German Red Cabbage Recipe

Name: German Red Cabbage
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1 kg red cabbage, finely shredded; 30 g butter; 1 onion, chopped; 2 apples, peeled and grated; 3 tbsp brown sugar; 4 tbsp cider vinegar; 1 g whole cloves; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp salt; 100 ml water; 20 g redcurrant jelly

German Red Cabbage

Red cabbage braised for 1 hour with apple, onion, cider vinegar and cloves until soft, sweet and sour.

Not yet rated 1 hr 15 min total Serves 6 servings Easy

The Case for German Red Cabbage

Rotkohl is the side dish that comes with a German Sunday roast, and it is a lesson in patience: the long cooking turns a crunchy, bitter cabbage into something silky and sweet-sour.

Shred the cabbage finely, which is easiest with a sharp knife or a food processor. Soften a chopped onion in butter, then add the cabbage, a grated apple, the sugar, vinegar, cloves and a bay leaf. The vinegar is not optional: it keeps the cabbage a bright red and stops it turning blue-grey.

Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes and adding a splash of water if the pan looks dry. If your hob runs hot, check at 45 minutes.

The cabbage is ready when it is tender and glossy, with most of the liquid absorbed. Taste and adjust, with more vinegar for sharpness or sugar for sweetness. Stir in a spoon of redcurrant jelly at the end for a shine.

Build the Meal Around German Red Cabbage

Roast pork
Sausages
Dumplings
Roast duck

How to Cook German Red Cabbage

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

Melt the butter and soften the onion for 5 minutes.
Add the cabbage, apples, sugar, vinegar, cloves, bay, salt and water and stir well.
Cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender.
Remove the cloves and bay and stir in the redcurrant jelly.

A Few Notes

Shred the cabbage fine.

Keep the vinegar in.

If your hob runs hot, check at 45 minutes.

Adjust the sweet and sour at the end.

Storing and Reheating

Keeps in the fridge for 5 days and improves on reheating. It also freezes well.

Questions and Answers

How long does German Red Cabbage take to make?

About 1 hour 15 minutes in total — 15 minutes of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe serves 6.

What are the key tips for making German Red Cabbage?

Shred the cabbage fine. Keep the vinegar in. If your hob runs hot, check at 45 minutes. Adjust the sweet and sour at the end.

What should I serve with German Red Cabbage?

Roast pork; Sausages; Dumplings; Roast duck.

Can German Red Cabbage be made ahead or frozen?

Keeps in the fridge for 5 days and improves on reheating. It also freezes well.

Is German Red Cabbage suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in German Red Cabbage?

About 181 kcal per serving, with 3 g protein, 31 g carbohydrate and 5 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

181Calories

3gProtein

31gCarbs

5gFat

5gFibre

22gSugar

440mgSodium

Vegetarian Gluten-Free

German Red Cabbage

Build the Meal Around German Red Cabbage

How to Cook German Red Cabbage

A Few Notes

Storing and Reheating

Questions and Answers

The Numbers per Serving

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

Build the Meal Around German Red Cabbage

How to Cook German Red Cabbage

A Few Notes

Storing and Reheating

Questions and Answers

The Numbers per Serving

Reader Reviews

Cooked this? Leave a review

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