Cabbage and Ham Recipe

Cabbage and ham in slow cooker is a great with your leftovers or diced fresh year round. Simple cooked low and slow or a ton of flavor. If you’re looking for the best leftover ham recipe ever this is it!

Paired with your favorite vegetable this cabbage and ham dish comes out great every time. We will share how to make this as an easy Crockpot recipe but you could stew in a pot just the same. Check it out. (affiliate links present)

Crock pot Cabbage and Ham Recipe

This is our favorite method because you can just throw it in and enjoy a few hours later. Of course plain slow cooker cabbage is quite good, and a great side dish. BUT if you add protein into the mix you can serve it as your main dish if you’d like.

It’s quite flexible too because you could use precooked bacon chopped up sometime as well. We do this often with our Instant Pot fried cabbage and OMG it is amazing. I could eat it as my whole meal and yes my kids think I’m crazy but that is okay.

Ingredients

• 1 small head of cabbage cubed into large bite size squares
• Chicken broth or stock works too
• Butter or for dairy free use a plant based vegan alternative
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp celery seeds we like to add for flavor
• Garlic powder too for added yum
• 1 bay leaf is optional but a nice touch
• Diced ham pieces, leftovers or cut up ham steaks

For this one we almost always use leftovers right out of the bag and chopped up into small pieces. 3 cups precooked ham is about enough but give or take a bit from there. I have used shredded beef in cabbage stew as well which works great.

I share a link below in the printable recipe card below on how to cut cabbage. For this one in particular there are several options, you just want to make sure they are small enough to eat with a fork. I typically cut into large bite size squares about 2×2″ knowing they will shrink down. You could shred in wide pieces too.

Variations

Diced bacon can be added in there and/or brown some ground sausage and add that too for a meat lovers paradise. Very versatile like I said before which I love.

Another great time to make this is on or around St. Patricks Day instead of our slow cooker corned beef brisket. Or just make both. If you can’t find a great flat cut though this is our other dish to make. Feeds a big crowd super cheap. I mean think about it with the veggie and one of those cooked hams you’re looking at under 20 bucks!

How to Cook Ham and Cabbage in Slow Cooker

• Cube cabbage into large bite size pieces.
• Chop precooked ham.
• Put into slow cooker.
• Top with broth and seasonings.
• Slice butter into pats and add to the top of everything.
• Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or until leaves are as tender as you’d like. Gently fold together and serve.

Cooked low and slow this only takes 5 hours. Leaving it in longer won’t necessarily hurt anything but it may not become the texture you want. Of course you want the leaves to get tender and wilty but not mushy. There is a fine line between the two when many any of our simple cabbage recipes.

with Potatoes

There is a third item you could add to make it even heartier, add potatoes! For this one follow our Crockpot cabbage and sausage with potatoes instructions. That is fabulous too and you can swap out with whatever meat you have on hand. Heck, even if you have leftover pork chops, throw that in. You know how I hate wasting food.

on the stove option

You can use the same ingredients and just simmer on the stove in a skillet or Dutch Oven on medium heat. Cover with a lid and keep an eye on it. Take off the heat once the leaves are as tender as you like. Then serve it up!

in pressure cooker option

One way you can prolong it a bit is to cut the pieces a bit larger. The cabbage head I mean, the meat won’t matter as it is much firmer. If you are apprehensive about the timing you could use our Instant Pot buttered cabbage recipe and add diced ham into the mix right when you got home instead.

in air fryer

To keep it firmer, but still melding the flavors together use our air fryer cabbage timing. Chop instead of slice it, add the meat, toss with melted butter or olive oil and air fry instead. That takes closer to 20 minutes to get done.

What to do with leftovers

And when you’re done how do you save leftovers? Well to be quite honest I don’t think it saves well. I know, you’re surprised because I hate wasting but it is true. The leaves will unfortunately continue to wilt in the fridge and there isn’t a way to liven them up. If you aren’t opposed to the change in texture just reheat in the microwave for 1 minute. It’s a no go for me.

Snowing outside and want something warm to go down your throat? Try our slow cooker cabbage soup here for another family meal idea. If you find this baby on sale buy a few heads because there are oodles of possibilities to make with it. It’s not just a side dish y’all.