Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion

Southern Fried Cabbage and Onions is a Southern dish that combines cabbage and onions that is delightful, comforting, and satisfying. Only simple ingredients are needed to bring this garden vegetable to life and on your table in no time. Serve up a plate full of Southern hospitality to your family.

Fried Cabbage and Onion is something you will find on many tables around the south. It’s just cabbage, and onion sauteed in a little fat and cooked down until tender.

I love cabbage just about any way you want to serve it. Cabbage is pretty cheap, and it always seems to go a long way. Thank goodness my family loves cabbage, and they don’t seem to mind if I cook it many times throughout the month.

Skillet Fried Cabbage and Onions in a cast iron pan with text overlay.

We like roasted cabbage, coleslaw, fried cabbage and onions, cabbage in soups, cabbage steaks, and cabbage casserole. I am quite sure I am leaving something out, but you get the idea.  There are many different ways to serve it, and I seem to like them all.

A Delicious Side Dish (Not Swimming in Grease)

One of my favorite ways to cook cabbage is to fry it. This recipe doesn’t require a lot of grease or oil. When people think about “fried,” they tend to picture their food sitting in a big pool of grease. Not in this case! We are using just a little to get that caramelization at the end of the cooking time. 

Use a Large Cast Iron Pan To Fry Cabbage

Start with a Large Cast Iron Skillet.  If you’ve been visiting here on my blog for a while, you know I love my cast iron! For this dish, I pull out my largest cast-iron skillet. If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, no worries –Just use your largest skillet. You will be cooking the whole head of cabbage, so you will need a big skillet, to begin with.  

Yes, I use the whole head of cabbage for this recipe. My skillet is always overflowing, but it will shrink to half the size as it cooks down. Believe me; this stuff is so good you will be glad you cooked the whole head.   

 

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Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion with text overlay.
Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion

 

 

Ingredients for Fried Cabbage and Onion

See the printable recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
​The ingredients are few for this simple side dish, but the taste is enormous.

Cabbage– I usually use green cabbage when making this dish. It is typically what we grow in our garden. However, purple cabbage (red cabbage) mixed with green cabbage would work just as well.
Onion– Onion is one of the main ingredients in this dish and gives it lots of flavor. I have used yellow onions, Vidalia Onions, and even white onions. Diced or sliced onions.
Oil– Vegetable oil or bacon grease is needed for frying.
Water, Salt, and Black Pepper

Instructions for Making the Best Fried Cabbage & Onion

For complete step-by-step instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
Pan-Frying cabbage is quite delicious and simple. This is an easy recipe and one of my go-to side dishes, even on busy weeknights.

Wash and cut the head of the cabbage in half. Remove the core. You will need a sharp knife and a cutting board. When you finish cutting it up, it will seem like a lot of cabbage, but it does cook down a great bit. Be sure to remove the outer leaves. They may be tough. Chop the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Chop the onion. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and onion. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, then uncover and cook at least 20-25 additional minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Do not let your pan run dry. I usually cook my cabbage for 45 minutes. ( The longer, the better) Cook until you get your desired tenderness.

If the cabbage does not release enough water, you may need to add more water to keep the skillet from running dry. Once the water runs low, the cabbage will begin to fry in the oil. Totally delicious!

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Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion in a cast iron skillet with text overlay.

Recipe Tips and Variations for Cooking Fried Cabbage and Onion

A delicious fried cabbage recipe and a great way to get a tasty side dish on the table for a weeknight dinner. Some tips and variations are included below, but feel free to add your touch.

Water:  Some cabbages release more water than others. So, start with one cup and add more if your pan starts to run dry. I like to “almost” cover my cabbage with water, so that it has plenty of liquid as it cooks down. That’s it. As the water cooks out of the cabbage, it will begin to fry in the oil. The longer it cooks, the better. I usually turn the heat down and let it cook for about 45 minutes to an hour. 

Chicken Broth:  Add chicken broth instead of water. If you have a can of chicken broth, feel free to add it to the cabbage instead of water. It will give it a bit more flavor.

Bacon: Add some bacon to the cabbage. Crispy bacon would be so good in this dish. Save the bacon fat for another use. Who doesn’t love bacon? I believe I could eat a whole package of bacon in one sitting! Don’t judge.
Just fry up that bacon until crispy, chop it, and add it back to the skillet once the cabbage has finished cooking. Just give it a good stir and serve.

**Tip— If you have bacon grease, use it instead of oil! Don’t let that good flavored grease go to waste. 

Smoked Sausage: Not a bacon fan? Try throwing in some smoked, cooked sausage. Add it about half way through the cooking time, so the sausage has time to reheat and add some delicious flavor to the cabbage.

Do not buy the pre-shredded cabbage (coleslaw) mixture for this recipe. Although the pre-shredded is fine for some recipes, it just won’t work in this one. You will end up with a sad-looking pan of fried cabbage, which would be very disappointing for dinner.

Cook to Your Liking: Cook the cabbage to your liking and taste. If you like your cabbage with crunch–don’t cook as long. If you like your cabbage more tender, cook longer. In my opinion, I always cook my cabbage longer. I usually cook until the onions and the cabbage start to caramelize a bit. Now, this is good eating!

Butter– Add lots of butter to the top of the hot cabbage for more flavor. You can’t go wrong with butter.

Seasoning: Play around with different seasonings or herbs to suit your taste. Some variations might be: red pepper flakes, garlic powder, brown sugar for a little sweetness, minced garlic cloves.

 

How to Store Leftover Fried Cabbage

Store all leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Then, reheat in the microwave until hot.

Dishes to Serve with Fried Cabbage

Cabbage and Onion with text overlay.
Southern Fried Cabbage and onion

Side Dishes: Southern Fried Cabbage is great on its own as a side dish, but you may also like to try Crock Pot Corn on the Cob and Oven Baked Mac and Cheese for additional sides. Oh, and you can never go wrong with a Hashbrown Casserole.

Meat Dishes: I really have not found anything that does not go with Southern Fried Cabbage. You might want to try these Creamy Baked Pork Chops, Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs, or even some Sticky Chicken.

More Cabbage Recipes

Cabbage Steaks – If you like cabbage, you will have to try these Roasted Cabbage Steaks. Once baked, they are soft, buttery, and have crispy edges. 
Creamy Coleslaw – This is The Best and Easiest Creamy Coleslaw for your next cookout, bbq, or get-together. It’s deliciously creamy with the perfect balance of flavors.
Oriental Coleslaw – If you are looking for a fast and easy side dish, this is it! Seriously delicious! Perfect for a weeknight side dish, cookout, reunion, or tailgating.
Cabbage Casserole – Turn a simple head of cabbage into a delightful side dish with a creamy filling and a buttery, cheesy topping. Goes great with just about any main dish. This Cheesy Cabbage Casserole Recipe is easy, delicious, and budget-friendly.

More Easy Side Dishes with Onion

Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions – Southern Skillet Fried Potatoes and Onions is an easy one-skillet side dish. Potatoes, onions, and oil are the only ingredients needed for this simple dish. Just a few ingredients that yield a huge taste!
Southern Style Squash and Onions – An easy delicious and favorite summer side dish.
Vidalia Onion Dip -Vidalia Onion Dip is another easy dip that comes together fast and is requested by many family members and guests. It’s cheesy, creamy, and has lots of sweet onion flavor.
Pickled Vidalia Onions – Quick Pickled Vidalia Onions– vinegar, sugar, salt, onions, and water are the only ingredients needed for a delicious and crunchy refrigerator pickle. This treat is sure to be enjoyed all year long.

If you catch onions on sale, grab a bag or two. They freeze nicely and are great for soups, stews, and other dishes. Check out my post on How To Freeze Chopped Onions.

Other Side Dishes you might want to try:

Mixed Bean Salad

Sweet Potato Casserole

Southern Cornbread Salad

Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion

Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion

Gina Abernathy
Fried Cabbage and Onion is something you will find on many tables around the south. It’s just cabbage, and onion sauteed in a little fat and cooked down until tender. Easy and delicious!
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium-large head cabbage Chopped
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 Tablespoons oil bacon grease will also work
  • water
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Wash and cut the head of the cabbage in half. Remove the core. Chop the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Chop the onion. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and onion. Toss to coat. Add salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, then uncover and cook at least 20-25 additional minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. Do not let your pan run dry. I usually cook my cabbage for 45 minutes. ( The longer, the better) Cook until you get your desired tenderness.
  • Please Note: If the cabbage does not release enough water, you may need to add more water to keep the skillet from running dry. Once the water runs low, the cabbage will begin to fry in the oil.
Keyword Southern Fried Cabbage and Onion

42 Comments

  1. I love cabbage too! My mom used to make this amazing cabbage and beef stew, but I really didn’t know much else to do with it. Definitely going to try this over the weekend. Thanks!

  2. Wow, this looks so good (and so easy!). I absolutely love cabbage in pretty much every form, and so does my husband. This would be a great thing to make now if there’s any cabbage at the store. Thanks!

  3. I had no clue fried cabbage and onion was a southern meal and I currently reside in the south. It is a meal that is very similar to a cabbage meal we make in Jamaica, where I was born and raised. In our recipe we may add cooked meat like chicken bits or bacon.

  4. Looks like a great recipe. I have never tried wing sauce. But in my next batch I will be adding that.

  5. I’m usually not a big fan of cabbage but this actually sounded really appealing! I’m from the south too so I guess I should give this a shot!

  6. I love cabbage, it is such a versatile vegetable. This recipe looks great and super easy to make. I will have to give it a try next time we pick up a cabbage.

  7. I’m going to have to try this soon. My husband loves cabbage and always talks about something his grandma used to make. I think this is it!

  8. This looks so healthy and doable. I just usually have cabbage in saladI’ll definitely give it a try.

  9. Of all the things I have never made this is one. I love boiled cabbage so much… I’m actually supposed to make it for dinner tonight but may try this instead!

  10. Maybe it’s weird but I feel like cooked cabbage is a comfort food, especially in a soup 🙂 This recipe sounds great, not to mention cheap and easy!

  11. 5 stars
    I made this for dinner this evening, and added a few packaged real bacon bits, I boiled a potato and 3 carrots together and had them as a side YUM it was so good, I will absolutely make it again,

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