Our traditional grandma’s red cabbage recipe for easy and quick red cabbage cooking. Make your own red cabbage or red cabbage recipe with easy ingredients such as vinegar, margarine, sugar and bay leaves. Juicy and crunchy as a caramelized red cabbage side dish.
🇩🇪🇺🇸One recipe, two kitchens — grams ⇄ cups, switch right in the card.
Rotkohl — braised red cabbage with apple, vinegar and warm spices — is the side dish that turns a roast into a German meal. It is on every holiday table from Oktoberfest through Christmas, it costs almost nothing to make, and it is one of the rare sides that genuinely improves after a day or two in the fridge. That makes it ideal for American holiday cooking, where oven space on the day is the real bottleneck. Explore more German recipes for the rest of the menu.
Instructions on how to cook our best traditional red cabbage recipe yourself and really enjoy it at Christmas or Easter. Cooking red cabbage or red cabbage is not that difficult, but can be homemade quickly with just a few ingredients. Crisp and aromatic, fresh and easy to cook yourself.
Cut the red cabbage into small strips - alternatively, we recommend using a stand mixer with a slicing attachment. The red cabbage strips should be about 5 cm wide.
First heat half the butter in a pot or large wok pan over a high heat.
Then add the red cabbage and pour over the remaining butter and heat slowly over a high heat, stirring constantly. If the red cabbage does not release enough moisture in the first few minutes, you can add 50 ml of water.
After about 7-10 minutes, the red cabbage will begin to change and react to the heat.
Now add sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar and carefully stir the red cabbage several times.
Simmer on a low heat for 45 minutes with the lid on and the bay leaves added.Start 45 minutes timer here
Stir the red cabbage every 15 minutes or so. Caution! Steam may rise!
Before serving, season again with a little salt and pepper to taste and remove the bay leaves or simply don't eat it.
Nutrition per serving
111kcal
4 gFat
19 gCarbs
3 gProtein
13 gSugar
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Best traditional red cabbage recipe
There are many ways to cook red cabbage. Today we’re going to show you how easy it is to prepare red cabbage. Even though many people like apples and many other ingredients in red cabbage, we prefer our red cabbage without apples. It is certainly a regional thing, where you grew up with which family recipe. In any case, every recipe has its justification.
When it comes to classic side dishes that no festive table should be without, such as at Christmas or Easter, red cabbage is at the top of the list. This savory, slightly sweet and colorful vegetable specialty has established itself over time as an indispensable ingredient in many dishes. The ingredients and spices look slightly different for each family, but the most important factor is the beautiful dark red cabbage.
Our recipe contains easy ingredients and simple spices, which are all you need to conjure up a very tasty red cabbage. The sugar caramelizes the red cabbage right at the beginning, making it the perfect accompaniment to the vinegar. We prefer to use white balsamic vinegar, but the recipe also works very well with apple cider vinegar.
Cooking red cabbage by tradition
Red cabbage is not just a vegetable, but also a symbol of tradition and coziness. Its rich aroma and bright color have been winning over generations. Many people like to associate festive occasions with traditional dishes out of habit, and red cabbage is one of them.
We have always had red cabbage on special winter holidays. I even suspect that red cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables or types of cabbage for children because it tastes slightly sweet. I think I’m also right that Brussels sprouts are absolutely unpopular with children and many adults.
Taste meets versatility
One of the main attractions of red cabbage is its unique taste, which offers a harmonious balance between sweet and spicy. The combination of light sweetness and subtle spicy notes makes red cabbage an extremely versatile side dish that combines well with a variety of dishes. Whether with roast meat, sausages, poultry or vegetarian dishes – red cabbage is always an easy accompaniment.
Health benefits and historical roots
Red cabbage was already being grown in Europe in the Middle Ages and was an important part of many people’s diets. Over the centuries, red cabbage became an integral part of German, Scandinavian and Eastern European cuisine and eventually found its way into kitchens all over the world with various red cabbage recipes.
In addition to its delicious taste, red cabbage also offers a wealth of health benefits. It is rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and antioxidants, which can help strengthen the immune system, fight inflammation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
As a cabbage, red cabbage is low in calories and a good source of important nutrients, making it a healthy and nutritious choice. Of course, it then depends on the preparation how many calories are added.
Popular red cabbage recipe as a side dish
In winter in particular, red cabbage can be found in our supermarkets alongside white cabbage and many other types of cabbage. At the latest when you’re longing for spring and you’ve already cooked all the winter dishes several times, you come up with the idea of cooking a red cabbage recipe yourself.
We can hardly wait when it gets cold outside to cook and enjoy the first red cabbage with our delicious red cabbage recipe. There are easy dishes and meals that are better enjoyed in the cold winter months, such as our classic chicken soup.
Cooking red cabbage and a traditional red cabbage recipe is more than just a side dish – it’s a culinary experience that appeals to the senses and brings back memories. Its unmistakable taste, festive presence and health benefits make it a timeless favorite on the plate.
Whether for festive occasions or in everyday life – red cabbage from our red cabbage recipe not only brings color to the table, but also joy to the hearts of those who enjoy it. Do you like red cabbage or would you prefer Brussels sprouts?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is homemade really better than the jarred red cabbage?
Considerably, and it is not much work. Jarred Rotkohl tends to be very sweet and one-dimensional. Making it yourself lets you control the balance of vinegar to sugar, and gives you the aroma of bay, clove and juniper that jarred versions lack. The active work is about 15 minutes; the rest is slow simmering that needs no attention.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes — and you should. Rotkohl is better on day two or three, once the acidity, sweetness and spices have had time to settle into each other. Keep it refrigerated for up to five days and simply reheat gently on the stove. It also freezes well for up to three months, which is why many German households make a big batch each fall.
What do you serve with red cabbage?
Classically roast goose, duck, pork roast or Sauerbraten, almost always alongside potato dumplings or Spätzle to catch the juices. It works just as well with an American roast chicken, pork loin or holiday turkey, and it is a natural fit next to sausages at an Oktoberfest spread.
Round out the meal: German Pretzel Rolls and German Rye Bread (Vollkornbrot).
I have been baking and cooking for my family and community for years — honest recipes, all tested in my own kitchen and explained step by step so they turn out reliably for you too.
It’s honestly kind of funny to get a craving for red cabbage in the middle of summer… you somehow got me in the mood, and I have to tell you it tasted amazing, right in that sweet spot between a little sweet and a little tangy! I always find the apple versions kind of odd, so your recipe really hit the spot for me. I think I just used too many bay leaves. Super delicious red cabbage!
2
MMyGermanBakeryTeam2 years ago
Dear Jenny,
I know exactly what you mean — in the summer you’re craving cookies and red cabbage, and in the winter it’s sorbet or a fresh salad. I’m not a fan of the apple versions either and prefer the traditional red cabbage, the kind you grew up with at your parents’ and grandparents’ house. I’ve gotten cautious with bay leaves too — depending on the brand, some are really intense. So better to use a few leaves less and work your way up.
Best,
Vanessa
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Comments 2
It’s honestly kind of funny to get a craving for red cabbage in the middle of summer… you somehow got me in the mood, and I have to tell you it tasted amazing, right in that sweet spot between a little sweet and a little tangy! I always find the apple versions kind of odd, so your recipe really hit the spot for me. I think I just used too many bay leaves. Super delicious red cabbage!
Dear Jenny,
I know exactly what you mean — in the summer you’re craving cookies and red cabbage, and in the winter it’s sorbet or a fresh salad. I’m not a fan of the apple versions either and prefer the traditional red cabbage, the kind you grew up with at your parents’ and grandparents’ house. I’ve gotten cautious with bay leaves too — depending on the brand, some are really intense. So better to use a few leaves less and work your way up.
Best,
Vanessa