Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon- a combination of sugar, cider vinegar and crispy, salty bacon bits makes this one of the most delicious cabbage side dished ever.

Cabbage in a bowl with plate of bratwurst in background.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon Recipe

I love any kind of sautéed cabbage, but this Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon may be my favorite. When I make it, I find myself picking the last pieces out of the pan with my fingers. It’s that good.

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With crunchy bacon, onion, sweetness from a hefty dose of sugar, tang from cider vinegar, and saltiness from soy sauce, this side dish will wake up every taste bud in your mouth. So much so that you might wish it was the main dish instead of just a side.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon in a white bowl.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon is a simple side dish, but it is big on flavor. Only a handful of ingredients are needed. It’s a German-style side dish that is popular in the south. The part of North Carolian I am from had a lot of German immigrants and you can see the influences in southern home cooking.

How To Serve

I love to serve it with Bratwurst and Knockwurst. I slice them in half horizontally, place them in a skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and brown them up a little bit. But you could slice them and cook them with the cabbage for a one dish meal. Easy peasy!

This amazing side dish goes great with a side of Buttermilk Cornbread.

Recipe Tip

Red cabbage can be used instead of green cabbage.

Make it Spicy

If you want to make this cabbage recipe spicy, add crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Storage

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days and can be reheated in a microwave.

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Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon

4.94 from 30 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
A German-inspired side dish. This cabbage is full of sweet, sour, and salty flavors.

Equipment

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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 4 slices bacon,, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 onion,, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium green cabbage,, cored and cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • black pepper

Instructions 

  • Heat oil in a large, heavy pot (I use a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crisp, stirring frequently.
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a plate. Add onion and cabbage to pot and cook, stirring often, until cabbage is wilted (about 10 minutes).
  • Add vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce and cook until cabbage is crisp-tender, about 10 more minutes.
  • Stir in bacon.
    Add black pepper to taste and serve.

Video

Notes

If you want to make this dish spicy, add crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 943mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Source: Martha Stewart

Originally published Oct 29, 2013.

 

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84 Comments

  1. Kayce says:

    My sister made this and I could have eaten the whole pot! She had made it the night before and reheated it…absolutely delicious!!!