This spicy braised red cabbage with apple and onion is traditionally served on high days and holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, it’s so easy to make and tastes so delicious that I think it should be served as often as possible. I’ve got lots of tips and hints for making the perfect braised red cabbage, and also a couple of secret ingredients that make this dish the perfect vegetable to serve any day of the week.
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Secrets to the perfect spicy braised red cabbage
If you think that vegetables are bland and boring, then think again! This recipe for spicy braised red cabbage with apple and onion turns a simple vegetable into the star of the show. Over the years I’ve cooked red cabbage with varying amounts of success – sometimes the spice mixture wasn’t quite right and other times it just didn’t have enough flavour. But finally, I’ve hit on the perfect combination of spices and other ingredients to make the perfect red cabbage dish.
The main secret is in the spice mix. Red cabbage love spices, but getting the ratio of the different spices to be just right can be quite tricky. The main spices in red cabbage are star anise, fennel, cinnamon and cloves. Get this combination wrong and you may end up with red cabbage that is either too bitter (too many cloves) or just doesn’t taste quite right.
I’ve found that the trick is to use a blend of Chinese 5-spice powder, which contains all these spices in a perfect ratio. Not just any old blend though. I’ve tested many different brands and found that the blend of spices in Schwartz 5-spice powder is perfect. I buy it in the spice aisle of my local supermarket, and I’ve included a link to Amazon so you can see what I’m talking about. The ratio of the spices is the perfect mix for getting delicious braised red cabbage every single time. Now it might sound a bit strange to add Chinese 5-spice powder to red cabbage, but believe me, this just works!
The second secret is to cook the red cabbage in vegetable stock instead of water. This adds tons of flavour as the stock gets absorbed into the cabbage as it cooks. If you don’t have fresh vegetable stock, a stock cube is absolutely fine. And don’t forget to mix in some brown sugar and balsamic vinegar into the stock before you add it to the cabbage. The vinegar adds a nice hint of sharpness, which is tempered by the sweetness of the sugar.
Ingredients you will need
To make spicy braised red cabbage with apple and onion you will need these ingredients.
**You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Onion – use one large finely-sliced white onion for every 500 grams (1 pound) of cabbage. You can substitute this with red onion if you prefer.
Apple – I like to use Granny Smith apples because they have a hint of tartness, but any cooking apple will be fine. Once again, you will need one large apple for every 500 grams (1 pound) of red cabbage.
Brown sugar – for sweetness and to counteract the tartness of the balsamic vinegar.
Balsamic vinegar – for a nice tang, and it also preserves the colour of the cabbage during cooking.
Chinese 5-spice powder – my preferred blend is made by Schwartz. Red cabbage is normally flavoured with star anise, cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of ginger and black pepper. These spices are all found in Chinese 5-spice powder, so I just use the 5-spice powder for convenience. It means I don’t have to fish around in the cooked cabbage to remove and star anise and cloves before serving. Chinese 5-spice powder also contains a small amount of ground fennel which I think goes well with the red cabbage.
Salt – I normally add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the cabbage and once it has cooked, taste it and add more salt if I think it needs it. You can adjust the amount of salt to your own taste, or leave it out altogether if you are on a salt-free diet.
Vegetable stock cube – instead of boiling the cabbage in water, I dissolve one vegetable stock cube in one cup of boiling water, and let the cabbage simmer away in that. You could just plain water for cooking the cabbage if you prefer. I also find that one cup of stock (or water) is sufficient for cooking 500 grams or 1 pound of red cabbage. Don’t add too much water upfront – the cabbage will release a lot of moisture as it cooks and you don’t want to drain any of the lovely spices away once it has been cooked. All the liquid should be absorbed into the cabbage once it has cooked and you should not need to drain it. Keep your eye on it as it cooks and only top it up with a small amount of additional liquid if absolutely necessary.
How to make it
The first step is to chop up the red cabbage and onions and get them on to boil.
- Cut the red cabbage in half down the middle and then cut each half into half again. Cut away the core by slicing it diagonally away from the cabbage and remove any tough or wilted outer leaves.
- Slice the cabbage into approximately 1 cm slices (just less than half an inch). Don’t slice it too thinly – you want a bit of texture in the cabbage once it has cooked. Image 1 below shows the approximate size.
- Peel the onion, cut it in half (top to bottom) and then slice it into thin semi-circles.
- Place the sliced onion and red cabbage in saucepan.
- Dissolve the stock cube in one cup of boiling water and stir in the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt and spices. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved and then pour it over the cabbage and onions.
- Cover the pan with a lid and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts to boil, turn down the heat to simmer and leave for about 30 minutes until the cabbage has softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed. (2).
- Now peel the apple and chop it roughly and add to the cabbage (3)
- Replace the lid and simmer for about 10 minutes until the apple has disintegrated into the cabbage.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt if you think it needs it.
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Questions
Yes, you can freeze this spicy braised red cabbage for up to three months, either in a freezer bag or plastic container. Freeze it in meal-sized portions for easier defrosting.
Allow it to defrost and then reheat either in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove until piping hot.
Yes, just cook as per the recipe instructions, allow to cool and then store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat either in a pan on the stove or in the microwave.
Apart from adding flavour, the acidity of the vinegar helps maintain the red/purple colour of the cabbage. If you were to add an alkaline substance such as bicarbonate of soda, it would cause the cabbage to turn blue.
If you would like to scale this recipe up, just double the ingredients.
Pin for later
If you would like to try this spicy braised red cabbage yourself, why not pin the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily. Just click the image below.
Other recipes
You may also enjoy these other vegetable recipes:
- Easy cauliflower rice
- Cheesy zucchini bake
- Copper penny salad (sweet and sour carrots)
- Creamy leek and brussels sprouts bake
- Buttered cabbage and leeks with mustard seeds
- Traditional British mushy peas
- Glazed carrots (Vichy carrots)
The recipe
Spicy braised red cabbage
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500 grams) red cabbage Core and outer leaves removed and finely sliced
- 1 large Granny Smith apple Peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 large red or white onion Peeled and finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 vegetable stock cube Dissolved in one cup of boiling water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the chopped cabbage and onions into a large saucepan.1 pound (500 grams) red cabbage, 1 large red or white onion
- Dissolve the stock cube in one cup of boiling water and add the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, 5-spice powder and salt. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then add it to the cabbage and onions in the saucepan.2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 vegetable stock cube, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cover the pan with a lid and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts to boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and leave for about 30 minutes until the cabbage has softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add the chopped apple to the cabbage in the saucepan.1 large Granny Smith apple
- Replace the lid and simmer for about 10 minutes until the apple has disintegrated into the cabbage.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt if you think it needs it.
Notes
Allow it to defrost and then reheat either in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove until piping hot. Make in advance and store the cooled red cabbage in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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