Delicious fried cabbage made with onions, peppers & fried pork bacon. A delicious vegetable side dish even your children will love. I simply season the cabbage with a combination of seasonings that make the cabbage POP! Then cook it in a little oil until it’s perfectly fried. This is a soul food classic and some of the best fried cabbage you’ll ever try, so give this amazing recipe a shot!
Hey, guys! Today, I’m going to share a delicious fried cabbage recipe with you all that I’ve taken months to perfect. I’m super excited to see how you all like it because I absolutely love it!
Fried cabbage is one of my favorite vegetable side dishes and this cabbage here… is packed with so much flavor you’ll definitely fall in love and make it again and again. It’s a MUST-TRY recipe so you have to try it at least once!!
Church memories of fried cabbage
I remember eating fried cabbage as a youngster. One of the elders in our church, Deacon Sally, always made it for my mother and I whenever we came over to his house for Sunday dinner.
Let’s just say that’s pretty much when I fell in love with fried cabbage. It was greasy but tangy, with a slight sweet taste to it, because he always added a hint of sugar, like I do.
He would not only add fried pork bacon to his but hot sausage, which I see a lot of people do. Anyway, this recipe was definitely inspired by him and my childhood church. My church would always have two services on Sundays!
Yeah, we were a holiness church, so we were in there from dawn to dust. We would have Sunday School from 8 to 10 a.m., then have breakfast from 10 to 12 (they would serve things like Salmon, grits, and eggs).
We would have prayer at noon, and the first service would start at 12:30. Yes, we had LONG FOR NOTHING SERVICES. We would have dinner from 3:30 to 5, then have a second service, which started between 5:30 and 6 p.m. and lasted until 8.
As I said, we were literally in church ALL DAY, but I remember fried cabbage being a side dish they would frequently make that I always enjoyed. Now, it’s no surprise why I love it so much and why I had to make a recipe for it.
You all know I put my own little twist on it and made it mine, though. And I actually think mine tastes a little better than both Deacon Sally’s and the church’s cabbage. Lol! But shot out to Deacon Sally, who has transitioned now, and my childhood church, The Temple of Christ.
Both inspired this delicious fried cabbage recipe I’m sharing with yall. There are a few things I want to address before getting to the recipe and its step-by-step instructions though. But first, you’ll need the tools and ingredients.
Tools:
- Large Skillet: We’re making a lot of cabbage, so make sure you have a large skillet on hand.
- Large Knife: You’ll need a large, sharp knife to cut the cabbage.
- Big Spoon: Make sure you have a big spoon to stir the cabbage while it’s cooking.
- Measuring Cups: You need this to measure the vegetables and water accurately
- Measuring Spoons: Use these to measure the seasonings accurately.
What you need:
- Vegetables: Cabbage, Onions, Green Peppers, and Red Peppers
- Meat: Pork Bacon
- Seasonings: Salt, Sugar, Garlic, Red Crushed Peppers and Black Pepper
- Fat: Vegetable oil and butter
- Liquids: Water
Do you clean cabbage?
Okay, first thing, first…Cleaning the cabbage isn’t necessary because the inner layers, which are mostly what we’re cooking, are protected by the outer layers of cabbage. So they don’t get dirty!
You can rinse the outer layers of cabbage if you want; just make sure to dry them if you do. Other than that, no cleaning is necessary. By the way, cabbage already contains a lot of water.
This is why it sweats a lot when placed over heat. Washing it will only extend the cooking time and make frying it impossible. That is just another reason not to wet or clean it.
Cabbage and shrinking
Okay, so just in case you didn’t know, cabbage shrinks a lot, just like greens and spinach. So, while one head of cabbage looks large enough to feed a family of 5, it’s only enough to feed about 3 to 4 people. Lol!
And be aware, this recipe is FIYA so people will be asking for seconds! Everyone who tries my cabbage asks for seconds – that’s how good it is! So I would advise you to double this recipe for sure! LMBBO!
How much you need to make ultimately depends on how it’s served and WHO YOU’RE SERVING IT TO!! If you’ve got some greedy folks over for dinner, you might want to even quadruple the recipe. LMBBO!
However, if you plan on serving just a handful of people and giving them small portions, or just making it for you and your boo, 2 lbs of cabbage (which is how much this recipe calls for) should be enough – after all, it’s just a side dish.
Liquids and doneness
Many people make the mistake of adding a lot of water or broth to their cabbage because they think you have to boil it to get it tender. One lesson I had to learn when cooking cabbage, whether I’m frying or steaming it, was to use little to no water.
Cabbage creates its own liquid, probably more than any other vegetable, so adding a lot of water or broth to it isn’t really necessary! You just need to add enough water to sweat the cabbage so it softens a bit.
Also, if you’re using a smaller pan or skillet, try placing the thicker pieces of cabbage at the bottom under the rest of the cabbage. That will help to make the thicker pieces tender. So, if you notice any thicker pieces sitting at the top, push them to the bottom.
Step by Step Instructions
Cut the cabbage
- Whenever I make fried cabbage, I start by removing the stalk—that’s the thick piece at the center of the head. The stalk is at the bottom of the cabbage. You don’t want to cook that part.
- The STALK is HARD and tastes bad. Look at the white circular pieces in the first photo below to see what I’m referring to.
- Remove the very HARD WHITE INNER LAYERS of the cabbage around the stalk shown in the 2nd photo below. This part of the cabbage is tough and doesn’t taste good either.
- Try to use as many thin middle layers of cabbage as possible, as seen in the 3rd photo! Sometimes cabbage may have a DARK GREEN OUTER LAYER; you can use that part just remove the stems.
- Cut the cabbage into SMALL pieces. This will help to stretch the cabbage and feed more people.
- Make sure you separate and pull each layer of cabbage apart. They tend to stick, and without doing this, the cabbage won’t cook evenly.
- Each head of cabbage (after the stalk, stems, and hard white inner layers are removed) should come to about 1 lb. I use a scale at home to weigh it.
Chop the vegetables and bacon
Okay, so the next step in the preparation process is to slice the bacon and chop the onions and peppers.
- Chop the onions and peppers into medium size pieces by chopping them coarsely.
- Make sure you use fresh onions & peppers. If you use frozen onions and peppers you saved and stored in the freezer, it will extend the cooking time because they will dethaw and add more liquid to the cabbage preventing it from frying.
- Chop the bacon into small square pieces.
Since publishing this recipe, I’ve made a change and decided to fry the bacon whole first and then crunch it up because cutting it while uncooked is hard because the bacon is slippery.
Fry the vegetables and bacon
- Add the oil, bacon, and vegetables to a large skillet, and let the bacon fry until crispy and the vegetables are slightly caramelized, as seen in the photo below.
- Sometimes, the bacon produces enough fat to where you don’t need to add additional oil, but I do so anyway because it’s usually not enough to fry the cabbage well.
- After 3 to 4 minutes, or once the bacon is crispy, if you left it whole, remove it, and crunch it up then add it back to the skillet.
Add the cabbage butter and seasonings
- Add the cabbage and butter and give it time to shrink before stirring it.
- Once the cabbage begins to welt, add in the seasonings and stir well.
Frying and cooking time
- Let the cabbage cook until it begins to fry, and make sure to stir periodically.
- Cook over medium heat because cooking it over high heat will burn the cabbage.
- It generally takes between 40-50 minutes to cook.
Tips for best results:
- Stir every 5-10 minutes because cabbage tends to stick to the skillet, especially during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Another way to prevent the cabbage from sticking is to purchase a nonstick skillet, which can be found above in the tools section.
Serving suggestions
- Baked Chicken: Whole roasted chicken, baked chicken, chicken wings, you name it—all make great main dishes. Fried cabbage especially complements baked chicken well.
- Fried Chicken: Crispy fried chicken tastes great with this juicy fried cabbage. You can’t go wrong with fried chicken; it tastes good with almost anything.
- BBQ Ribs: BBQ Ribs are the perfect main dish for fried cabbage. That combo makes a perfect soul food Sunday dinner meal, especially with a side of baked macaroni and cheese. It doesn’t get any better than that.
- Potato Salad: Potato salad goes lovely with this fried cabbage. If you think you might want to make some, try my Delicious Southern Potato Salad Recipe .
Storage and reheating
- How do you store fried cabbage? You simply place the cabbage in a glass Tupperware bowl and make sure it’s tightly sealed with the top, or I place it in whatever I have and cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, then store it in the refrigerator.
- How do you reheat fried cabbage? You can either microwave it or reheat it in a skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is fried cabbage still healthy?
No! Fried cabbage isn’t very healthy. It isn’t healthy at all because it’s fried, and whenever you fry vegetables, you remove a lot of their nutrients. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with eating for pleasure sometimes, right?
Do you have to use bacon or meat?
I like to use bacon because it gives the cabbage a great flavor. If you don’t have any bacon on hand or don’t eat pork, feel free to omit it. I love the flavor pork bacon gives the cabbage, but you DON’T NEED IT—the cabbage will still be good without it.
How long does cabbage last?
I’d say about three days! The longer it sits in the frig, the colder it gets, and when you reheat it, it shrinks even more and becomes limp and soggy. So it’s best to eat it within the first two days.
Other vegetable sides you might like
- World’s Best Southern Collard Greens
- Southern-Style Green Beans Recipe
- The Best Southern Stove Top Cabbage
- Like Boston Market Creamed Spinach
Listen… yall are going to looooove this recipe. Follow the recipe to a T, and make sure to comment below, letting readers know how you like it. Please RATE THE RECIPE because that helps me A LOT!
Subscribe so you can be notified every time I post a new delicious recipe. And for updates on everything Philly Jay Cooking, follow me on social media: Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Enjoy, later!
PBJ~
Print
World’s Best Fried Cabbage Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 Mins
- Cook Time: 50 Mins
- Total Time: 1 Hr + 10 Mins
- Yield: 4
- Category: Vegetable Sides
- Cuisine: Soul Food
Description
Delicious fried cabbage made with onions, peppers & pork bacon.
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs of Cabbage
- 2 Pork Bacon Strips, sliced
- 1 Cup Onion, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 Cup Green Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 Cup Red Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
- 3 Tbs Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tbs Butter
- 1 Tbs Sugar
- 1–1/2 Tsps Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/8 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the stalk, the very inner core, and the outer layers of the cabbage, then chop the remaining cabbage into small pieces.
- Slice bacon into medium size pieces.
- Chop up the onions and peppers.
- Place a skillet over medium-high heat, then add in the oil.
- After 1 minute, add in the bacon and vegetables and fry for 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and add in the cabbage, butter, and seasonings.
- Cook the cabbage for 50 minutes or until it begins to fry, and stir periodically.
Notes
Start by using 1 tsp of salt. If you feel you need more, add more.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
by 
52 thoughts on “World’s Best Fried Cabbage Recipe”
Thank you, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!
Love this cabbage combo!
I never thought that I’d enjoy fried cabbage but after discovering this recipe years ago (the recipe has evolved and changed a bit over time), this is a favorite go to to serve with lean sausages.
I believe the original version of this recipe calls for a bit of hot sauce so I do add that. The heat and bit of vinegar elevates the flavor. I tend to not add the sugar or only just a pinch since I think the sauteed onions lend enough sweetness to the dish.
This recipe will change the mind of anyone who turns their nose up at cabbage.
Made this last Sunday! Absolutely the best fried cabbage I’ve ever had! No need to look any further, folks! PBJ does it again!
Tried the cabbage it was delicious. Thanks
Love all his recipes!
I have tried many of the receipts. I make the receipt for collard greens on holidays. I get rave reviews and I tell them where I got the receipt.
Love the fried cabbage as well
Every recipe I followed if yours has been amazing!. Thanks for sharing
It’s 2:30 a.m. I’ve already washed my cabbage, onions and bell peppers. Thank you so much for this reciepe. The best cabbage Ive ever eaten. Thank you Thank you so much for sharingji
I absolutely love you! I made your collard greens and OMG!! Thank you. Keep doing what you’re doing!!
Hi PBJ. I made the Chicken Parmesan and it tasted GREAT. It was nice and tender just like you said. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Jay. I am not a fan of hot stuff. So, what else would I add into the fried cabbage besides pepper flakes and hot sauce? Thanks
I just have to say, I found your cooking site years ago and I loved it right away! The way you talk and describe how to prepare dishes is so down to earth, and calming. Your cooking techniques are straight forward and yet you make it fun too. I actually yell ” don’t nobody make fried cabbage like me, I mean the best!” when I make it. It is truly tasty as the bacon gives the cabbage a smoky flavor. I’ve told friends to check your recipes out and they are hooked! Please keep up the great work and don’t forget to keep your style of attitude, its awesome! Looking forward to your future creations!
I can’t wait to try this. I made your cabbage with the smoked hocks from YouTube and my guests were swooning. It was so good I froze the stock and used it again!
Im in the process of making this fried cabbage right now. Its no doubt in my mind it will be delish ! Thank You Philly Boy J ! Wea you at man !?
Thank you my second time making didn’t use all your ingredients put my own spin on it….. it was delicious
I feel like I’ve been looking for you my whole life. I found this hot dog joint that makes a ean hot dog with fried cabbage yet I haven’t been able to find any place that will show me how to make fried cabbage- and then I found you two years later! You are the bomb! And now, so is my fried cabbage hotdog.
I made your cabbage today very good.
I am making your cabbage today.looks yummy.
This is the BEST… the absolute BEST friend cabbage I’ve had!. This recipe definitely puts a spin on the routine fried cabbage that we are all so used to having. Thanks Philly Boy J.
Your my hero!,,,
I can eat cabbages for breakfast lunch snack & dinner. Lol,!!
I’m from GA, and I have family in SC, I used to love when my grandmother in SC made cabbages. She would have to cook a separate pot for my brother and I (We went in😛)
But JAYyyyyyyy you have done it!!!!
This is by far the BEST !!!!
#SlapYourself#
I made these today and hands down this is the BEST recipe for Cabbage!!
Thank you Philly Jay for this fryed cabbage recipe. It is the best cabbage I have ever tasted. I eat a lot of vegetables and finding your creative way to cook them is super. Thanks again and keep the recipes coming. Bless you.
Phillyboyjay, any time I get ready to cook anything, I check to see if you have it. I follow your recipes and it always comes out great. You are an awesome cook. Thank you for your time. I’m cooking friied cabbage right now.
I DID IT THANKS TO YOU! #PROUDMOMENT
I HAVEN’t HAD THIS RECEIPE SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER AND IM SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR RECIPE. I never want to eat plain cabbage again 🙂
am making this…………..thank you
I like frying a bag of coleslaw as I’m too lazy to chop cabbage. Will add your ingredients to it. I also like to add mushrooms & shrimp. Very satisfying.
I could not cook good now um cooking smothered liver. Fried Cabbage. Smothered pork chops all because on Phillyboy jay thank u so much can u please send me a face pic would love to see you
Can you freeze the leftovers?
Hi PhillyboyJay. This looks amazing! Going to make it for dinner. I don’t eat pork so, my version will be made, using Beef bacon. Thank you, for the recipe. Can’t wait to taste it. 🙂
I was looking for something easy but good to make. I’m a vegetarian so I left out the bacon but this recipe is absolutely amazing. Super tasty with rice or yams. Good job on this!!
Watched your YouTube and tried it. It was awesome. Thanks for sharing!!!!
I just made your fried cabbage, your recipe is on the money, this dish is so goood, that I am glad that I am home alone this night because I plan to eat every bit of this dish, will make it again for but right now, this is alll mine, thank you and keep posting your recipes
I can’t wait to try the fried cabbage will defiantly be making it for dinner tonight will let you know how it turns out 😊💞
Delicious! This is a game changer.
This cabbage recipe was sooo good and flavorful. I’ve made it 3 times already within the last week. Thank You for sharing
Hey Phillyboyjay!
Just made your fried cabbage and it is SCRUMPTIOUS! I can’t stop eating it!! Thank you for getting me back into cooking!
Are you experiencing gliding garden and patio doorstep indoors?
This looks wonderful. I make a sort of sweet and sour fried purple cabbage but this is new for me. Tommorow I get some green cabage everything else is in the fridge.
I am so glad I have found you.
I am a Canadian but grew up and learned to cook in Alabama. Looking through your Yt vids, I see we have similar tastes and ideas about food.
I love introducing my Canadian friends to southern dishes. This is one my wife will love, I’m sure.
How long do you soak the cabbage in the salt water?
Philly boy J, I have made this recipe twice and it has been SLAMMIN both times. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I grew up eating cabbage made a completely different way and I didn’t know that it could be made a different way. I like this recipe better than my mom’s!
You are a good cook no an excellent cook. Do stew chicken for me please. I wish I could eat your food I cooked pork chops and gravy I swear I gained 5pounds thank u sooooooo much
I love the way this man cooks
I’ve never in my life heard of fried cabbage, but I’m about to be a fried cabbage conosuir! That looks delicious!
Philly Jay, I’m making your fried cabbage for about the third time today. I love your recipe! Soooo tasty. So far I’ve eaten it all by myself, as I live alone, but my family will get a taste at our family reunion this summer. I know they will all love it also. I use organic bacon and that fat is GOOD for you.
I made the fried cabbage for my friend he loved it. Thanks Philly J
Thank you for the recipe! Now i know how to cook collards and cabbage really well!
Delish, thanks
Jay your recipes looks amazing like you said, I will be trying some of them for Christmas dinner. I’m excited and can’t wait to make them. Are you married? Just wanted to know because I’m single. Lol!
PHILLY JAY………..!
Taste buds jumping all over the damn friggin place.
Thanks for sharing. I made this with your awesome bake chicken with rice and beans and cornbread. So delecious!!!
Thanks for all your awesome recipes
Juanita from Chicago