Southern Fried Cabbage Recipe with Bacon

This Fried Cabbage recipe is an easy side dish or meal that comes together with only a few simple budget friendly ingredients. It makes a tasty comfort food vegetable paired with bacon.

Having been born and raised in Georgia, I’ve been eating southern cooking my entire life. I definitely call Fried cabbage Southern comfort food. We also enjoy this Cabbage Soup recipe seasoned with ham, any time of the year.

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You can make a meal out of a big pot of fried cabbage or you can serve it as a side dish. Whichever you choose. We always make a meal out of it. The bacon is our meat and we just serve either cornbread or rolls on the side.

Do you love bacon too? Here’s How To Cook Bacon in the Oven.

FAQ

Should you rinse cabbage before cooking?

Yes. You want to cut the head of cabbage in half. Then remove the thick darker green outer leaves. Cut out the core. You can add the core and outer leaves to your compost heap. Now chop the cabbage into bite size pieces and place it into a colander. Rinse under cool running water and drain completely before cooking.

Does cabbage shrink when fried?

Yes, cabbage is a shrinking vegetable and that is okay. When you fill your pot or pan with cabbage, it will begin to shrink as soon as the cooking process begins. It may look like a whole head of cabbage is too much but it will shrink down and be just the right amount.

What is the benefit of eating fried cabbage?

Cabbage is high in Vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants.

How to select a head of cabbage for frying

Pick a cabbage that feels dense and heavy for its size. The leaves should be firm and free of any wilting or discoloration. Fresh cabbage should have a vibrant color and a crisp texture. The size will depend on how many folks you are cooking for. Cabbage shrinks when cooking so keep that in mind.

Kitchen Tools

• Large Dutch Oven, like this one
• Sharp knife, for cutting cabbage
• Wooden spoon, to stir the cabbage
• Tongs
• Colander

Ingredients

There are no onions in my recipe for Fried Cabbage. If you want onions, I promise to turn my head and look away. We love the taste of the sweet and savory cabbage without onions in this recipe.

• 1 large head of cabbage
• About 6 slices of bacon
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper

Cooking Directions

First

Cut your bacon slices in half and add them to the Dutch oven. Cook on medium high heat until the bacon is crispy. Then remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate using tongs. Leave the bacon grease in the pot.

Step Two

Add the cabbage to the hot bacon grease and cook on medium high heat, stirring frequently. The cabbage will begin to shrink. As you stir, you will be getting the bacon grease onto most of the cabbage leaves which will be adding that delicious flavor to your meal.

Pro Tip

Do you need more bacon grease? I save bacon grease in a Mason jar in the refrigerator. If I feel like there isn’t quite enough, I add more, about one Tablespoon at a time. Do so sparingly. You don’t want greasy fried cabbage.

I use my spatula to slide over the cabbage and add the bacon grease to the bottom of the pot. If you need more grease but don’t have bacon grease, add a little dab, one Tablespoon at a time, of clean cooking oil, not used cooking oil.

Step Three

Break up the bacon into bite size pieces and add it back into the cabbage. Add the salt and pepper and stir. Continue to stir often until your cabbage has become as tender as you like it. I cook my fried cabbage for about 30 minutes for a large head of cabbage. If you want your cabbage more crispy, I recommend 20-25 minutes of cook time.

NOTE

Cook time will vary depending on how much cabbage you are cooking and how tender or crispy you want your cabbage. Cabbage is a vegetable you can eat raw, so the cook time depends on your taste.

Is Leftover Fried Cabbage good?

Yes it certainly is. Store leftovers in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet.

Serve Fried Cabbage with