A Good Pot of Cabbage: How I Reconciled My Relationship with That Lettuce-Looking Thing

There are probably a dozen ways to cook cabbage, and I have tried most of them, and hated almost all of them. Listen I was a picky eater as a kid and once I decided I didn't like something, it didn't matter who cooked it, I did not want it. Cabbage was one of those things. That is until I had Ethiopian food. 

This is one of the versions that I make that has a little something in common with Ethiopian dishes like tikel gomen and atkilt wot—the cabbage, carrots, onions, peppers, and warm seasoning—but this is my version for today. When it gets colder and I have time, I'll make the trip to the international markets and get as many of the ingredients as I can to make the spiced oil. I did it once in grad school and my apartment smelled delicious for about a week. But it's summer time. Either way, there are no potatoes this time, but there is a little pork, because I had some on hand. And, of course, Juke's All Purpose.

And before anybody gets nervous about the pork, let me make this clear: you absolutely do not need it. I've made this with bacon, fat back,  avocado oil and with regular cooking oil, and it is still delicious. Use what works for you and your diet or tastes.

This recipe makes about 4 servings, because I was only cooking for 2 people when I made it and had no intentions of cooking the next day. But cabbage is forgiving. Pick whatever size cabbage you need and adjust the other ingredients accordingly.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25–35 minutes
• Total Time: 45–55 minutes
• Servings: 4 side-dish servings
• Course: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Southern-inspired
• Method: Stovetop
• Experience Level: Beginner
  
• Dietary: Vegetarian adaptable; vegan adaptable

And before we get started: This recipe is intentionally flexible. The cabbage size, desired tenderness, and the vegetables you have on hand can all change the amount of seasoning and liquid you'll need. Taste as you cook and adjust accordingly.

Why I Think You'll Love This Cabbage

• It's flexible. Use bacon, fatback, oil—or none of the above.
• It's forgiving. You don't need to measure every vegetable down to the last pepper.
• You control the texture. Keep it crisp or cook it down until it's tender.
• It's packed with flavor. Juke's All Purpose and Billion Dollar Bouillon do a lot of the heavy lifting.
• It feeds a crowd without a lot of fuss. Cabbage is relatively inexpensive. That means you can get a lot for a little. 

Here's What You'll Need

• 1  small-medium head of cabbage (I used a small cabbage because I was cooking for two. If you're feeding a crowd, use a larger cabbage and adjust the seasonings and liquid accordingly.

• 1 large carrot

• 1–2 cups chopped onions and bell peppers (I used a mix of sweet and white onions and red, yellow, and orange bell peppers)

• 3 pieces thick-cut bacon, optional

• 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic

• 1 Tablespoon Juke's All Purpose

• 1 Tablespoon Billion Dollar Chicken Bouillon  

• Or, 1 Tablespoon of Billion Dollar Vegetable Bouillon

• 1/2 cup water

• Avocado oil or cooking oil, if not using bacon

And, despite its name, Billion Dollar Chicken Bouillon is vegan. It gives the cabbage a rich, savory flavor without any animal products. You can also use Billion Dollar Vegetable Bouillon if you prefer.

Equipment You'll Need:

• Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife or equivalent
• Measuring spoons (unless you want to measure with your heart)
• Measuring cup (unless you want to measure with your heart)
• Colander, optional

Now about those veggies...

I buy peppers and onions in bulk at the farmer's market, then process and freeze them so I have them ready when I need them. It has never failed me. 

But please, use whatever peppers and onions you have. This is not the dish to be precious about exact vegetables. You don't have to use any at all if you don't want to. I promise. 

Now, Let's Cook!

1. Render the bacon.

If you're using bacon, cut it into about 1-inch pieces and add it to a pot over low heat.

Let the pork slowly render its fat. You don't need to rush this part. Low and slow is the way to go. 

Once you've got enough rendered fat, remove the bacon pieces and reserve about 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease for the cabbage. Put the rest away in your bacon grease container for another day.  

You know the container.

Looks like a little teapot?

Yeah. That's the one.

Feel free to enjoy the bacon pieces while you cook.

2. Get your vegetables going.

While the bacon is rendering, chop your carrot into roughly 1-inch pieces.

I quartered mine lengthwise first, then diced the quarters into pieces. I cut those pieces in half because I wasn't interested in waiting all day for a carrot to get tender.

Add the peppers, onions, and carrots to the pot with the reserved bacon grease.

Cook over medium-low heat until the onions begin to soften.

3. Prepare the cabbage.

While those vegetables are cooking, halve and core your cabbage.

Slice it as thinly—or as thickly—as you like.

I prefer mine on the thinner side because, frankly, I think it looks better on the plate.

If you like a thicker cabbage, slice it thicker. This is your pot of cabbage.

Once sliced, I like to put the cabbage in a little cold water while I finish the other vegetables. Drain it before adding it to the pot. This is totally optional, by the way. 

4. Season. Your.  Vegetables.

Once the onions have softened, add:

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon Juke's All Purpose

Stir everything together and cook just until the garlic becomes fragrant, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks or burns.

5. Add your cabbage.

Now dump that cabbage into the pot. And this is where I want you to hear me out...

You don't necessarily need to add liquid.

When I'm cooking cabbage just for myself, I often let the cabbage make its own liquid. I like it with a little more bite, and there's plenty of moisture in the cabbage itself.

But today was not that day.

So I mixed 1/2 cup water with 1 tablespoon Billion Dollar Chicken Bouillon and poured it over the cabbage. I'm using the Bouillon here as a concentrated seasoning, and not a full cup of broth. 

 

Keep the heat on medium-low, give everything a good stir, and let the cabbage cook until it reaches your desired tenderness.

Stir it a few times while it cooks.

That's it.

No fuss. No super complicated technique.

Just cabbage doing what cabbage does.

What can I serve it with?

I served mine with:

• Fried pork chops
• Speckled butter beans
• Cornbread

But this cabbage would also be right at home alongside:

• Fried chicken
• Baked or roasted chicken
• Smothered pork chops
• Pot Roast
• Field peas
• Mac and cheese
• Cornbread

No matter how you serve it, that after-dinner nap will be immaculate.

How to Make It Your Own:

Keep it meat-free
Skip the bacon and use avocado oil or your favorite cooking oil. Both Billion Dollar Chicken Bouillon and Billion Dollar Vegetable Bouillon are vegan, so either works beautifully here.

Keep the cabbage crunchy.
Skip the added liquid and let the cabbage cook in its own moisture. Pull it from the heat when it's still got some bite.

Make it softer.
After you add the bouillon mixture, give it more time over medium-low heat.

Have a big cabbage?
Scale the seasonings and liquid up to match the amount of cabbage you're cooking.

Change the blends up.

You can absolutely use the Billion Dollar Vegetable Bouillon, or the SavorySalt-Free Garlic and Herb Blend, or even switch out the Juke's All Purpose for Grandma Kittie Mae's House Blend or, if you're feeling fancy, Beauty's Badass Blend. 

And as always, the salt-free versions of these blends (when applicable) are equally as delicious in this application. Play around and find what you like. This is your pot of cabbage. 

Nikki's Notes:

Don't drown your cabbage. If you like cabbage with some bite, let it make its own liquid.

Don't overthink your vegetables. Use what you've got. Frozen peppers and onions work beautifully.

Taste before adding more seasoning. Both bouillon options contain salt, so give everything a taste before reaching for additional salt.

Make it yours. The goal isn't perfect measurements. The goal is a pot of cabbage you actually want to eat.

What I learned in developing this recipe is: cabbage doesn't require you to be exact. Taste as you go, adjust as needed, and make the pot yours.

 

What About Leftovers (if you have them)?

Allow the cabbage to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.

This recipe will keep in the fridge for about 3–4 days. After that, trash it. 

Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the cabbage seems dry, add a tiny splash of water or broth before reheating.

I wouldn't freeze this recipe. The cabbages get far too soft to enjoy later. 

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Want More From Mrs. Root's Kitchen

• Mrs. Root's Lazy Sunday Pot Roast

• Mrs. Root's Ultimate Skillet Potatoes

Looking for the seasoning I used?

 Shop Juke's All Purpose
 Shop Billion Dollar Chicken Bouillon