Get your greens the yummy Southern way with my fried cabbage and bacon recipe! Perfectly cooked cabbage and sizzled bacon make a veggie side your family will love. My fried cabbage and bacon recipe is buttery, tender, savory, and salty!
Fried Cabbage and Bacon Recipe
It’s the easiest and yummiest way to eat your greens! This recipe is a snap to put together so it’s one I reach for often. It makes a great light supper or a delicious side dish that goes with almost every dinner. Most importantly, it’s a veggie even my kid’s happily chowed down.
Let’s face it: the southern side dishes are the best! Whether it’s KFC coleslaw, scalloped potatoes, fluffy mashed potatoes, or grandma’s green bean casserole, people flip for southern specialties. And why shouldn’t they? We know we’re getting home-cooked flavor — and BACON!
This fried cabbage and bacon recipe brings that southern charm — plus the ease of cooking in thirty minutes!
Let’s make some cabbage!
Fried Cabbage and Bacon Video Tutorial
On your phone? Check the web story here.
Step By Step How To Make Southern Fried Cabbage and Bacon
- Chop cabbage.
- Chop bacon. Cook the bacon until crisp, Using a slotted spoon, remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Saute onion in bacon dripping, until onion is soft, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add cabbage and toss with onion mixture. Continue to cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, cajun seasoning, and sugar, and continue to cook until cabbage is tender. Stir the bacon back into the cabbage until combined. Serve.
What Is Fried Cabbage And Bacon
This is an iconic Southern side dish that is truly, one of the most delicious ways to eat your veggies. Even you kids will love cabbage served this way! Fried cabbage without bacon is more commonly an Irish side dish.
Ingredient Notes
- Cabbage: Not all cabbages are created equal! Make sure, for this recipe, that you get green cabbage, not red. Red is more akin to making sauerkraut and doesn’t fry up as nicely as green.
- Cajun Seasoning: What, exactly, is Cajun seasoning? It’s the seasoning that’ll make this fried cabbage with bacon and onions even more delightfully southern! There are lots of Cajun seasoning brands out there, here’s the one I use.
Tips + Tricks:
How Do You Core a Cabbage?
While the core of cabbage is perfectly edible, it’s rather tough and, in my opinion, unappealing to eat.
For this recipe, I start by coring the cabbage. To do so I peel away any tough or damaged leaves and discard them. Cut the cabbage into quarters through the core. Starting at the top of where the core meets the leaves, cut, at an angle, and remove the core.
How Do You Cut Cabbage For Frying?
I like to cut the cabbage for frying and for sauteed cabbage into large, roughly square pieces, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.
To do so, follow the steps above and quarter and core the cabbage. Lay one of the quarters on one of its flat sides. Cut the cabbage into one-inch slices down the length of the quarter, like slices of bread.
Lay slices flat and cut the opposite way to create square pieces. Repeat with remaining quarters.
 Reheat + Storing + Freezing Tips
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This is best stored, sealed, in the fridge for up to five days. The best way I’ve found to reheat is to either microwave it or re-fry it on the stove to reawaken the bacon and cabbage!
- Can You Freeze This? I like this southern fried cabbage with bacon best the day it is made. The texture really doesn’t stand up well to freezing.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Since this recipe whips together so quickly, there really is no way to speed along the process! You can always make it fully and store it until you need it, but I think it tastes best freshly made.
What To Serve With Fried Cabbage and Bacon
I love a good, hearty protein main dish! Try it with my smothered chicken,  Instant Pot pork chops, or my honey glazed salmon — both bring a scrumptious twist of sweetness that perfectly balances the savory cabbage!
Variations, Substitutes, + Additions
- Add noodles. Mix in some pasta for the cabbage and noodle dish, similar to my haluski!
- Add sausage: Go for double the meats in fried cabbage with bacon and sausage. I like adding sliced polska kielbasa.
Is Fried Cabbage And Bacon Keto?
Great news! Yes, this recipe is low carb and keto-friendly if you omit 1/8 of a teaspoon of granulated sugar.
More Veggie Side Dishes
- Roasted Broccoli
- Broccoli Salad
- Cauliflower Salad
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Southern Collard Greens Recipe
Fried Cabbage And Bacon
Ingredients
- 2 pounds head green cabbage
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Chop cabbage (2Â pounds).
- Chop bacon (8Â slices).
- In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat, until crisp, Using a slotted spoon, remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Saute onion (1Â cup) in bacon dripping, on medium-low heat, until onion is soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add cabbage and toss with onion mixture. Continue to cook, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth (1/3Â cup), salt (1Â teaspoon), pepper (1/4Â teaspoon), cajun seasoning (1/2Â teaspoon), and sugar (1/8Â teaspoon), and continue to cook until cabbage is tender. Stir the bacon back into the cabbage until combined. Serve
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Cabbage: Not all cabbages are created equal! Make sure, for this recipe, that you get green cabbage, not red. Red is more akin to making sauerkraut and doesn’t fry up as nicely as green.
- Cajun Seasoning: What, exactly, is Cajun seasoning? It’s the seasoning that’ll make this fried cabbage with bacon and onions even more delightfully southern! There are lots of Cajun seasoning brands out there, here’s the one I use.
It’s soooo easy!
Right? Thanks for your feedback, Elle 🙂
the ingredients list doesn’t include garlic…..why is it mentioned in the cooking steps ???, I’m confused !!!!
Hi, D. Thanks for noticing. It’s now correct. Enjoy!
I love it, it’s so simple!
Thanks, Maria!