Easy and Delicious Boiled Cabbage Recipe

Have you ever tried boiled cabbage? If not, you're in for a real treat! This simple side dish is not only delicious, but it's also incredibly easy to make.

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It goes well with so many different main courses and most chicken, beef, and pork meals, but one of my favorite ways to serve this buttered cabbage side dish is with parmesan-crusted air fryer pork chops or my crispy friend chicken.

Green cabbage is usually a relatively inexpensive vegetable as well which is another plus but

I recently got two fresh heads and was going to make my Mom's sweet and sour cabbage but decided to change things up a bit and make this butter sautéed alternative instead. When this was all cooked up it tasted almost like pierogis or haluski without all the extra carbs and it's gluten-free which is a nice side dish my whole family can enjoy.

The full recipe with instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can find helpful tips and tricks within the blog post itself.

❔Common Questions

How to Prepare Cabbage for Cooking and Eating

Before eating cabbage whether raw or when prepping it for cooking you will want to wash it. This is an important step that cannot be skipped because worms and insects could be inside the head. The first step is to remove the thick outer cabbage leaves. Next, you'll cut it into wedges and rinse under cool running water in a colander. Further steps will depend on what you'll be making so be sure to refer to the instructions of the individual cabbage recipe.

Can You Freeze Cooked Cabbage?

Yes, you absolutely can. Allow the cooked cabbage to cool down then transfer to a zip-lock freezer bag. I like to use these rack holders to hold my bags for hands-free freezer meal prep. They make this step so much easier. Once the boiled cabbage is in the bag, gently remove the air, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 5 months.

Can This Be Made in a Pressure Cooker?

Yes, you can make Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage easily. Shredded Cabbage takes approximately 6 minutes to cook in a pressure cooker. Please note that it is important to follow the manufacturer's instructions and safety guidelines at all times to prevent the risk of a pressure cooker blow up. I've included the details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How Long Does it Take to Cook Instant Pot Cabbage?

Shredded Cabbage takes approximately 6 minutes to cook in a pressure cooker.

What Else Can I Add to Jazz This Up a Bit?

In the sauté phase, you can add bacon, chopped onion, and/or fresh garlic.

Do You Have a Corned Beef Recipe That Would Pair Well With This Recipe?

I have a delicious keto corned beef and cabbage recipe that you can find here.

📋 Ingredients

  • green cabbage
  • butter (can substitute ghee)
  • olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • water
Steamed-cabbage-with-butter-from-cupcakeandcrinoline.com

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions for making Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

  1. Remove outer leaves from cabbage, rinse in cool water, remove the core and then chop.
  2. Add butter and olive oil to pot and allow the butter to melt over low heat.
  3. Add the shredded cabbage, salt, and black pepper to the above mixture and cover with water. Vegetable or chicken broth can be substituted for the water to add another dimension of flavor to this dish.
  4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and stir occasionally.
  5. Once the water begins to boil lower heat and cover with a lid.
  6. Simmer for 15 minutes until the steamed cabbage is tender stirring occasionally.

Looking for More Side Dish Recipes?

💭Top tip

You'll want to make extra of this to save for a treat the next day.  I think it's almost better as a leftover.

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Buttered Cabbage

Easy and delicious buttered cabbage - great side dish.
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Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:30 minutes
Total Time:40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds green cabbage 1 large head
  • 3 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Remove outer leaves, rinse in cool water, remove the core, and then chop.

Stove Top Directions

  • Add butter and olive oil to pot and allow the butter to melt over low heat.
  • Add the shredded cabbage, salt, and black pepper to the above mixture and cover with water. Vegetable or chicken broth can be substituted for the water to add another dimension of flavor to this dish.
  • Bring to boil over medium-high heat and stir occasionally.
  • Once the water begins to boil, lower heat and cover with a lid.
  • Simmer for 15 minutes until the steamed cabbage is tender stirring occasionally.

Instant Pot Directions

  • Place water (or broth) and butter into Instant Pot.
  • Add shredded cabbage.
  • Close lid properly and make sure valve is set to "sealing".
  • Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
  • Once done, allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes press Cancel and use a SAFE quick release method (refer to manufacturer's instructions/user manual).
  • Once all pressure is safely released, remove lid.
  • Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
  • Cook on Low setting for 5 - 6 hours stirring occasionally until tender.

Notes

Make a little extra to have some the next day. I think it tastes better after everything has had a chance to mingle. 
Recommended equipment and tools:
Pot - a good large pot with a lid. I prefer All-Clad but there are other quality brands as well. 
Slotted Spoon
Instant Pot - This is the one I have and use often
Serving Bowl - something pretty to serve up your creation!

As with any of my recipes, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 242IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 81kcal
Author: Mary Beth
Cost: $3.00

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11 Comments

  1. Chrystal @ YUM eating says:

    I love cabbage. I love putting it in the crockpot with some salt, pepper and butter. So tasty. Thanks for linking at #stoptheyuck and I hope to see you again this week.

    1. Mary Beth says:

      I've never made it in the crockpot. I'm going to have to try that. Thanks so much for stopping by, Crystal.

  2. Shirley @Intelligent Domestications says:

    Mary Beth, I have lived in the south my entire life. Cabbage and cornbread makes a meal here, sometimes folks even fry some fatback to go with it. I must confess, I too eat such southern delicacies. This is the first time I have ever heard of cooking cabbage without the traditional ham seasoning. I am going to give this a try! I simply must. I love eating my favorite foods in a healthier version. So glad you shared!
    Thanks for linking up to The Yuck Stops Here. I am going to feature this post as my personal favorite this week. It is my first week as a new Host so I'm excited about that!

    1. Mary Beth says:

      You made my day, Shirley! I am so honored to be your 'first' personal favorite. I'm a northerner (which you can probably tell!) but cabbage made this way is my favorite.

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  4. I make something very similar I think. I steam the chopped Cabbage until tender, then each person dresses their serving with butter ,salt , pepper and a splash of their favourite vinegar. White, red wine, white wine, tarragon, rice vinegar all taste delicious!

    1. Mary Beth says:

      Your recipe sounds delicious, Abi! I like the idea of everyone making it their favorite way. Such a creative and thoughtful option for your family and guests.

  5. My favorite way to eat cabbage! My mother always cooked it with bacon and I actually like the butter better! If you want a slight change of pace, sometime follow basically your ingredients list (but use just half head cabbage) and add a wee pinch of sugar to the water. Instead of boiling, microwave for about 4 minutes (for just half a head). Somehow not only is it tasty, but it magically takes away the strong taste and strong smell of cabbage in your kitchen entirely to cook it this way. I've never cooked a whole head of cabbage this way, so not sure how many minutes it would take int he microwave. I've never cooked "plain" cabbage any other way since I discovered this technique. So good and so fast. 🙂

    1. Mary Beth says:

      Thank you so much for the wonderful tip! I'm going to have to try this soon. It sounds delicious.

  6. carol lassiter says:

    This is a favorite supper for me on a cool evening. My mother used to make it. It is a real old staple.

    1. Mary Beth says:

      Thanks so much for letting me know, Carol!