The humble cabbage is transformed into a beautiful buttery, tender side dish. Fry until just a little golden around the edges for a tasty, sweet & savoury flavour.
Nicky’s Notes
Cabbage may feel suddenly trendy, but it has always been a reliable, versatile vegetable in my kitchen. It works well raw in salads, shredded into slaws, steamed, or mixed into rustic dishes like bubble & squeak. One of my favourite preparations is simply sautéed with butter and garlic — quick, comforting, and full of flavour.
Why this recipe works so well:
- It’s straightforward — most of the cooking time is hands-off while the cabbage softens and caramelizes.
- It’s very economical and easily feeds a family of six when served as a side.
- Cabbage keeps well in the fridge, making this a great way to use up part of a cabbage that’s been in the vegetable drawer.
- It pairs with many main dishes — roast dinners, mashed potato and sausages, pork chops, casseroles, and even simple pan-fried fish.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Sautéed Cabbage
- Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- Leftovers Guide
- Sautéed Cabbage Recipe
- 🍲 More fantastic side dishes
📋 Ingredients for Sautéed Cabbage
Full recipe with detailed quantities in the recipe card below
What’s the best cabbage for sautéed cabbage?
You can use white (green) cabbage, sweetheart cabbage or savoy. White cabbage is firmer and slightly sweeter, sweetheart cooks quickly and becomes soft, and savoy has crinkly leaves that soak up butter and seasonings beautifully. My preference is savoy for its texture and flavour, but any of these will make a tasty side.
Abbreviated Recipe
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card below
Slice and core the cabbage, then fry onion in oil and butter until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cabbage, seasoning and water, cover and steam-fry for 5 minutes, then uncover and fry for 7–10 minutes until tender and golden at the edges.
Recipe Tips
- Slice the cabbage evenly. Keep the shreds similar in thickness so they cook at the same rate and finish uniformly.
- Use a large pan. Give the cabbage room to cook. Crowding the pan traps steam and prevents the edges from caramelizing; a roomy pan helps develop those light golden edges and concentrated sweetness.
Leftovers Guide
- Cool leftover sautéed cabbage quickly and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1–2 days. Freezing is not recommended — thawed cabbage tends to become watery and lose texture.
- Reheat on the stove in a frying pan over medium heat with a small knob of butter or a splash of water to loosen it up; pan-frying will refresh some of the texture better than microwaving.
- Ways to use leftovers:
- Fry with mashed potato for a quick bubble & squeak.
- Add crispy bacon or pancetta for extra richness.
- Stir into noodles, omelettes, fried rice or hearty soups for added bulk and flavour.
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Sautéed Cabbage Recipe
10 minutes
20 minutes
30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 head of green cabbage (about 1kg or 2.2lbs) – I like savoy cabbage, but sweetheart or white cabbage also work
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 onion peeled and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 tbsp water
Instructions
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Slice the cabbage in half, remove the hard core, and slice the cabbage into thin strips.
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Heat the oil and butter in a large pan over medium heat until the butter has melted and starts to foam.
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Add the diced onion and fry, stirring often for 3–4 minutes, until softened and translucent.
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Add the minced garlic and fry for a further minute, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
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Add the shredded cabbage, salt and pepper. Stir to combine, then pour over the water to help the cabbage begin to soften.
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Place a lid on the pan and let the cabbage steam-fry for 5 minutes so it wilts and softens.
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Remove the lid and continue to fry for a further 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and the edges are lightly golden. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve immediately.
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Optional: For deeper caramelization, increase the heat to medium-high and fry for an additional 3–5 minutes, watching carefully and stirring to prevent burning.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
🍲 More fantastic side dishes
Sides
Crispy Potato Wedges
Sides
Honey Roasted Carrots
Sides
Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan
Sides
Roasted Broccoli With Garlic
Sides
Steamed Vegetable Medley
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Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
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