This Sauteed Cabbage Recipe is flavorful and tasty. It takes less than 20 minutes to make and requires only 7 simple ingredients.

I've been eating this sautéed cabbage for years. Not only it is loaded down with flavors and taste but I LOVE how simple and easy it is to cook as well. This dish can absolutely be the main dish as well as a side dish for easy accompaniment to your meals.
Cabbage is really versatile when it comes to adding ingredients. It's literally the perfect vegetable to sauté and have it taste like so many different things. This sautéed cabbage recipe has a bit of sweetness due to the added onions and carrot but you can very easily change it by adding in a bit of chili pepper or other hot spices to it as well.
Video Tutorial for this Cabbage Recipe
Main Ingredients
- Cabbage. You'll need a medium-small head of cabbage.
- Onion. For extra flavor and sweetness.
- Carrots. For that beautiful color.
- Oil. I like using olive oil or grapeseed oil.
- Tomato Paste. Favor enhancer.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Because this dish craves some acidity. Really, it makes a BIG difference.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
How to make this Sautéed Cabbage
1. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for a minute or until just starting to soften and then add the carrots, and cook for a few more minutes.
2. Now, add the cabbage and cook for about 15 minutes, or until it softened enough to your liking.
3. Add in the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything well and turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill. Serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
It's hard to overcook cabbage. It's possible to do so, don't get me wrong. But overall, cabbage is a very forgiving vegetable. For this recipe, it takes at least 15 minutes of cooking it to get it to soften up in texture, but you could go a bit longer than that if you wanted to and not have any issues.
You can also cook it for less time than that if you're wanting your dish to have a bit more of a crunch. Since cabbage is good to eat raw, there are really no issues in undercooking it either.
Slice the cabbage thin. One thing that I would recommend is to slice the cabbage thin so that it does cook up evenly. It's also easier to eat since you won't be trying to put big chunks of cabbage in your mouth.
Don't leave out the apple cider vinegar. If you're questioning adding in this ingredient, don't. It's really does add such an awesome flavor burst to the taste. The way that it mixes with the tomato paste really adds depth.
How To Store and Reheat
The other really great aspect of this simple recipe is that it stores and reheats well. And it's even easier to store and reheat.
Storage is simple in the fact that you just have to add it to a storage container with a lid and keep it in the fridge. Then, once you're ready to reheat, you have a couple of different options that you can easily do.
The first option is that you can reheat it low and slow on the stovetop. This is a simple way that will take about 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot your burner is. You will need to pay attention and stir it so that it doesn't burn and helps to have the heat distributed throughout.
The second option is to use your microwave and heat it for about 1-2 minutes. Either of these methods is perfectly fine for reheating and eating.
Fun Toppings To Add To This Cabbage Recipe
Toppings are a great way to change the flavor of this dish easily. You can always top it with one topping the first time you cook it and then top it with a different topping when you reheat it for leftovers.
Some simple toppings ideas could be:
- Cilantro
- Sesame Seeds
- Chives
- Fresh Jalapenos
- Onions
And the list could go on and on. As you can see, there is never a shortage of toppings that you can easily add to this dish. Toppings give you so many great varieties on how you can easily make this recipe taste new and delicious every single time you make it.
If you're looking for a super simple lunch or dinner recipe that is fast and simple to make, you can't go wrong with this Sautéed Cabbage. It's not only a hearty meal, but it's also one that is loaded down with amazing texture and taste. You might as well make a double batch of this recipe because you're going to find yourself filling your bowl over and over again!
More Delicious Cabbage Recipes To Try:
- Napa Cabbage Steaks
- Cabbage Soup
- Easy Sautéed Napa Cabbage
- Roasted Cabbage Steaks
- Cabbage Pancake
- Garlic Roasted Cabbage
- Cabbage Salad with Corn
Simple Sautéed Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 small cabbage, thinly sliced (about 2 lbs.)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 small carrots, shredded
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ¾ tsp. salt or to taste
- ½ tsp. pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for a minute or until just starting to soften and then add the carrots, and cook for a few more minutes.
- Now, add the cabbage and cook for about 15 minutes, or until it softened enough to your liking.
- Add in the tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything well and turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill. Serve.
Theresa says
Tried this tonight and will definitely be making again! Beautiful dish and delicious!
Tania Sheff says
Thanks, Theresa!
Lou says
I added a can of green chilies… I should of included some shrimp, next time! 🙂
Tania Sheff says
Hi Lou! Sounds great! Thanks for stopping by!