Perfect Sauteed Cabbage

Here’s how to make the best sauteed cabbage! Tender and flavored with garlic and lemon, it’s the perfect easy side dish to accent any meal.

Cabbage might not be the sexiest of all vegetables, but we’re pretty smitten with it over here. Tangy and creamy coleslaw is one of summer’s greatest treats, and we could eat a batch between the two of us. And where would the world be without sauerkraut? Here’s our newest favorite in our lineup of best cabbage recipes: this perfect sauteed cabbage! It takes just 10 minutes to saute into a tender, savory mess of flavor. Lemon, garlic and black pepper take it to rockstar veggie status. You’ll love this tasty way to prepare cabbage: it makes an easy side dish for any meal.

Also try: Perfect Boiled Cabbage

Ingredients for sauteed cabbage

Sauteed cabbage barely needs any flavor adders to make it taste good. In fact, you could probably get away with using just olive oil and salt here! But we wanted to step it up a bit, so there’s a sprinkle of garlic powder and a spritz of fresh lemon juice for brightness. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Green cabbage: The green variety is a little more mild than red and our preferred for this recipe. But you could substitute red cabbage if desired!
• Olive oil and butter: One of our favorite tricks for adding big flavor: a combo of olive oil and butter! For vegan diets, you can use all olive oil.
• Garlic powder & black pepper: These add just the right savory and spicy flavor.
• Fresh lemon juice: Do not omit! Lemon gives just the right bright zing to the flavor.

How to saute cabbage

There’s really no trick to sauteed cabbage. It’s quick to cook and there aren’t many technique notes. Here’s what you need to know:

• Shred the cabbage. This is the only tricky part! See below for some tips.
• Heat the olive oil & butter: Sauteing always occurs using a fat. Heat the olive oil and melt the butter before you add the cabbage.
• Cook the cabbage 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. The word saute comes from the French word sauter, which means “to jump”. That means you’ll have to keep the vegetables jumping in the pan! Stir often to get an even cook on your veggies.

Trick: how to shred cabbage…fast!

Ever had trouble cutting cabbage? It’s easy to just hack at the cabbage, which makes uneven pieces and is not the safest! Here’s a great trick for shredding cabbage. We use it all the time and it’s quick and easy! No mess, even shreds. Here’s what to do:

1. Slice off the root: Remove any outer layers of the cabbage that seem tough or are not fresh, and discard them. With a large chef’s knife, slice off the root of the cabbage.
2. Quarter it: Cut the cabbage in half through the stem. Then cut it into quarters.
3. Slice out the root: Remove the root of the cabbage by cutting it out with two diagonal slices.
4. Slice crosswise: Thinly slice the cabbage in the short direction, using a circular motion with the knife.

Want to watch it? Here’s a video of how to cut cabbage.

Variations on sauteed cabbage

This sauteed cabbage recipe is basic but it’s got big, big flavor from the garlic and lemon. Here are a few more flavor spins you could try to mix it up:

• Eastern European style: Cook with 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, and add apple cider vinegar at the end instead of lemon juice.
• Asian style: Sauté with sesame oil, and add soy sauce and rice vinegar to taste at the end. (This makes it great for serving with something like Quick Soba Noodles or Marinated Tofu.)
• With apples & red cabbage: Try this Red Cabbage and Apples recipe.

Also try: Easy Steamed Cabbage!

Ways to serve sauteed cabbage

Ready to make it a meal? There are so many ways to serve sauteed cabbage! It’s perfect with chicken, fish, or vegetarian dinner ideas. Here are some options:

• Pasta: Serve as a healthy veggie with Baked Rigatoni Pasta or Homemade Mac and Cheese.
• Salmon or shrimp: Try it with Baked Salmon or Grilled Salmon, Pesto Salmon, Grilled Tilapia, Garlic Butter Shrimp, Baked Shrimp, Grilled Shrimp, or Pan Fried Fish.
• Ahi tuna: Add it to make a quick elegant meal to Grilled Tuna or 5-Minute Seared Ahi Tuna.
• Tofu: Add Pan Fried Tofu for a super simple vegan meal.
• Sandwiches or burgers: It’s great with Portobello Mushroom Burgers, Jackfruit BBQ Sandwich, or Best Chickpea Burgers.

This sauteed cabbage recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter (or omit).

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More easy side dish recipes

This sauteed cabbage is the perfect easy side dish! Here are a few more to try:

• Simple Carrot Salad Full of tangy, fresh flavor!
• Easy Succotash Simple, colorful and delicious.
• Roasted Mushrooms Meaty, tender and juicy, they’ll make a mushroom lover out of anyone.
• Caprese Salad Pair perfectly ripe, juicy tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and peppery basil.
• Celery Salad with Apples Oddly refreshing, starring apples and Parmesan.
• Broccoli Salad or Broccoli Slaw Two fantastic ways to serve this healthy vegetable.
• Roasted Okra The best roasted okra around! Baking it might be the best way to cook this vegetable.
• Baked Avocado Fries Crispy and crunchy, they’re perfect as a side or served in a taco.