After trying Smothered Pork Chops which were an instant hit in our family I kept an eye on other 'smothered something' recipes. Sure enough, while looking through Cook's Country magazines I found a recipe for... smothered cabbage. The recipe looked really simple and used only 5 ingredients, not including salt and pepper. Well, this cabbage turned out to be one of my favorite side dishes. I would place it somewhere in the top 3 range. This one is a definite keeper.
So far I've tried this side dish with smoked pork butt, brisket, rotisserie chicken and chicken francese and every time it felt like a perfect match. The cabbage comes out very tender with a slight crunch. Combined with the buttery softness of the waxy potatoes it makes a great contrast to grilled or pan-fried meat and poultry. There is a slight touch of sweetness and a hint of tang to this dish that make it so delicious. I can just eat it on its own without any meat.
If you want to make this smothered cabbage to become a meal on its own, try adding some smoked kielbasa or andouille sausage for that Cajun/Creole taste. I've been smoking those in my little smokehouse, they are a delicious addition to many meals. I updated the original recipe to optionally include sausage, it adds a ton of flavor to this dish.
Looking for more delicious vegetable side dish recipes? Check these out:
Smothered Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large head green cabbage about 2 1/2 lbs, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion quartered and sliced thinly
- 2 medium size Yukon Gold potatoes about 3/4 lb, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups sliced smoked kielbasa or andouille sausage optional
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large cast iron pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the butter starts to shimmer, add the sliced onion and saute, frequently stirring until just soft, about 3 minutes. If using sausage, add it together with the onion. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and bring to boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and cook uncovered until all almost all the remaining liquid in the pot has evaporated, stirring gently occasionally, about 12 minutes.
Nutrition
Michael says
This is one of my favorite recipes in stead of sausage I use smoked butt and the flavor of the smoked butt comes out great
victor says
Glad you liked it. Smoked pork butt sounds like a great addition. The possibilities are endless... brisket, chopped smoked jalapeno poppers or Texas twinkies, or pig shots... Happy cooking!
Gretchen says
We love this recipe - my husband is a real foodie and he said it is one of his absolute favorite dishes. We are vegetarian so I use vegetable broth. It was great without any meat but then I tried it with vegetarian Italian sausage crumbles and it was even more delicious. Even better, it makes a complete meal. Such a simple recipe with few ingredients - who would guess it could be so tasty. Thank you so much for this recipe!
victor says
You are very welcome, Gretchen. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it.
Jeana says
Do you have the nutrition information for this recipe. We are on low sodium diet (1500 mg/day) so the sodium content is something we look at closely and I am always looking for new low sodium recipes and we love cabbage.
victor says
Hi Jenna, I added the nutrition info. Enjoy!
Jenny Crawford says
We have tried this recipe recently and we are definitely going to eat it again! It was delicious! I love the simplicity of it and the flavor is great. I added a little ground mustard and dill to it and that was great! I am really glad that I came across this recipe because my husband really loved it. He’s not that great with new foods but since we married many years ago I have managed to get him to try sauerkraut and other things that he had not experienced before!!! I highly recommend this recipe! Try it!
Jen O says
This recipe was fantastic. I can't wait to make it again. I didn't include kielbasa because I was serving this as a side dish to some glazed kielbasa that I was making but I'm sure it would be good with kielbasa in it too. The only thing I changed was adding 2 cloves of minced garlic, which I highly recommend to anybody who likes garlic. It had a wonderful buttery taste.
Rebecca says
Made this tonight and it was amazing with the pork loin and mushroom sauce! Added carrots to the onions and served red with rice.
victor says
Glad to hear that, Rebecca. Love this smothered cabbage recipe, one of my favorite side dishes.
Joanie says
Sooooo yummy!! Made for St. Patrick’s Day! I will make much more often! I did add some butter and garlic for a little extra flavor. Just so delish and easy!
Rebecca says
I have been making this for 30 years! It's absolutely wonderful with smoked sausage or kielbasa. If you like this you would also like volcano potatoes. Same ingredients but different proportions. I LOVE cabbage and potatoes cooked together in any way shape or form. Both are also wonderful with carrots cooked in this.
Karina says
I so glad I tried this recipe! I am addicted now. It's so good! I like adding some bacon bits to this smothered cabbage and it's like a full meal.
victor says
Good to hear that, Karina! Enjoy!
1workngirl says
OMG, just finished a second bowl. I love cabbage but first time trying Yukon Gold. I see the hype! This was a complete meal for me sans protein. Very filling and just delicious. I especially appreciate your informative narrative with each recipe as I always learn something. Thank you!
victor says
Thank you, 1workngirl. Comments such as yours is what keeps me inspired and motivated. Glad you liked the recipe.