Killer swamp cabbage recipe!! Cooked on the stove, in Instant Pot or in a dutch oven with bacon, this can be a side dish or made with kielbasa for dinner. As popular as our stewed cabbage you can make this with bacon or with hearts of palm in it like we did here!
This could be made as a stew with bits of meat too. Either way it is PACKED with bold flavors and a bit of heat. Want it super spicy, no problem. Never heard of it? Well you’re in for a treat when you take one bite of our creation here. We love simple cabbage recipes and so should you.
What is Swamp Cabbage?
Technically this refers to the heart of the Sabal palm tree (also called cabbage palm or palmetto), which is the state tree of Florida. It’s also known as hearts of palm when processed and sold in cans. In this case we are using this ingredient and combining it with others to make a dish we all love!
This is a little bit like our Mountain Dew stew….that has a funny name too. Sometimes I hear a hmmmm term and it just makes my imagination go wild. This one was not only kid approved, but picky husband approved too!!
First start with our post on how to cut cabbage into cubes. Then read on to the ingredients you’ll need for this. If you clicked on here just because you love this cheap green vegetable and want to know what the heck this is, welcome! 😉 I heard about this food typically found in Turks and Caicos and the South and thought I’d make my own variation.
It is a bit delicate so it is best to add your diced pieces at the very end before putting the lid on and letting it sit for a few minutes. Ok let’s move on to all the other ingredients that are the core of this dish.
We certainly do that here + make it just a tad spicy. I don’t like a lot, but just enough takes it from good to fabulous. You can definitely add more than I suggest below but I would say this is between mild and medium.
Ingredient Notes
You will want to pick up one head of cabbage, cubed or shredded if you want it to get really soft is the size you want to start with. Green is better than red, or use half green and half Napa cabbage if you like.
I diced up 1/2 package of bacon, if you wanted a vegetarian version just omit this. I like regular (not thick) slices that are uncured because that variety has by far the deepest flavors.
As far as add ins I like to use yellow or white onion diced up with some minced garlic too.
For the rich creaminess you want some salted butter. I love love love Kerrigold and sometimes will use half of their garlic seasoned stick too if I can find it. If you need to use a plant based dairy free version that is a-ok as well. 😉
Beef broth was handy so that was used, vegetable could be used as well. Water is a no go for me because yes it needs liquid but that offers zero flavor so why???
I used a small can of tomato sauce because I thought that it brought some depth to the dish. You could swap this out with red enchilada sauce or last but not least crushed tomatoes would work but not as good.
And then if you want to make it “authentic” add your diced or slices of hearts of palm. Buy an extra can because they are so good you are just going to want to snack on a few right then and there.
I made this as a dutch oven recipe on the stovetop, because I love that thing. You’ll want a lid so keep that in mind when choosing a pot. We use the same cooking method to make buttered cabbage too.
Cooking Tips
Remember that you will need a decent sized pot because the leaves take up a lot of space, you’ll only get a pot 1/2 full though when done. If you wanted to make this more of a stew instead of a thicker side dish I would fill a 2 c. measuring cup 1/2 full with water or broth and add that with your sauce.
Once you have your bacon and onions cooked and softened you basically just add everything else in. Gently fold together and cook a few minutes, then add the lid. This will help your leaves to soften. Tomato products typically taste more intense with a bit more time so I let it sit without any heat, with the lid on for 5 minutes longer.
OH MY seriously it was even better an hour later when I had more. Remember this, don’t rush it y’all. You can certainly of course enjoy it after cooking it down to the texture you want, but letting it sit while the rest of your meal is cooking will only make it better.
Then enjoy, or let it sit longer (up to 30 minutes without leaves getting too wilted) and then enjoy with your Dutch Oven corned beef and cabbage, brats, or whatever!
Swamp Cabbage Recipe
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
- 1 knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 1/2 pack bacon, diced
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 head cabbage, cubed
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup hearts of palm, diced, optional
Instructions
- Add butter into large pot or dutch oven on stovetop at medium high heat. When melted add diced bacon and onion.
- Saute until bacon is cooked and onions are softened. Then add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Remove end of cabbage, slice in half, then into 1×1" cubes. Add into pot and stir contents together. (add hearts of palm now if you want to add that)
- Pour in broth and tomato sauce and stir. Then sprinkle in all your seasonings. Stir together. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes until leaves soften some. Then cover and let it sit inside for at least 5 minutes.
- Serve!!
Video
Notes
Pressure Cooker Directions
Use saute function for the first 2 steps. Add all other ingredients. Close lid and steam valve. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with a quick release. Lift lid, stir, leave lid ajar for at least 5 minutes to marinate and then serve.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Instant Pot Method
Add sliced kielbasa in with your bacon too if you’re making this as a full on meal. That will add even more flavor since you are going to dilute it a bit with water or more broth. Use saute function for the first 2 steps. Add all other ingredients. Close lid and steam valve. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes with a quick release. Lift lid, stir, leave lid ajar for at least 5 minutes to marinate and then serve.
Other cabbage recipes we love
We use this same method to make Southern fried cabbage or our Jamaican cabbage recipe has a kick of heat which is always a hit too. For a cooler, more summertime dish try quick pickled cabbage alongside your burgers this year! We love baked cabbage steaks and our Instant Pot fried cabbage is a favorite dish too.
FAQ
Yes, in fact it is just called something different in different areas of the country. If you went into a five star restaurant they would refer to it as the latter term, and as a delicacy. In Southern US states, Cuba and the Bahamas it sounds a bit more fun. 😉
It does have a similar flavor than the crispy veggie but more of a nutty flavor. Long cylinder shapes that are removed from the very center of the leaves it is rather labor intensive to get them thus the higher price.
You don’t have to harvest it yourself, you can buy cans of them and just slice them up. Usually the juices in the can are drained off, sometimes they come in whole pieces or cut. It is a bit pricey, but tastes great, so either way this recipe is a winner for or with dinner.
Can I freeze after cooking?
personally I don’t think cabbage freezes and defrosts well because it becomes mushy