Looking for a tasty and simple side dish for the cold days? This German red cabbage with apple and crispy bacon is exactly what you need! The combination of sweet apples, fresh red cabbage, and salty bacon is delicious.
This side dish complements potatoes and meat and is a perfect side dish to a festive dinner. Its versatility and ease of preparation make it one of my winter favorites.
Easy German Red Cabbage Recipe with Bacon
I used to love red cabbage, especially when it was cold. A plate full of red cabbage mixed with potatoes still makes me happy.
On my blog, you can also find recipes for old-fashioned red cabbage with apples and slow cooker red cabbage. But this variant, with crispy bacon, is my new favorite!
One of this recipe's best points is its simplicity. The sweet taste of the cabbage combined with the salty bacon is delicious. It pairs perfectly with meatballs, stew, or pork tenderloin. And the best part? It's easy to make.
What do you need?
- Red cabbage: Buy it already chopped; that will save time.
- Apple cider vinegar: Gives a nice sweet and sour taste. Don't have this? Then, use white or wine vinegar.
Preparation
- Sauté the red onion in the butter until it is translucent.
- Add apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the red cabbage and apple cubes. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil. Then, turn the heat down and let the cabbage simmer for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon until crispy. Mix two tablespoons of bacon fat through the red cabbage for extra flavor. Spoon the red cabbage into a bowl and sprinkle the crispy bacon over it.
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 4⅓ cups red cabbage, thinly shredded
- 2 apples, peeled and diced
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice ground, ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 oz. bacon bits
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the red onion and fry for 3–4 minutes until translucent and soft.2 tablespoons butter, 1 red onion
- Add the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar to the pan. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.½ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup dark brown sugar
- Add the red cabbage and apple cubes to the pan. Sprinkle the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper over the cabbage. Stir everything well.4⅓ cups red cabbage, 2 apples, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon allspice ground, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down. Cover the pan with a lid and let the red cabbage simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to ensure that the cabbage is not getting too dry. Add a little water if necessary.
- Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a frying pan until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and let it drain on kitchen paper. Save two tablespoons of the bacon fat and add it to the red cabbage for extra flavor. You can throw away the rest of the fat.4 oz. bacon bits
- Serving: Spoon the red cabbage into a nice bowl and sprinkle the crispy fried bacon over it.
Notes
- Refrigerator: Store the cooled red cabbage in a sealed container. Keeps for 2–3 days.
- Freezer: In a freezer bag or box, the red cabbage will keep for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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