When you add bacon to a frying pan with cabbage, you end up with a side dish that stands out with its rich and decadent flavors.
Cabbage is truly a wonder veggie. It can be cooked crunchy or soft, it absorbs all the flavors and seasonings of any meat you cook with it, and it stays good in the fridge for what seems like eons. You can make baked cabbage “steaks” out of it, use the raw leaves as wraps for many delectable fillings, or slice it up and drench it in mayo for coleslaw. Seriously, is there anything cabbage can’t do?
One of my favorite simple ways to eat cabbage is to add smoked meat to it. You don’t need much meat at all to flavor a whole head of cabbage, so it stretches meat further than it would go otherwise. You can do this with smoked pork sausage or smoked brisket, but even a few slices of trusty ol’ bacon will do the trick. I have bacon in my fridge more often than I have pork sausage or brisket, and it’s a cheaper option than either, in my experience.
This recipe for bacon-fried cabbage is right on the money with that smoky bacon flavor. Using an entire head of cabbage and only six slices of bacon, you can make a decadent-tasting side dish for many plates or a whole dinner for a few. The flavor of bacon permeates the cabbage, and you can cook it to your own preferred level of doneness, whether that’s nice and soft or still a little crunchy in the middle. Try this recipe and surprise your dinner guests with the most delicious cabbage dish they’ve ever eaten!
Is Bacon-Fried Cabbage Healthy?
Bacon-fried cabbage may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of healthy food. But despite the smoked pork factor, this dish can be a part of a balanced diet, especially for the Paleo and keto folks out there. For starters, cabbage is a low-calorie, nutrient-dense veggie. It’s rich in vitamins C and K, fiber, and all sorts of antioxidants. And bacon? Well, the bacon adds flavor. If the bacon and its saturated fat content concern you, feel free to cut it down by a few slices. Or, use turkey bacon for a lower-fat option, though you may need to add a bit of cooking oil to the pan to cook the cabbage.
This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and high in fiber. For those looking to make the recipe even healthier, try using olive oil instead of bacon grease to sauté the cabbage.
Add Even More To Your Bacon-Fried Cabbage
Bacon-fried cabbage is about as simple as recipes get. That means there’s plenty of room to add fun ingredients to this pan! Here are a few ideas to get you started.
- Add rice: Once the cabbage is nearly done cooking, add a cup or two of cooked white or brown rice to the skillet, and cook it for a few minutes. It will soak up the rest of the bacon flavors and will make a proper meal out of this dish!
- Add grape tomatoes: This might sound odd, but throwing in a handful of small tomatoes, like grape or cherry tomatoes, while the cabbage is cooking can create a pleasant acidic pop throughout the dish. The tomatoes should soften and break down, and the result is very tasty!
- Add crumbly cheese: What’s better than bacon-fried cabbage? Bacon-fried cheesy cabbage. A little bit of feta, cotija, Parmesan, or Romano cheese on top of your serving will go a long way!
- Add green or white onions: Adding onions to the pan while the cabbage cooks gives more texture and flavor to the dish, while a handful of chopped green onions after the cook adds a fresh pop of color.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store leftover cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge, and it will stay good for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through—it’ll taste better than the microwave. I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the cabbage texture might go very soggy.
Serving Suggestions
As a side, bacon-fried cabbage goes great with hearty dishes, like Baked Bone-In Pork Chops or BBQ Meatloaf. But you don’t have to go heavy with the main dish! You can go lighter and pair it with this Healthy Baked Salmon or these fun Ground Turkey Zucchini Boats.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 medium head green cabbage cored and sliced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel to drain.
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the skillet. Add the sliced cabbage to the skillet, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Cook the cabbage in the bacon grease over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is tender and begins to caramelize, about 10-12 minutes.
- Return the cooked bacon to the skillet with the cabbage, stir to combine, and cook for an additional 2 minutes to reheat the bacon and blend the flavors.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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