Perfect Sauteed Cabbage (Healthy Side Dish!)

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

Cabbage might not be the sexiest of vegetables, but we kind of love it here. Spicy and creamy coleslaw is one of summer’s biggest treats, and we could eat a helping between the two of us. And what would the world be without sauerkraut? Here’s our newest favorite in our series of the best cabbage recipes: this perfectly sautéed cabbage! It only takes 10 minutes to sauté in a tender, savory blend of flavors. Lemon, garlic and black pepper give it rock star veg status. You’ll love this flavorful way to prepare cabbage – it’s an easy side dish to add to any meal.

Also try: Perfectly cooked cabbage

Ingredients for sautéed cabbage

Sauteed cabbage hardly needs any added flavoring to make it taste good. In fact, you could probably get away with just using olive oil and salt here! But we wanted to intensify it a bit, so there’s a dash of garlic powder and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for the shine. Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Kale: The green variety is slightly sweeter than the red and is our favorite for this recipe. But you can substitute the red cabbage if you like!
• Olive Oil and Butter: One of our favorite tricks for adding flavor: a mixture of olive oil and butter! For a vegan diet, you can use any olive oil.
• Garlic Powder and Black Pepper: These add just the right savory, tangy flavor.
• Fresh lemon juice: Don’t miss out! The lemon adds just the right amount of sparkle to the flavor.

How to sweat cabbage

There’s really no trick to skipping cabbage. It’s quick to cook and there aren’t many technical hints. Here’s what you need to know:

• Grate the cabbage. This is the only difficult part! Below are some tips.
• Heat olive oil and butter: Fat is always used for sautéing. Heat the olive oil and melt the butter before adding the cabbage.
• Cook the cabbage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The word saute comes from the French word saute, which means to jump. That means you have to make the veggies jump into the pan! Stir often to ensure your vegetables cook evenly.

Tip: How to Shred Cabbage… Fast!

Have you ever had trouble cutting cabbage? It’s easy to chop cabbage and make 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 scraps. Here’s what to do:

1. cut root: Remove and discard any outer layers of cabbage that appear tough or not fresh. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the root of the cabbage.
2. quarters: Halve the cabbage through the stalk. Then cut into quarters.
3. cut root: Remove the root from the cabbage by slicing it in two diagonally.
4. cut across: Using a knife, cut the cabbage lengthwise into thin slices in a circular motion.

Do you want to see it? Here is a video showing how to cut cabbage.

Variations on sautéed cabbage

This sautéed cabbage recipe is simple, but packs a really big flavor of garlic and lemon. Here are some other flavors you could try mixing together:

• Eastern European styling: Boil with 1 teaspoon caraway and finally add apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.
• Asian style: Sauté with sesame oil and finally season with soy sauce and rice vinegar. (That 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.

Ways to serve sautéed cabbage

Ready to make a meal out of it? There are so many ways to serve sautéed cabbage! It goes perfectly with chicken, fish or vegetarian dishes. Here are some options:

This sautéed cabbage recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free. Use olive oil instead of butter (or omit it) for plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free products.

Easier side dish recipes

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