Traditional German Red Cabbage and Apple Recipe

4.73 from 22 votes

Traditional German Red Cabbage and Apple Recipe

German Red Cabbage is a popular side dish that goes well with hearty meals such as beef rouladen, goulash or roasts. It has an iconic sweet and sour flavour and is cooked with apples and winterly spices.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine German

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 208kcal

Author by Marita Sinden

Equipment

slow cooker (optional) crockpot
large cooking pot (at least 3 ltr)
spice bag or loose teabag (optional)

Ingredients

1 kg red cabbage Depending on how much red cabbage you have, adjust the other quantities by clicking the serving size buttons above.
2 onions approx 150 gr / 5 oz
3 tart /sour apples approx 400 gr / 14 oz. See notes for which types work best.
50 g butter or 2 tablespoon vegetable oil for vegans
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
60 ml red wine vinegar can be subsituted with cider vinegar
125 ml water
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour for thickening (optional)

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

To cook in a saucepan

Remove the leaves and stalk from the red cabbage; wash them and cut into fine strips. I suggest shredding them in your food processor to save time. Once transferred into a bowl pour the red wine vinegar over it.
1 kg red cabbage, 60 ml red wine vinegar
Peel and finely slice the onions.
2 onions
Peel the apples, remove the core, and chop into approx. 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes.
3 tart /sour apples
In a large saucepan melt the butter or oil on medium heat. Add the onions and fry them until they begin to brown. Now add the sugar and apples and fry until they start to slightly caramelise. Add the cabbage to it and fry for 5 minutes. Continue to stir it to make sure it does not burn.
50 g butter, 2 tbsp sugar
Add the bay leaf, cloves, salt, cinnamon stick and water. Place a lid on the pot and leave to steam on a low heat for about 1 hour. Stir it occasionally to ensure the bottom does not burn.
1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp salt, 125 ml water
If you find the cabbage too liquidy, mix 1 tablespoon flour with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and stir it into the cabbage pot.
1 tbsp flour
Add more sugar or salt to taste.
Serve immediately or the next day. This dish sometimes tastes even better the next day and freezes well.

To cook in the slow cooker

Grease the bowl of your slow cooker with some butter.
Remove the leaves and stalk from the red cabbage; wash them and cut into fine strips. I suggest shredding them in your food processor to save time. Once transferred into a bowl pour the red wine vinegar over it.
1 kg red cabbage, 60 ml red wine vinegar
Peel and cube the onions.
2 onions
Peel the apples, remove the core, and chop into approx. 2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes.
3 tart /sour apples
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for around 5 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours if you're short on time. Note: unlike the saucepan method, the onions and apples aren't caramelized first here, this is intentional for the slow cooker version and gives a slightly softer, more mellow flavor.
50 g butter, 1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 125 ml water, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
If the cabbage looks too liquidy at the end of cooking, mix 1 tablespoon flour with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it in, then let the slow cooker sit on high, uncovered, for an extra 15-20 minutes to thicken.
1 tbsp flour

Video

Notes

Storage Instructions

In the fridge

The braised red cabbage will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure you keep it in an airtight container. Remove all the spices (cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon stick) before storing, as otherwise, the flavor intensifies.

In the freezer

Make this recipe in big batches and store it in portions in the freezer. It stays good in the freezer for up to three months. Also, it is a perfect little side dish for a mid-week dinner.

Nutrition