Braised Red Cabbage: A Classic Christmas Side Dish
Braised red cabbage is a classic accompaniment to a good Christmas or other roast dinner. This recipe is lightly spiced with juniper berries and bay leaves. It’s both slightly sweet and slightly tart with a great texture.
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No Christmas dinner is complete for me without a dish of steaming braised red cabbage. Slow cook it with an apple and some spices and you transform the humble red cabbage into a dish fit for a king.
Bach is famous for his Goldberg Variations. My braised red cabbage may not be a work of genius, but like Meister Bach’s work, it’s slightly different each time I make it. I vary the spices and other additions as I see fit. The result is always delicious and it’s one of my favourite winter vegetable side dishes.
The recipe I’ve given here includes the classic accompaniment juniper berries, but also bay leaves and black pepper, all available as Schwartz spices.
Schwartz Spices
For those who didn’t know, I include myself in that number, Schwartz is not a German company; it was founded in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1889 by William Schwartz. At that time it was near impossible to buy pure spices, they were frequently adulterated with all sorts of other materials.
William was not happy with this state of affairs and spent his time peddling his pure spices whilst pedalling his bicycle around Nova Scotia.
Braised Red Cabbage
To keep the purple braised red cabbage theme going, I’ve used red onions instead of normal ones in this recipe. I also substituted my homemade blackcurrant vinegar for the apple cider vinegar I normally add. I’m aware that’s a pretty specialised ingredient, so I’ve stated apple cider vinegar in the recipe.
To fry the onions, I’ve gone with coconut oil as I like to get healthy ingredients in where I can. But please use rapeseed or sunflower oil if you prefer. The apple was one from my mother’s garden, which along with the red cabbage grown in Cornwall gives this dish a distinctive Cornish identity.
Talking of healthy ingredients, red cabbage is highly regarded for its beneficial properties. It’s a phytonutrient treasure trove with masses of vitamins, flavanoids and sulphur compounds. Who needs pills when you can eat this stuff.
CT got home from work and collapsed in a chair. He perked up no end, however, when he heard braised red cabbage was on the menu. It would have been a perfect accompaniment to the lentil and Brazil nut roast I made at the weekend. Or even my vegetarian shepherd’s pie. But it’s also very nice with baked potatoes, which is how we had it that evening.
It should be cooked through, but still have a bit of bite to it. Leave it too long and it becomes mushy and loses its lustre. Done properly, like this, it’s sweet, almost fruity and has a slight sourness which all marries together remarkably well. “This stuff”, CT told me, “is decidedly moreish”.
Braised red cabbage makes a wonderful accompaniment to any festive winter meal. You can prepare it well ahead of time and in fact, it generally becomes more delicious the longer you leave it to marinade.
Other Winter Sides You Might Like
- Carrot and swede mash
- Cocoa & paprika roasted cauliflower (vegan)
- How to cook the perfect Brussels sprouts
- Leek gratin with white sauce
- Parsnip & potato mash (vegan)
- Rosemary chips
- Sticky chilli broccoli (vegan)
- Stir-fried Brussels sprouts (vegan)
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this recipe for braised red cabbage, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate it. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Braised Red Cabbage. PIN IT.
Braised Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed oil
- 1 large red onion thinly sliced
- 1 large cooking apple peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 tsp dark muscovado sugar
- ½ large red cabbage cored and sliced
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar red wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar (I used my homemade blackcurrant vinegar)
- 6 juniper berries roughly crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 25 g sultanas
- freshly ground black pepper
- pinch sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Fry the onion slices in the oil in a large pan over low heat for 5 minutes or until soft.2 tbsp coconut oil, 1 large red onion
- Add the apple slices and stir.1 large cooking apple
- Add the sugar, stir and fry for a minute.1 tsp dark muscovado sugar
- Add the cabbage, vinegar, bay leaves, juniper berries and sultanas. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 40 minutes.½ large red cabbage, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 6 juniper berries, 2 bay leaves, 25 g sultanas
- Add the salt and pepper, stir and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.freshly ground black pepper, pinch sea salt flakes
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sending this braised red cabbage off to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary for Extra Veg. One of the great thing about Christmas is all those extra vegetables you get to eat and this is one of them.
This also goes to Cook Once Eat Twice with Corina over at Searching for Spice. We’ve already had several meals out of this cabbage and it seems the longer it’s left the better it gets.
And as this braised red cabbage is for me, very much a Christmas classic, I’m sending it off to #FoodYearLinkUp at Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen.
Disclosure: Schwartz commissioned this post. However, all words and opinions are my own, as always. Thank you for your support of the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.
My husband, who is from The Netherlands, makes something similar, but his doesn’t have the Juniper berries or sultanas, we will have to give your version a try, it sounds delicious!
Oh juniper berries are a must Joy 😉 I’m now wondering what a Dutch version would be like.
It sounds beautiful and perfect as a Christmas side dish! I really don’t cook with cabbage enough and should try something like this sometime. Thank you so much for joining in with #CookOnceEatTwice
Cabbage can be so delicious if cooked in the right way. It’s one of my favourite vegetables.
I’ve never had braised red cabbage for Christmas dinner. I’m not in charge of the Christmas day cooking this year, but I’ll have to give it a try when I am (or perhaps with a Sunday roast in the new year 🙂 ).
Happy Christmas Choclette x
Have it with a roast in the new year Charlotte – you can’t go another year without trying it 😉
It has been a long time since I’ve had this. Brings back sweet memories of Childhood days.
Revive those memories some more Florentina and make some, it’s delicious.
I don’t think that i have ever made braised cabbage either. You tempting me now Choclette.
Haha and there was me thinking it’s what everyone ate for Christmas 😉
I love red cabbage but rarely make it. This is a fab recipe and different from the one I make. I’ll have to give it a try. GG
Thanks GG. I can’t really take credit for the recipe, but I can attest it’s a good one 🙂
I am not sure that I have ever made braised cabbage – I think that I need to give it a go.
That’s a shocking statement from such a veg loving person Helen. Maybe this Christmas?
love braised cabbage – great way to add a nice a tangy side dish to sunday lunches!
Yes Nazima and it’s nice to have the splash of colour too 🙂
I remember having braised cabbage from my childhood, and remember it delicious, must try to make it myself!
Cabbage doesn’t always have the best reputation, but I love it.
Braised red cabbage used to be one of my favorite dishes at Christmas time! Thank you for reminding me of it 🙂 Yum!
It’s funny how we go in and out of favourite dishes which sometimes get forgotten then suddenly remembered again by a chance remark – or post 😉
What a beautiful dish!! I could picture it at the holiday table. I really like cabbage and I don’t usually think of red cabbage. I don’t know why not — it is so colorful! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks Marisa. The colour is so good at this time of year, but it tastes very good too 🙂
Choclette, this looks absolutely awesome. We’re having a vegetarian Christmas at home this year so I’ve been looking for recipes to wow the family so they don’t miss meat at all. This is definitely going on the menu.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Lesley. I hope the family enjoy this as much as we do and good look with your vegetarian Christmas dinner.
The only red cabbage we had when I was growing up was a jar – only at Christmas – of Hayward’s pickled red cabbage. It could strip paint it was so harsh. Now my horizon’s have broadened and I like red cabbage!
Oh horror! Someone gave me a jar of bought pickled cabbage once. It sat in the back of my fridge for several years before eventually finding its way onto the compost heap. Harsh is the word.
This has to be one of my favourite side dishes on a traditional Christmas roast dinner. I must remember to get some for Xmas Day in our house!
Oh yes, do remember to get yourself a red cabbage in plenty of time Kacie 🙂
I haven’t made any braised cabbages this year yet..wish I could get to taste some of yours! It surely looks very delicious.
Thanks Angie. I always forget just how good it is and am surprised anew each year.
I love the vibrant colour of this cabbage. It looks great.
Thanks Nayna, it’s a lovely colour and luckily it tastes delicious too 🙂
I adore braised garbage but I don’t think i’ve ever cooked it. I must remedy this this year, yours looks so lovely and spicy!
Dom I’ve never tried cooking garbage and I don’t intend to start any time soon 😉
I had no idea Schwartz were a company from Nova Scotia! You learn something new every day! Gorgeous recipe. I’m a big fan of braised red cabbage. 🙂
I’ve learnt heaps since I’ve been blogging Elizabeth, it’s fun picking up these scraps of info if find.
The fact that I don’t know much about any of these ingredients bothers me quite a bit. Looks good though.
It sounds like you need to remedy that situation Leisel 😉
My mum would always make red cabbage similar to this to have with pate and traditional Danish food at Christmas, I think she put blackcurrant cordial in hers.
Ah great minds Camilla. It’s the blackcurrant notes that make it I reckon 😉
We love red cabbage too, but we don’t tend to have it for Christmas dinner. I guess it’s just family traditions. I love it in a red coleslaw on Boxing Day with the leftovers.
Now coleslaw on boxing day is not something I’ve ever had, but it’s a jolly good idea – I like it Janice 🙂
Is this where I should admit I never make red cabbage? But actually that sounds really good with all those flavours.
Jac, I’m quite shocked. You don’t like nut roast and you don’t make red cabbage. What do you eat on Christmas day?
I love cabbage and would love to try this recipe!
Cabbage is a true wonder vegetable Johlene. I love it too.
Braised red cabbage is one of my favourite sides dishes to have with Christmas dinner, yet I confess I have never made my own. I have no excuse now. Thanks for a fab recipe. Sammie.
Thanks Sammie. Homemade, as usual is the best. And this is a particularly good recipe 🙂
and so simple to make. Even I can make a good one!!!
What do you mean, even you? You’re a fabulous cook. We eat masses of red cabbage, love it.