12 Best Soul Food Southern Cabbage Recipes
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What do you do with an abundance of cabbage?
You can make any one of these many soul food cabbage recipes!
From Southern cabbage to Jamaican cabbage. Cabbage in the Instant Pot or corned beef and cabbage.
There are many flavorful ways to slice this delicious cruciferous veggie from the same leafy family as Southern collard greens!
Southern cabbage recipes are traditionally cooked standing over the stovetop and frying (or sautéing) cabbage in a large frying pan or skillet.
But there’s more than one way to cook a cabbage head!
What can all be made from cabbage?
Soul food cabbage recipes
- Southern cabbage
- Southern fried cabbage
- Jamaican cabbage
- Southern soul food coleslaw
- Southern red cabbage slaw
- No mayo coleslaw
- Pineapple coleslaw
- Instant Pot corned beef and cabbage
- Southern corned beef and cabbage
What can you add to cabbage for flavor?
Cabbage is a vegetable that can be eaten raw or cooked. As a main dish or often as it’s served as a side dish.
So if you’re looking for ways to add flavor to your cabbage, look no further than these Southern soul food cabbage recipes!
What can you put in your cooked cabbage?
Why is your cooked cabbage bitter?
Soul food cabbage recipes promise no more bitter, bland leafy vegetables!
With soul food flavor additions like chicken stock or broth, butter, crushed red pepper, garlic powder or minced garlic, onion or onion powder, seasoned salt, and Cajun or Creole seasoning, you’re always in for delicious, flavorful veggies!
Some folks also include Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce for an extra kick!
What is a Black folks’ Southern cabbage recipe?
A Black folks’ Southern fried cabbage recipe is a delicious and healthy way to enjoy one of Southern America’s favorite side dishes.
Like the wide varieties of soul food cabbage recipes, African American Southern cabbage includes sweet, savory flavors of Southern culture bubbling in butter and smothered in chicken stock with a dash of vinegar for mighty flavorful warmth.
Whether you’re planning to cook a weeknight meal or a soul food Sunday dinner, this dish is sure to satisfy!
How do you make Black folks Southern cabbage?
The simplest way? Place the cabbage and all ingredients into a pressure cooker for a meal ready in less than 5 minutes (4 minutes to be exact).
How do you make this recipe in an Instant Pot?
As mentioned above, soul food cabbage recipes can be prepared in the Instant Pot in only 4 minutes. (Wowza!) Fully cooked and infused with lots of flavors!
Don’t tell grandma – but you won’t even need the heavy pork ingredients or the ham hocks long cook times. And no more draining the bacon fat, bacon drippings, or bacon grease!
How long do you cook Southern-style cabbage?
It’s important to note that Southern-style cabbage can be cooked quicker in an Instant Pot.
For example, suppose you’re following a traditional stovetop recipe for this side dish. In that case, boiled cabbage takes about 20 minutes to cook when the lid comes off after boiling.
How long does it take to cook cabbage in an Instant Pot?
In contrast, with your Instant Pot, you only need to cook this Southern cabbage for 4 minutes on the high-pressure cook setting. Then followed by natural pressure release for an additional four minutes. That’s it!
What can you do with a large head of cabbage?
Check out these quick to cook cabbage recipes!
Soul food cabbage without meat
Simple soul food cabbage main dish recipes
What meat is used to season Black folks’ Southern cabbage?
Wondering if you need ham flavoring for this recipe?
It’s not required at all, but if you’re cooking with a Black folks soul food cabbage recipe, you may season with the addition of meat. The most commonly used is a ham hock, smoked turkey leg, smoked sausage, cooked bacon, and turkey bacon.
What goes good with cooked cabbage?
Southern soul food cabbage recipes can be served with various dishes like carrots and cabbage, sausage and cabbage, or corned beef and cabbage.
The following are just a few suggestions, but there are many more for you to explore with this fine Southern meal.
What do you serve this cabbage with?
- Soul food baked macaroni and cheese
- Southern creamy mashed potatoes
- Soul food brown sugar glazed carrots
What meat goes good with cabbage?
- Southern-style corned beef
- Southern fried chicken
- Southern whole chicken recipe
- Southern turkey recipe
- Jamaican oxtail recipe
- Brown sugar glazed ham recipe
Soul food cabbage recipes FAQs
Do you have to wash cabbage?
You should wash cabbage before cooking it. If you’re making coleslaw, you can use a paper towel to help dry the damp leaves.
How do you keep shredded cabbage crisp?
Chop the cabbage and then use it right away for it to stay crisp.
How do you cut cabbage?
Cut out the cabbage’s core and use a food processor or a knife to shred the cabbage leaves. (I remove the outer layer of cabbage leaves first and discard them before chopping.)
What part of cabbage do you not eat?
Spherical cabbage (green, red, or Savoy) will contain a tough, white stem that’s unpleasant to eat. You can discard this part of the cabbage cut.
You know to discard the first couple of outer leaves on the cabbage, right?
Taste and texture-wise, the cabbage’s outer leaves, core, and ribs are tough yet edible if prepared correctly.
Some people, like myself, discard the outer leaves, especially when making raw cabbage dishes like coleslaw.
Should the water cover the cabbage?
Yes, when cooking, the water should cover it like smothered cabbage. This ensures the cabbage cooks through and is more palatable and easier to chew. Otherwise, it’d be like eating coleslaw instead of tender cabbage!
Can you have cabbage on a keto diet?
So does cabbage help in weight loss?
There is such a diet called the cabbage diet. While I don’t know much about that diet other than the name, you can enjoy cabbage as part of the keto way of eating.
There’s no need to feel deprived when you’re eating cabbage on a keto diet! On the contrary, cabbage is high in fiber and low in calories, making it an excellent food for those who follow this plan.
Is it possible to substitute red cabbage for green cabbage?
Despite having different colors, red cabbages (purple cabbage) and green cabbages mostly have the same flavor. So they can be a substitute for one another in recipes.
Though more nutritious, red has disadvantages like discoloring other foods in salads or cooked dishes when combined for an extended time.
What is better, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is less acidic than white, which means it has a more mellow taste. It also contains healthy bacteria and enzymes that promote good digestion and overall health benefits for the body.
Due to its acidity, apple cider vinegar is an excellent dressing additive for Southern cabbage because it has less tang.
Can vegetable broth be used in place of the chicken broth, and if so, does it taste just as good?
Some people have been wondering whether or not they can swap vegetable broth for chicken broth in their favorite recipes. The answer is yes, and it tastes just as good!
Vegetable broths are made from various vegetables such as celery, carrots, onions, garlic, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Even though the flavor will slightly differ from chicken broth, it has many benefits nonetheless.
How many servings will one head of cabbage make?
Some might say that one head of cabbage can make 8-10 servings. Others may say it makes more like 6-7, depending on the size of the cabbage and how you prepare it.
Can cabbage be frozen for later use?
Cooked cabbage can be frozen, but not for an extended period. It’s best to freeze cooked cabbage and other leafy vegetables in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-lock bag, so they do not get freezer burn.
Wrapping the zip-lock bag in foil helps to preserve the freshness. Cooked cabbage should only be frozen for up to 3 months before it will start to lose its nutritional value and flavor.
How long does cabbage last in the fridge?
Soul food cabbage recipes are good for 3-5 days covered in an airtight container in the fridge.
What coin do you put in cabbage?
This is not an African American tradition, but some folks add a dime to the pot when serving New Year’s Day cabbage.
Why do you put a dime in cabbage?
So what does it mean when you eat cabbage on New Year’s?
Legend has it that the person who receives the serving with the dime in it will have good fortune and prosperity in the New Year!
What did you think of these soul food cabbage recipes?
Are you looking for a hearty and comforting dish to add to your meal rotation?
Look no further than these easy soul food cabbage recipes!
Have you had it?
Would you make it?
Comment below and lemme know.
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Equipment
- Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 4 pound cabbage 3-4 pound cabbage, chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup chicken broth or use vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup butter unsalted or vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning or Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cut out the cabbage's core and coarsely chop the leaves using a food processor or knife. (I remove the outer layer of cabbage leaves first and discard them before chopping.)
- Add the shredded cabbage and all the ingredients (onion, chicken apple cider vinegar, butter, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper) into the Instant Pot stainless steel inner pot.
- Sink the chopped cabbage as much as you can into the liquid broth.
- Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 4 minutes.
- To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
- Serve Black folks Southern cabbage recipe warm and enjoy!
Thank you for this recipe!!