This Southern fried cabbage recipe is a quick, cozy side dish that combines tender cabbage, smoky bacon, sweet apple, and savory onion in one skillet for a dish that’s hearty, flavorful, and ready in less than 30 minutes!
If you’re looking for even more easy vegetable sides, try roasted yellow squash, broccoli casserole, and maple glazed carrots, or browse our vast collection of side dish recipes.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
Before you heat up the skillet, keep these tips in mind so your fried cabbage turns out perfectly every time:
- Cut the cabbage into uniform size pieces: This ensures that it cooks evenly and does not turn soggy.
- Don’t skip the apple: The sweetness balances the smoky bacon and tangy vinegar beautifully. Honeycrisp is my favorite for sweetness, but a tart Granny Smith works if you want more tang.
- Control the texture: Cook just until tender. Overcooking leads to mushy cabbage.
- Bacon optional: For a vegetarian version, simply swap in extra butter and a pinch of smoked paprika.
How to Make Fried Cabbage
Cooking this dish is easy, but the little details make a difference. Here’s how I like to do it:
Step 1: Cut the Cabbage
Start by slicing the cabbage head in half with a big knife. Cut out the core at an angle, and then slice and chop the cabbage. You can make the cabbage thin (like coleslaw) or thicker; whatever your preference…just keep it uniform so it cooks evenly.
** Quick Note: Half of a small to medium head of green cabbage works best. You need about 3-4 cups of sliced cabbage for this recipe, so if you have more than that, save the extra for a later meal.
Step 2: Cook the Bacon
Fry the chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s browned and crisp, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pieces to a plate. Keep about a tablespoon of the drippings in the skillet for flavor.
** Grandma’s Tip: if you have any, save leftover bacon grease in a jar in the fridge. A spoonful added to veggies, cornbread, or greens later on makes them taste amazing.
Step 3: Soften the Cabbage, Apple & Onion
Add butter to the skillet, then toss in the grated apple, onion slices, and cabbage. Cook until everything starts softening, about 5 minutes. Stir often so nothing sticks.
Step 4: Season and Simmer
Sprinkle in apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. Stir well to coat the cabbage and let those flavors meld together. Let it simmer until the cabbage is tender and flavorful, 7-10 more minutes.
** Pro Tip: The vinegar keeps the cabbage bright and balances the sweetness from the apple and the savory richness from the bacon.
Step 5: Finish with Bacon
Add the crispy bacon back to the skillet and toss everything together. Taste and adjust with a little more salt or pepper if needed. Serve warm right out of the pan.
Variations
- Without bacon: use 2 tablespoons of butter and omit the bacon.
- Bacon swaps: turkey bacon, smoked sausage, or diced ham. Use extra butter to pan-fry leaner meat.
- Acid options: try lemon juice or a spoonful of Dijon mustard in lieu of the vinegar.
- Add-ins: shredded carrots, thinly sliced bell peppers, garlic, or make it spicy with a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning, red pepper flakes, or cayenne. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
- Shortcut: grab a bag of coleslaw mix from the produce section. You need about 3-4 cups of shredded cabbage altogether.
- Make it a meal: add protein by browning sliced kielbasa (or other sausage) in the skillet with the bacon before frying the cabbage.
- Red cabbage (purple cabbage): a head of red cabbage works fine, too. Try this braised cabbage with apples and bacon.
What to Serve with Fried Cabbage
Pair the fried cabbage with:
- Bread: a slice of cast iron cornbread or biscuits;
- Southern Entrees: fried chicken, smothered pork chops, or pulled pork sandwiches;
- Comfort Food Classics: old-fashioned chicken pot pie or Southern meatloaf.
Amazing! I was skeptical but this hit it out of the park!…
– Leah
Storage, Make Ahead & Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm gently in a skillet with a little butter or bacon grease, or microwave in short increments.
- Make ahead: Cook the cabbage, refrigerate, then finish with bacon right before serving.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing fried cabbage, since it tends to turn watery after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my cabbage soggy?
The skillet might be overcrowded or the heat too low. Use a wide pan and cook in batches if needed.
Can I use bagged coleslaw mix?
Yes. Pre-shredded cabbage is a handy shortcut. Just watch the cooking time since it softens more quickly.
How do I make this without bacon?
Use 2 tablespoons of butter and add a pinch of smoked paprika for that savory flavor.
How much cabbage should I use if I have a large head?
Start with 3 to 4 cups chopped. If you want to cook more, use a second skillet or fry in batches.
Can I make it ahead of time?
It’s best fresh, but you can cook it a few hours in advance and reheat gently in a skillet before serving.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Fried Cabbage with Apples and Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 medium apple, coarsely grated (Honey Crisp works great, but any variety will do)
- 1 small Vidalia onion, thinly sliced (or another sweet onion)
- ½ head green cabbage, sliced and chopped (about 3–4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Dash of ground nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pan.
- Add the butter to the skillet with the drippings. Once melted, stir in the apple, onion, and cabbage. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Continue cooking until the cabbage is tender, 7-10 more minutes.
- Return the cooked bacon to the skillet and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Cut the cabbage into uniform size pieces.
- You need 3-4 cups chopped cabbage total.
- Don’t skip the apple. Honey crisp and Granny Smith are great options.
- Cook just until tender. Overcooking leads to mushy cabbage.
- For a vegetarian version, swap in extra butter and a pinch of smoked paprika.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat gently in a skillet with a little butter or bacon grease, or microwave in short increments.
- Freezing not recommended.
Nutrition
This tasted wonderful! Making it again today.
– Kordula
Originally published in September, 2018, this post was updated in November, 2025.
This tasted wonderful! Making it again today.
Yay! Thank you, Kordula!
Made this tonight as I had too much cabbage from my CSA pickup this week! It was fabulous. Used a bit more onion & apple (and I thinly sliced it as grating it was not working). Used brown sugar and only 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar. I used a macintosh apple which I think was exactly perfect for the tart vs sweetness taste. Served it with pork chops!
Yum! Sounds delicious, Mimi! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I added some Costco Bacon Crumbles and doubled the recipe. It was fabulous. Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. I wish you well.
Thank yo so much, Lynn! We wish you well, too.
I made these changes- I added a lot more vinegar and sugar to give it more flavor, and more nutmeg at the end. I also cut the apples up in VERY thin slices instead of grating them. The result was that it hade a very mild, balanced flavor and the apple was a lot more pronounced, which everyone appreciated. A good recipe that’s easy to adjust to your tastes.
Thank you for the feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed it and were able to make it fit your preferences!
Love this, i make it often this time of year, i am doing this tonight, but i cant wait to make the cabbage and sausage recipe you have!! When it starts getting chilly I crave these wonderful simple old world recipes. Like a hug from grandma
Thank you! We’re glad you enjoy them.
Delicious, easy to make and healthy too – it’s my new favorite fall side. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thank you, Alexa! We’re so happy to hear it.
Amazing! I was skeptical but this hit it out of the park! I fried some apple Gouda sausages in the pan first and used the oil that cooled off and cut the butter in half and it came out outstanding!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Leah!
Hi Blair, Bravo and thank you! I’ve been making variations of cabbage and apples for decades!!! Brilliant combination of flavors. Best recipe EVER!!
Yay! I’m so glad that you loved this version, Maryann. It’s actually on my menu for the coming week — a personal favorite, too!
Recipe looks interesting, but takes too long to see instructions bc more ads than I’ve ever seen on a recipe.
We’re sorry you feel that way, Katherine! You can always click the “jump to recipe” button to quickly access the recipe card. We unfortunately don’t always have control over the ad placement but do our best to keep them to a minimum. We hope you still give the recipe a try!
I am a novice. this was easy and very tasty.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Walter! Thank you for trying it out.
We loved this as one of our sides for dinner the other night. I’m recently diagnosed Type 2 D, so we’ve been on the hunt for substitutes for the pasta, rice and potatoes that we are used to. This was great! Tasty, easy, and right carb. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave feedback.
I just made this! It was really good. I used granny smith and added a little chopped walnuts browned in butter. Thank you for posting!
Thank you for your feedback, Greta! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Absolutely delicious!
Thank you, Linda!