Braised Red Cabbage with Apples | Easy Recipe (2024)

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This easy Braised Red Cabbage with Apples recipe is the perfect simple vegan side dish that’s healthy, delicious, and a great way to add color to many hearty meals. It’s a traditional favorite family recipe that should not be missing from the Thanksgiving or Christmas menu!

Want to try a cabbage recipe that’s as popular as coleslaw or sourkraut? If so, you will surely love this braised red cabbage recipe! It does not only taste delicious but also looks very appetizing. The apple’s sweetness adds an amazing flavor to the red cabbage which makes this a great side dish to serve for your Sunday family lunch or dinner!

What is Braised Red Cabbage?

When you think of red cabbage or cabbage in general, what recipes come to your mind? Cabbage soup? Kimchi? Chinese spring rolls? Cabbage stir-fry? If these are your go-to cabbage dishes and you want to try another recipe, you should not miss this one!

Classic braised red cabbage is made of thinly sliced or shredded red cabbage that’s simmered with sautéed onions and a couple of seasonings in red wine and fruit juice until soft and tender. For this recipe, I decided to elevate the flavor more by adding chopped apples, which creates a sweeter taste but you could also leave them out if you prefer.

Traditionally, braised red cabbage is preferably served on cold days in fall and winter, as it is a perfect accompaniment to warming comfort food dishes. You will find some serving suggestions further down in this blog post.

What is braising?

Braising is a great way to maximize the flavors of the red cabbage while maintaining its nutritional benefits. Essentially, it’s the process of simmering in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot to concentrate and enhance the liquid’s flavor and tenderizes ingredients to get that perfectly melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

How to Make Braised Red Cabbage With Apples

Ready to make the best braised red cabbage to serve your family? Here’s an easy to follow step-by-step guide which will help you to make it in no time!

As always I recommend checking out this step-by-step guide first, then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prep the red cabbage.

Start by thinly slice or shred the cabbage into a bowl.This step not only speeds up the cooking process but also helps the cabbage to absorb the flavors during cooking. You can slice it by using a sharp knife, however, I recommend using a grater or Mandoline as they make work a lot easier.Next, sprinkle with ¾ tsp of salt and knead with your hands for a few minutes. This will help the cabbage to soften. Then set aside for a couple of minutes.

Step 2: Sauté and braise.

While you wait for your cabbage to get softer, heat the vegan butter in a large heavy-bottom saucepan. Then add the diced onion and apples, sauté for about 5 minutes. After that, add the red cabbage and pour in some red wine. Let it boil down briefly.

Next, add the apple cider vinegar, apple juice, bay leaves as well as black pepper, agave syrup, and pimento to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding some more liquid if necessary.

Step 3: Season to taste.

Finally, taste and adjust with salt, pepper, and agave syrup. If you want your red cabbage to thicken up, you can add a bit of cornstarch. Simply stir a teaspoon of cornstarch into about 3-4 tbsp of water. Then, stir the mixture into the red cabbage in the pot and briefly let it simmer until it thickens.

Remove the bay leaves before serving and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Braised Red Cabbage With Apples

Here are some tips which can be helpful to make your new favorite side dish:

Which apples can I use? I prefer using apples that have a sweeter taste and hold up pretty well while cooking like Boskop, Braeburn, or Elstar, but any kind of apple will do!
Want to make your red cabbage more tender? Continue braising it for a few more minutes; just make sure to keep an eye on it to achieve your desired tenderness.
Can I skip the alcohol? Red wine adds more flavor to your braised red cabbage, but if you don’t like alcohol in your recipe, you can substitute it with grape or apple juice.
Can I make this ahead? This side dish is perfect to make ahead and tastes even better the next days after the red cabbage is soaked in its juices and flavors.

How to store braised red cabbage?

Since braised red cabbage tastes even better the next day when reheated, I recommend preparing it one day ahead. Leftovers will keep at least 2 days, covered, in the fridge.

Freezing instruction

If you want to freeze leftover braised red cabbage, simply put it into a freezer bag, making sure to get as much air out as you can, then freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw in the microwave or overnight in the fridge. Then reheat in a saucepan or microwave.

Preserving instruction

You could also preserve this braised red cabbage for longer storage. Simply rinse preserving jars with boiling water to make sure they’re completely clean. Then use a skimmer to add the hot braised red cabbage into the jars (but do not make the jars completely full). Now pour in the cooking liquid until the red cabbage is fully covered.Finally, seal the jars tightly with a screw top and set aside upside down for 10-15 minutes. Store in your pantry for up to 2-3 years.

This easy side dish recipe is:

Vegan
Dairy-free
Gluten-free
Healthy
Delicious
Flavorful
Savory
Slightly sweet
Rich in nutrients
The perfect side dish for your favorite hearty lunch or dinner!

What to serve with red cabbage?

Since this side dish is very versatile, so you can pair it with many hearty meals. Here are some of my favorite vegan comfort food recipes:

Mushroom Wellington
Mushroom Stroganoff
Homemade Vegan Gnocchi
German Spaetzle
Vegan Potato Bake
German Potato Noodles (Schupfnudeln)
No-Meat Balls with Vegan Gravy and Mashed Potatoes
Vegan Swedish Meatballs
Lentil Meatloaf
Easy Vegan Gravy

If you try this braised cabbage with apples, please leave a comment and rating on how you liked this recipe! And if you take a photo of your flavorful side dish and share it on Instagram, please tag make sure to tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love to see your remakes! Enjoy!

Author: Bianca Zapatka

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Course Lunch & Dinner, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine German

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 191 kcal

Ingredients

26.5 oz (750 g) red cabbage shredded
¾ tsp salt or more to taste
2 tbsp vegan butter
2 onions diced
1 very large apple e.g. Boskop, diced
⅔ cup (150 ml) red wine or grape juice
3-4 tbsp apple vinegar or sub white vinegar
¾ cup (180 g) apple juice
2 bay leaves
¾ tsp black pepper or more to taste
2-3 tbsp agave syrup or sugar to taste
1 pinch of pimento optional

Instructions

Add the shredded red cabbage to a bowl. Sprinkle with ¾ tsp of salt and massage it with your hands for a few minutes. Then set aside while it becomes a little softer.
In the meantime, heat the vegan butter in a large heavy-bottom saucepan. Add the diced onion and apples and sauté for about 5 minutes. Then add the red cabbage and red wine and let it cook down briefly. Add the apple vinegar, apple juice, bay leaves as well as black pepper, agave syrup, and pimento to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and braise for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally (add more liquid if necessary). Finally, taste and adjust with salt, pepper, and agave syrup.
Optional step: If you prefer it thicker, stir 1 tsp of cornstarch into 3-4 tbsp of water in a cup. Then stir the mixture into the red cabbage, and let it cook for a short while until it thickens.
Remove the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

The red cabbage tastes even better the next day when warmed up. Therefore I recommend cooking it one day ahead.
Please read my blog post for detailed storing, preserving, and freezing instructions + more tips and information on this recipe.

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Braised Red Cabbage with Apples | Easy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why should Aluminium pans not be used for braising red cabbage? ›

More importantly, food cooked in aluminum can react with the metal to form aluminum salts. Our study demonstrated the use of aluminum utensils in cooking green cabbage, red cabbage, and eggplant and its significant contribution to the total daily consumption of aluminum [10] .

Learn More Now ›

What to eat with braised red cabbage? ›

Braised red cabbage is a delicious accompaniment to the gamey flavour of a slow reared breed of turkey at Christmas, but it could also be served with beef, belly pork, duck or other game such as venison grouse, or wood pigeon. The health benefits of eating red cabbage are quite extraordinary.

Get More Info ›

Is it better to boil or steam red cabbage? ›

Steaming is an indirect cooking process which means delicate ingredients can be gently cooked to retain their flavour and nutrients. The benefit of steaming cabbage is that it doesn't produce the unpleasant smell associated with boiled cabbage.

Keep Reading ›

How do you cook red cabbage without losing color? ›

When cooked in an alkaline liquid like water, red cabbage turns blue. Adding vinegar, lemon juice, or another acid helps the cabbage to retain its red-purple color. Vinegar is also a bright flavor complement to the bold, earthy taste of the cabbage.

Read The Full Story ›

How to stop red cabbage from turning blue? ›

When you sauté red cabbage, the acids evaporate off and it can turn blue. All you have to do is add lemon juice or vinegar to bring back the bright red color. For this same reason, you may have seen a blue circle around the cherries in cherry muffins.

See Details ›

How to stop red cabbage from bleeding? ›

Prevent the Cabbage from Bleeding.

This is because the cabbage tends to “bleed” due to the water solubility of anthocyanins (color pigments). To prevent this, toss the cabbage with 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar before combining it with the rest of the ingredients.

Why do you soak red cabbage? ›

Crisp it up: Shredded cabbage stays perky if it's soaked in cold water. This also helps cut the pungent edge. Drain well before combining with other ingredients.

Get More Info ›

What does cooked red cabbage do for your body? ›

Being rich in compounds like sulforaphane and anthocyanins, red cabbage is certainly one vegetable to add to your diet. These beneficial compounds appear to prevent oxidative damage and possibly act in protective way against cancer, including colorectal cancer.

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What meat goes best with red cabbage? ›

Sweet and sour red cabbage is a perfect side dish for sausages, pork chops, schnitzel or German pork burgers. This braised cabbage also pairs well with roast chicken, duck, and roast beef.

Keep Reading ›

What is the healthiest way to eat red cabbage? ›

It retains the most nutrients when it's eaten raw but is still highly nutritious when cooked. The flavor becomes a little milder when you cook it. Try these ideas to incorporate cabbage into your diet: Lightly steam it for an easy side dish.

Read The Full Story ›

Is red cabbage good for gut health? ›

In addition, the insoluble fiber from red cabbage is known to help prevent constipation, lower the risk of developing diverticular disease and may help relieve symptoms of some gastrointestinal conditions, such as IBS symptoms.

Find Out More ›

What happens when you add vinegar to red cabbage? ›

Red cabbages can be stored in a cool, dark place for a week to ten days. Before cooking, remove any tired or discoloured leaves and always cook red cabbage with a little vinegar. This preserves the beautiful purple colour – without it, the cabbage will turn blue!