Description
This classic Braised Red Cabbage recipe features finely sliced red cabbage slowly cooked with apples, onions, and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The addition of brown sugar and vinegar balances the flavors perfectly, making it a colorful and flavorful side dish ideal for holiday meals or cozy dinners. The cabbage is tender and infused with sweet and tangy notes after being slow-braised in the oven for 2½ hours.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables and Fruit
- 500 g red cabbage, sliced finely
- 2 small red onions (or 1 large), diced finely
- 1 large Bramley apple, diced finely
- 1 clove garlic, diced finely or crushed
Spices and Seasonings
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cloves, ground
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Other
- 3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
- 10 g butter
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Finely slice the red cabbage. Dice the onions and apple finely. Dice or crush the garlic. Mix together the ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and brown sugar in a small bowl to create the spice mixture.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan) / gas mark 3 / 325°F to prepare for slow-braising the cabbage.
- Layer Ingredients: Place about one quarter of the sliced cabbage into the bottom of a large casserole dish. Sprinkle over approximately one-third of the diced onions, apple, garlic, and spice mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat layer two more times with cabbage, onions, apple, garlic, spices, salt, and pepper. Finish by topping with the remaining red cabbage.
- Add Vinegar and Butter: Pour 3 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar evenly over the layered cabbage. Dot the top with roughly 10 grams of butter to enrich the flavor and help braise the cabbage.
- Braise: Cover the casserole dish tightly with a lid or foil to keep the moisture in. Place it in the preheated oven and cook gently for 2½ hours, stirring the cabbage twice during the cooking time to ensure even braising.
- Serve or Store: Serve the braised cabbage immediately as a flavorful side dish, or allow it to cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. It develops more flavor over time and is perfect as a make-ahead dish.
Notes
- This dish is a quintessential Christmas side in many households and adds a lovely pop of color to festive meals.
- It’s very easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time, which helps with holiday cooking schedules.
- The vinegar helps preserve the vibrant red color of the cabbage during slow cooking.
- Reheating gently maintains the tender texture of the braised cabbage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 43 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 18 mg
- Fat: 0.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 1 mg
