Hearty red cabbage is braised with red wine vinegar, sugar, and onions just until tender. The resulting sweet and sour cabbage is the perfect side for roast chicken, sausages, pork chops, and your favorite German dishes.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Brings the Zing
This is my grandma Freida’s take on the classic German Rotkohl (literally “red cabbage”). You’ll find variations of this recipe throughout Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, but we like to keep things simple with minimal spices and just 8 basic ingredients.
Slow cooking earthy red cabbage in a tangy mixture of red wine vinegar and sugar transforms it into a sweet and sour side dish that’s perfect with grilled or roasted proteins like bratwurst, chicken, salmon, and steak. And her breaded schnitzel, of course.
Braised red cabbage can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature, and its hearty texture means it keeps well in the fridge for days. (Plus, who doesn’t love bright purple food?)
Enjoy! Heidi
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- Slice the cabbage thickly (approx. ⅜ inch thick). If sliced thinly, like you do when making coleslaw, the cabbage will fall apart while braising.
- Use the full amount of sugar listed in the recipe card. It’s just ⅓ cup for a whole head of red cabbage, and you need a good amount of sweetness to balance out the pucker-inducing vinegar.
- You’ll know the red cabbage is done when it’s tender yet still has some texture to it. If it’s turned to mush, you’ve cooked it for too long.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Red cabbage — You’ll need a medium-sized head of cabbage, or about 2 pounds.
- Butter — Creates a richer-tasting, sweet and sour flavor.
- Onion — Dice a yellow onion for this recipe. It will soften and disappear during the braising process.
- Red wine vinegar — Adds the fruity tang that’s essential for creating the sweet and sour flavor.
- Sugar — I prefer using granulated sugar for its neutral sweetness.
- Kosher salt — If using regular table salt, dial back the amount since it tastes saltier than kosher salt.
- Bay leaf — Some recipes call for juniper berries or whole cloves, but I find that a single bay leaf nicely flavors the batch of cabbage without overwhelming it.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Cabbage
- Cook the onion. You want the onion to soften, but not brown. Keep the heat set to medium-high and stir the onion only occasionally so it can cook undisturbed.
- Add the cabbage. You can toss the core, which is too tough and fibrous to be eaten. Slice the rest of the cabbage into thicker pieces so they maintain their shape once braised.
Heidi’s Tip: For even more sweetness and texture, dice two apples (any variety) and add to the pot along with the shredded cabbage.
- Create the sweet and sour flavor. Add the vinegar, sugar, spices, and some water.
- Cover and cook low and slow. In about 45 minutes, you’ll have a delicious batch of German rotkohl!
What to Serve With Braised Red Cabbage
- German Dishes — Grandma’s Schnitzel, Warm German Potato Salad, and Beer Bratwurst in Onions
- Proteins — Roasted Whole Chicken, Pork Chops with Apples, and Braised Short Ribs
- Sides — Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Carrots, and Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Sweet and Sour Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds red cabbage, 1 medium-size head
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage. Cut a 2-pound head of cabbage in half, remove the core, slice into ⅜-inch ribbons to make 8 cups, then set aside.
- Start the sauté. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add 1 medium diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened but not browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cabbage, then add 1 cup red wine vinegar, 1 cup water, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Cover and cook. Cover with a lid and cook for 45-50 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and flavorful. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
FAQs
If you don’t have red wine vinegar on hand, use another fruity tasting vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar. I suppose you could also use white vinegar, but it won’t deliver quite the same sweet and tangy flavor.
It’s traditionally served warm, but many people also enjoy it at room temperature.
Nope, green cabbage doesn’t have the right texture or flavor profile for this dish.
Storage Tips
Sweet and sour cabbage will last up to 1 week in the fridge and can be reheated in a saucepan or in the microwave. This dish doesn’t freeze well, though.
More Cabbage Side Dishes
- Korean Slaw
- Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage)
- No Mayo Coleslaw
- Apple Blue Cheese Celery Slaw
- Asian Slaw
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