  • 2/3 cup (150ml) water
  • 1/3 cup (75ml) red wine or additional water
  • 1/4 cup (50ml) red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 star anise optional
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Wash the cabbage, remove any old outer leaves and cut out the core. Slice the cabbage into quarters, then slice each quarter thinly.
  • Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Peel, halve and finely slice the onion.
  • Add the cabbage, apples and onion to a pot, along with the water, wine and vinegar. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, give it a stir, cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pot. If necessary, add a little extra water.
  • Stir in the sugar, star anise (if using) and spices, season with salt and pepper, cover with the lid and simmer for a further 20 minutes or until the cabbage and apples are soft.
  • Serve warm.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 1593IU | Vitamin C: 84mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts!
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alisa Infanti

    December 01, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is definitely something different for me but I was looking for something a little more healthy with a great pop of colour for our holiday table. Tested it out last night and it is amazing!

    Reply
  2. Noelle

    November 29, 2019 at 6:24 pm

    5 stars
    This is a great recipe, I have never made anything like this before but it was a hit for Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  3. Anita

    November 27, 2019 at 7:18 pm

    5 stars
    This cabbage salad is easy to prepare, looks pretty, and tastes yummy. I can see this appearing often for all king of festive dinners at home. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Vicky

    November 27, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    5 stars
    What a great side dish to a turkey dinner. I love how the color just adds a festive touch to a holiday table as well. I’m excited to make this for my family!

    Reply
  5. Beth

    November 27, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    5 stars
    I prefer red cabbage over green so really loving this side dish! The flavor with the wine, spices and apples is perfect!

    Reply

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