This sautéed cabbage recipe is a delicious, easy vegetable side dish! Cooked with garlic and vinegar, it's tender, caramelized, and deeply flavorful.
Don’t underestimate this sautéed cabbage recipe! Easy to make in 15 minutes with 6 basic ingredients, it might seem humble, but this healthy side dish is still incredibly flavorful.
The cabbage softens as it cooks, becoming meltingly tender and caramelized. Garlic gives it a nice savory kick, and apple cider vinegar adds subtle sweetness and tang. If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to resist eating it straight out of the skillet.
This sautéed cabbage recipe is one of my go-to healthy side dishes. Great for weeknights, it cooks up in no time and pairs well with practically any main. Try it the next time you have a hunk of cabbage left over from making coleslaw or cabbage soup. You might be surprised how much you love it!
Sautéed Cabbage Ingredients
This sauteed cabbage recipe calls for 6 basic ingredients:
- Cabbage, of course! I especially love green cabbage here. Softer than red cabbage, it becomes really tender and browns nicely in the skillet. But in a pinch, red cabbage works too.
- Garlic – It adds savory depth of flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar – It brings out the cabbage’s natural sweetness and adds delicious tangy flavor.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It helps the cabbage brown and soften as it cooks.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Sautéed Cabbage
This sautéed cabbage recipe couldn’t be easier:
- Start by sizzling the garlic in the olive oil. Cook it for 30 seconds or so, just until fragrant.
- Then, add the cabbage, salt, and pepper. Cook until the cabbage starts to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Add the apple cider vinegar and cook until the cabbage is tender and browned. The cabbage will release quite a bit of liquid into the pan. Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring or tossing often, until the moisture evaporates and the cabbage is browned in places.
That’s it! Season to taste and serve.
Recipe Variations
Like most simple side dishes, this sautéed cabbage recipe lends itself well to variations. Here are a few of my favorite ways to change it up:
- Use butter instead of olive oil for richer depth of flavor.
- Use rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. Finish the cabbage with a drizzle of tamari, soy sauce, and/or chili crisp for an Asian-inspired spin!
- Add other veggies. Sauté a sliced onion until tender before adding the cabbage to the pan. Or add julienned carrots along with the cabbage!
- Mix in spices. I love to stir in a pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of cumin in the last few minutes of cooking. And I often sizzle red pepper flakes along with the garlic for heat.
- Add fresh herbs. Finish the cabbage with chopped fresh dill, thyme, or parsley before serving.
Let me know what variations you try!
What to Serve with Sautéed Cabbage
This sautéed cabbage is a delicious, quick side dish for practically any meal! Pair it with a simply cooked protein for a weeknight dinner, or serve it alongside one of these recipes:
- Creamy Potato Soup
- Easy Fried Rice or Crispy Sesame Tofu – These are great with the Asian-inspired cabbage variation above!
- Crustless Quiche or a Veggie Frittata
What do you like to serve with sautéed cabbage? Let me know in the comments!
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
If you love this easy sautéed cabbage recipe, try one of these vegetable side dishes next:
- Roasted Zucchini
- Roasted Broccoli
- Simple Swiss Chard
- Sautéed Bok Choy
- Or any of these 25 Easy Vegetable Side Dishes!
Sautéed Cabbage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small green cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1½ pounds)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, or until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the cabbage, salt, and several grinds of pepper, toss, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the cabbage starts to soften.
- Add the vinegar, toss, and cook, stirring or tossing occasionally, until most of the liquid cooks off and the cabbage is tender and browned, about 6 minutes. Season to taste and serve.
