Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
Thinly sliced red cabbage slowly braised with sweet-tart apples, red wine vinegar, and warming spices until silky and deeply flavored — a classic German side dish equally at home alongside roast pork or holiday feasts.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, diced
- 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar (packed)
- 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
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1
Heat the 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the 1 thinly sliced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.
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2
Add the 2 lbs thinly sliced red cabbage and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it begins to wilt.
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3
Stir in the 2 peeled, cored, diced Granny Smith apples, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp brown sugar (packed), 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 2 bay leaves. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
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4
Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is very tender and the liquid has reduced to a light glaze.
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5
Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more vinegar for tang or sugar for sweetness. Serve warm or at room temperature.