Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Balsamic

Close up of braised red cabbage in a blue bowl.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Balsamic

Easy to make, this slow cooked braised red cabbage is perfectly tender with sweet and tangy flavors from apples and balsamic vinegar. A delicious side for any occasion!

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 40

Total Time: 1 55

Servings: servings

Calories: 133kcal

Author: Betty Davies

Equipment

5qt Crockpot Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1 small red cabbage (about 2lbs / 900g)
1 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower etc)
1 onion (finely diced)
2 Granny Smith apples (finely diced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup balsamic vinegar (divided) (120ml)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Cut the red cabbage in half through the core. Remove the core with a sharp knife and cut each half in half again.
Cut the cabbage into thin strips and place into a large bowl. Top up with water and set to one side.
Heat the oil in a large pot on a medium high heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook til softened.
Add in the diced apple and minced garlic and cook for an additional couple of minutes, stirring to combine.
Add the brown sugar, balsamic, salt, pepper, ginger, cloves and cinnamon to the pot. Stir to combine and cook for a couple of minutes til fragrant.
Drain the water from the red cabbage, and add to the pot. Stir to combine and then place a tight fitting lid on the pot.
Cook for around 90 minutes, stirring gently every 30 minutes, til tender and to your liking.
If serving straight away, taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
If storing, let cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.

Notes

I highly suggest that you make this dish at least a day ahead of time. It's still yummy to serve as soon as it's ready, but it's so delicious in the following days!
The flavors in this dish will be enhanced as it sits, so I recommend not tasting it until you have reheated and are ready to serve it, then you can adjust the seasoning if needed.
When you cook the cabbage, make sure you use a pot with a tight fitting lid. This helps to stop the cabbage from drying out and also helps to preserve it's color.
I made this recipe in my 5qt Crockpot Dutch Oven and a small red cabbage fits in perfectly. Use a larger pot of a larger cabbage. The cabbage will shrink down as it cooks, so you can add in a bit at a time and let it cook down before adding the remaining.
Once cooked, there will be liquid left in the bottom of your pot. If serving straight away you can simply lift the cabbage out of the liquid. As it sits, this liquid will be absorbed by the cabbage.
Let cool completely before storing.

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