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Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples

Side dishes make the meal. Often, I knee-jerk toward my comfort food favorites like Super Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese or Southern Cornbread Dressing when we have people over or for a holiday meal. They never disappoint but sometimes you needs something fresher, something with a little bit of bite to cut through a rich main dish. Often a salad with a vinaigrette dressing fits the bill but that gets boring after a while. Now, this sweet and sour cabbage with apples is my new favorite recipe to add that tang to my table. Plus, it is easy, quick and frugal. Win, win, win! Need a main idea to go with your Sweet and Sour Cabbage with apples? Give Wiener Schnitzel Recipe or Easy Crunchy Parmesan Ranch Baked Breaded Pork Chops a try!

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples Recipe

Serves 2-3 but easily doubles or triples

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz of red cabbage, sliced ¼” thick (1 small head)
  • 1 medium sized apple
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

Wash and remove any wilted outside leaves of the cabbage. Cut down the center in half and cut out the main core that’s lighter in color. Slice the cabbage ¼” thick until you have 12 ounces of cabbage.

Wash, cut and core 1 apple. Cut into ½” pieces.

In a heavy skillet, heat and melt the butter. Don’t substitute oil or margarine…your final result will NOT be the same. You can substitute bacon fat, though, to add a smokiness to the recipe.


Once the butter is melted, add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the cabbage until slightly wilted and beginning to soften. You want it to be softer but still retain a textural bite to it. Approximately 8-10 minutes.

While sautéing the cabbage, mix the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Stir the mixture until all the brown sugar has dissolved. Add this mixture to the cabbage and stir. . Place a lid on your skillet and let the cabbage and sauce simmer for 3 minutes.


Remove the lid and add the apples. Sauté the whole mixture until the apples are slightly soft and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Enjoy with Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Whole Grilled Turkey or any of your favourite main dishes. It’s perfect for every day or your holiday table.

Recipe Notes

  1. The balance between the brown sugar and the vinegar is perfect, but I suggest you taste the mixture as you make it to ensure it’s sweet enough, or tart enough, for your preference.
  2. Adding the apples near the end of the cooking time allows them to take on the flavors of the sauce and cabbage but retain some texture. If you prefer the apple softer, sauté for a few minutes longer.
  3. Keep in mind when tasting the dressing, that the apples will also add sweetness to the dish, so be careful not to add too much sugar.
  4. White sugar will work as well with this recipe, but brown sugar brings a deeper level of flavor because of the molasses in the brown sugar.
  5. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers. The cabbage and apples will get mushy and the sauce watery. It’s best to eat fresh.
  6. You can make this recipe ahead of time by slicing the cabbage and apple the day/morning of. I recommend spritzing the apple with lemon juice to keep it from browning. The sauce can also be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container.
  7. If you don’t have allspice, a slight pinch of cloves can be used instead. Careful when using either of those spices, a VERY little goes a long way.


Printable Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples Recipe

sweet and sour cabbage with apples in a skillet
Yield: 3 servings

Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

An easy and delicious tangy side dish to add depth to any table.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz of red cabbage, sliced ¼” thick (1 small head)
  • 1 medium sized apple
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

    1. Wash and remove any wilted outside leaves of the cabbage. Cut down the center in half and cut out the main core that’s lighter in color. Slice the cabbage ¼” thick until you have 12 ounces of cabbage.
    2. Wash, cut and core 1 apple. Cut into ½” pieces. 
    3. In a heavy skillet, heat and melt the butter. Don't substitute oil or margarine...your final result will NOT be the same. You can substitute bacon fat, though, to add a smokiness to the recipe. 
    4. Once the butter is melted, add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the cabbage until slightly wilted and beginning to soften. You want it to be softer but still retain a textural bite to it. Approximately 8-10 minutes. 
    5. While sautéing the cabbage, mix the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Stir the mixture until all the brown sugar has dissolved.
    6. Add this mixture to the cabbage and stir. Place a lid on your skillet and let the cabbage and sauce simmer for 3 minutes.
    7. Remove the lid and add the apples. Sauté the whole mixture until the apples are slightly soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. 
    8. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. Enjoy!



Notes

  • The balance between the brown sugar and the vinegar is perfect, but I suggest you taste the mixture as you make it to ensure it’s sweet enough, or tart enough, for your preference.
  • Adding the apples near the end of the cooking time allows them to take on the flavors of the sauce and cabbage but retain some texture. If you prefer the apple softer, sauté for a few minutes longer.
  • Keep in mind when tasting the dressing, that the apples will also add sweetness to the dish, so be careful not to add too much sugar.
  • White sugar will work as well with this recipe, but brown sugar brings a deeper level of flavor because of the molasses in the brown sugar.
  • I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers. The cabbage and apples will get mushy and the sauce watery. It’s best to eat fresh.
  • You can make this recipe ahead of time by slicing the cabbage and apple the day/morning of. I recommend spritzing the apple with lemon juice to keep it from browning. The sauce can also be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container.
  • If you don’t have allspice, a slight pinch of cloves can be used instead. Careful when using either of those spices, a VERY little goes a long way.
  • Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    3

    Serving Size:

    1

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 157Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g

    This nutritional info is supplied as a guide only. No guarantee is made on accuracy.

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