Recipes

Some of the best recipes don’t require a long shopping list, expensive ingredients, or complicated cooking techniques.

AQBy Avery QuinnNovember 5, 202611 min read

If using lean beef or turkey bacon, add a small amount of oil as needed.

Once the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a plate.

Leave about 2 tablespoons of the cooking fat in the skillet.

This flavorful base is one of the secrets to delicious fried cabbage.

Step 3: Sauté the onion

Add the sliced onion to the hot skillet.

Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently.

The onion should soften and become lightly golden.

As it cooks, it releases natural sugars that balance the savory bacon.

If the onion begins browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly.

Step 4: Add the cabbage

Add the sliced cabbage to the skillet.

It may look like too much cabbage at first, but it will shrink considerably as it cooks.

If your skillet is small, add the cabbage in batches.

Stir gently to coat the leaves with the flavorful cooking fat.

Allow the cabbage to cook for several minutes before stirring again.

This helps some of the edges develop a light golden color.

Step 5: Cook until tender

Continue cooking over medium heat for approximately 12–18 minutes.

Stir every few minutes to prevent burning.

For slightly crisp cabbage, cook toward the shorter end of the range.

For softer, more traditional Southern-style cabbage, cook a little longer.

If the skillet becomes too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water and cover briefly to help the cabbage soften.

Avoid adding too much liquid.

The goal is tender, lightly caramelized cabbage rather than boiled cabbage.

Step 6: Return the bacon to the skillet

Once the cabbage reaches your preferred tenderness, return the cooked bacon to the pan.

Stir everything together.

Cook for another 1–2 minutes so the flavors combine.

Taste before adding salt because bacon can already be quite salty.

Finish with freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Step 7: Serve warm

Remove the skillet from the heat.

Transfer the fried cabbage to a serving bowl or bring the cast-iron skillet directly to the table using a heat-safe trivet.

Serve immediately while the bacon is crisp and the cabbage is warm.

The result is a beautiful combination of tender cabbage, sweet onions, and savory bacon pieces.

The Secret to Perfect Fried Cabbage

Although this recipe is simple, a few small techniques can make a noticeable difference.

Use a large skillet

Cabbage contains a significant amount of water.

If the pan is overcrowded, the cabbage releases moisture faster than it can evaporate.

This causes steaming rather than browning.

A wide skillet gives the cabbage more contact with the hot surface, encouraging better flavor development.

Don’t stir constantly

It’s tempting to keep moving the cabbage around the pan.

However, allowing it to sit undisturbed for a minute or two helps the edges become lightly golden.