German Red Cabbage

Jump to Recipe

This sweet, sour and salty traditional German red cabbage recipe is a delicious combination of flavors! It's also a healthy and very easy side dish that goes well with many meals.

German Red Cabbage | Easy Traditional Rotkohl Recipe - The Home Intent (1)

It's a popular German side dish that you'll find at most German restaurants.

But I'm not thinking of restaurants when I eat it.

This is food from my childhood right here, guys.

This dish will ALWAYS remind me of Christmas Eve dinner when we had a German food feast with my dad's side of the family every year growing up.

There was rouladen (recipe to come!), bratwurst, potato dumplings, red cabbage, sauerkraut and of course, mashed potatoes, gravy, a few different vegetables and buns. We stuffed ourselves and then somehow made room for dessert. Sound familiar?

Oh, I looked forward to it.

Now that I'm grown and 100% in charge of what I eat, I've started to make it more than on Christmas Eve, because it truly is delicious and nutritious.

I understand that it may sound a little strange and the unique flavor may be out of your comfort zone, but give it a try! It's always a great thing to expand your culinary skills and taste.

German Red Cabbage | Easy Traditional Rotkohl Recipe - The Home Intent (2)

Does German Red CAbbage Have Probiotics?

German red cabbage is made very differently from sauerkraut (fermented green or red cabbage). It is not fermented, just cooked, so it doesn't contain the probiotics that sauerkraut does. However, that doesn't mean it's not healthy!

Is German REd CAbbage Good For YOu?

Red cabbage is rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin K and contains decent amounts of Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, potassium, riboflavin, thiamine and many other vitamins and minerals.

What Does German Red Cabbage Taste Like?

German red cabbage is a lovely balance of sweet, sour and salty flavors. The red cabbage itself is slightly sweet, and so is the apple and maple syrup that is added. The sour taste comes from the apple cider vinegar and the salt comes from the bacon. It's really a delicious marriage of flavors!

What to Eat With German Red Cabbage

This is a perfect side dish especially for hearty meat main dishes, such as roast beef, chicken, pork chops ... pretty much anything! In Germany, it's often eaten with roasts, rouladen or bratwurst. Make it a fun new addition to your Sunday roasts!

German Red Cabbage | Easy Traditional Rotkohl Recipe - The Home Intent (3)

Tips for Making German Red cAbbage

The red cabbage stains easily, so if you don't want to stain your hands or clothes, wear disposable gloves and an apron.
You can use a knife, food processor, mandolin or vegetable peeler to shred the cabbage!
Use any variety of potato and apple.
Red cabbage often taste better the next day, so don't you dare waste those leftovers!

Variations of German Red Cabbage

You can use honey or brown sugar in place of the maple syrup.
Use lemon juice (⅓ cup), white vinegar (4 tbsp) or balsamic vinegar (start with about 3 tablespoon and add more to taste) if you don't have apple cider vinegar. The flavor will be slightly different, but not much.
Use a cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon, just remove it after cooking.
Many traditional recipes include juniper berries. My grandma never used those, so I never have, but if you have them, add 3-4 berries to the mix before cooking.
Some people prefer a crunchier cabbage and therefore don't cook it as long, while some like it to soften down to complete mush, cooking it much longer. It's your choice! I like it somewhere in the middle.
I like my red cabbage with more of a sour flavor than some people, so I add about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar after it's done cooking. If you have family members or dinner guests with different taste preferences, it's probably best to stick to the ⅓ cup vinegar used at the beginning.

Can German Red Cabbage Be Frozen?

This delicious dish can be frozen in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to one month. Simply thaw fully in the fridge, then reheat in a skillet or the microwave. This recipe does make a large amount, so freeze it for later if you won't be able to finish it within a few days.

German Red Cabbage | Easy Traditional Rotkohl Recipe - The Home Intent (4)

Food processor

Knife

Large dutch oven or pot

How to Make German Red Cabbage

Ingredients:

1 small head red cabbage
1 large potato
2 apples
1 cup bone broth (you could also use chicken broth or water)
1 large bay leaf (or 2 small bay leaves)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon maple syrup
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 package of bacon (about 12 oz or 340g)
sea salt, to taste (I use about 2 tsp)
black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Remove the tough outer leaves from the red cabbage, quarter it and cut the core out. Shred or thinly slice the cabbage into long skinny strips. You can do this with a knife, or cut the quarters into small sections and feed through your food processor, using the slicing attachment.

German Red Cabbage | Easy Traditional Rotkohl Recipe - The Home Intent (5)

Peel and shred the potatoes and peel, core and shred the apples. If you used the food processor for the cabbage, flip your blade attachment and shred the potatoes and apples.

Add shredded cabbage, potato, apple, broth, bay leaf, cinnamon, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar to a large pot or Dutch oven. The pot will likely be almost full.

German Red Cabbage | Easy Traditional Rotkohl Recipe - The Home Intent (6)

How to Store German Red Cabbage

Store leftover german red cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Since this recipe makes a large amount of cabbage, you can freeze some of it in freezer bags for up to 1 month. Simply thaw fully in the fridge and reheat in a skillet or microwave.

Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!

MORE HEALTHY SIDE DISHES

WARM QUINOA WITH LEMON AND HERBS
INSTANT POT MUSHROOM RICE
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER FLORETS
PAN-FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH GARLIC
CRISPY OVEN FRIES FROM SCRATCH

📖 Recipe

Yield: 10 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

This sweet, sour and salty traditional German red cabbage recipe is a delicious combination of flavors! It's also a healthy and very easy side dish that goes well with many meals.

Ingredients

1 small head red cabbage
1 large potato
2 apples
1 cup bone broth (you could also use chicken broth or water)
1 large bay leaf (or 2 small bay leaves)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon maple syrup
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 package of bacon (about 12 oz or 340g)
sea salt, to taste (I use about 2 tsp)
black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Remove the tough outer leaves from the red cabbage, quarter it and cut the core out. Shred or thinly slice the cabbage into long skinny strips. You can do this with a knife, or cut the quarters into small sections and feed through your food processor, using the slicing attachment.
Peel and shred the potatoes and peel, core and shred the apples. If you used the food processor for the cabbage, flip your blade attachment and shred the potatoes and apples.
Add shredded cabbage, potato, apple, broth, bay leaf, cinnamon, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar to a large pot or Dutch oven. The pot will likely be almost full.
Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid in the bottom begins to bubble. Turn down to medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened and reduced by about half.
While the cabbage is cooking, cut bacon into pieces and cook in a skillet over medium heat until crispy.
Remove from pan and add to cabbage. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste. (I usually add around 2 teaspoons sea salt and another 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.)

Notes

Store leftover German red cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.