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Braised red cabbage served on a plate.

Slow Braised Red Cabbage (German Style With Apples And Vinegar)

Nataliia
If you need a make-ahead side dish that only gets better over time, or if you are unsure how to make red cabbage more flavorful, try my slow-braised red cabbage. This German-style red cabbage side dish is sweet and tangy, braised with warm spices until meltingly tender.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European, German
Servings 6
Calories 121 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 large skillet with lid

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 1 sweet-tart apple
  • ½ yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ¾ cups water, divided (¼ cup for braising, ½ cup for cornstarch slurry) or more as needed for braising
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoons salt
  • 2-3 whole cloves
  • 5 whole peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ teaspoons black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoons cardamom
  • ⅛ teaspoons nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch optional

Instructions
 

  • Remove the cabbage outer leaves, cut it into quarters and slice out the core. Thinly shred each quarter with a knife or mandoline. Peel, core and slice the apple. Slice the onion into half or quarter circles.
  • In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoon unsalted butter. Add sliced apple and onion, saute for about 3-4 minuses, until softened.
  • Add shredded cabbage, ¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2-3 whole cloves, 5 whole peppercorns , 2 bay leaves, ½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoons black pepper, ⅛ teaspoons cardamom , and ⅛ teaspoons nutmeg. Stir it well. In a separate cup, mix 2 teaspoons cornstarch and ½ cups of remaining water to make a slurry. Pour it into the skillet and stir it again. Bring it to a boil.
  • Cover tightly with the lid and braise on low heat for about 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes and adding more water if needed. It is ready in about 1.5 hours, but if you like it extra tender, let it go for the full 2 hours.

Notes

Use any tart-sweet apple, like fuji, Honeycrisp or cosmic crisp)
You can use four instead of cornstarch, or skip it altogether. Slurry makes the dish glossy and more saucy.
Apple cider can be swapped with lemon juice or other type of vinegar.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 121kcalCarbohydrates: 21.2gProtein: 2.5gFat: 4.1gSodium: 73.7mgFiber: 4.9gSugar: 13g
Keyword braised red cabbage, German red cabbage
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