Dutch Oven Sauteed Red Cabbage

Sauteed red cabbage on stove is so easy to do in a Dutch Oven! Buttered and a wonderful vegetable side dish, this simple cabbage recipe goes with anything for dinner.

Buttered Purple Cabbage

Chopped up and thrown in it is one of many easy Dutch Oven recipes here on our site you’ll love. If you don’t have one of these babies it is a game changer. The cast iron traps the heat, you can use it on a stovetop, oven or over a campfire. I mean mine is too pretty to get coal dust on it but you know what I mean. 😉

If you have only used a head of this to make cold dishes like red cabbage cole slaw you’re in for a treat. I mean it is great that way too loaded on slider buns with some pulled pork on there too but just wait. I have to be honest and say this was my first go around for this one, and it worked so well I had to share it.

That isn’t always the case when I make something new, sometimes I have to test it out several times but not this one. I had such great luck with my buttery baked cabbage steaks that I just used those as the main ingredients. Many times simple is the best bet of all right?

Ingredients

• 1 medium red cabbage sliced
• 1/2 c butter salted
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• Chicken broth is better than water
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

As far as how to cut cabbage for this one I like to just slice it in half and then in slices from there. You can see what I mean by that here. Of course you will want to slice the end off to remove the hard stem that isn’t edible first. The thinner the pieces the softer it will get. I like it wilted but a little “bite” to it still so it isn’t mushy.

Why add vinegar to red cabbage?

Vinegar, being acidic, helps maintain the bright purple or red color of the cabbage, preventing it from turning a dull blue or gray during cooking. It also adds a tangy, sharp flavor that complements the natural sweetness.

Is sauteed red cabbage good for you?

Of course. Whether you saute or make roasted red cabbage steaks there is a lot of nutrition in every bite. Basically the darker the produce color the more vitamins are in it. Therefore, this type is better for you than the lighter green counterpart, but both nutritious nontheless.

I also love keeping pieces together like a steak and baking, those are fabulous as well. In this case you need the strands broken apart in pieces so it can soften easier. There seriously are so many possibilities when it comes to this inexpensive vegetable. Whether your head is green or purple it really doesn’t matter.

Yes the flavor is slightly different but I typically use the same ingredients; salted butter, salt and pepper. From there you can add others that are your favorites like garlic salt and/or Old Bay too. Sauteed, grilled, air fried cabbage, raw in a salad or baked you could literally make it different every night of the week.

I do love using a Dutch Oven for this one because essentially it’s being steamed until tender to your liking. If you don’t have one of these you can use a larger pot with a lid that fits snug.

Like I said, you could do this same thing with green cabbage. We in fact did with our Dutch Oven cabbage here that is buttered to perfection and hard to stop eating. 😉 Both have great health benefits but slightly different flavors so just rotate between the two depending on the price at that time.

How to Saute Red Cabbage in Dutch Oven

• Allow butter to melt with garlic in dutch oven on stovetop over medium heat.
• Remove and discard outer leaves and stem of cabbage.
• Cut in half and then slice into 1/2″ slices.
• When butter is melted add the cabbage into pot breaking up pieces.
• Stir to fold together and allow to simmer this way for 10 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • could add small sliced onions if you wanted to now
  • some prefer half bacon fat and half broth
• Put lid on and reduce heat to low.
• Cook cabbage this way for 20 minutes stirring twice in this time.
• Lift lid and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until leaves as as tender as you’d like them to be.
• Turn heat off, fold in vinegar and taste. Add more salt and pepper to taste until just right. Serve.

How Long to Steam Red Cabbage

Now there is a pretty big range as far as this goes depending on your preferences. If you want there to be a bit of a “bite” to it still, you’d saute for less time. I would say the range is from 10-20 minutes depending on how soft you want it to be, and the thickness of the slices too.