How to make Southern fried cabbage with bacon

Cooktop Cove: How to make Southern fried cabbage with bacon

By Emily Monaco

If you subscribe to a community-supported agriculture group or frequent a farmer's market, you know that cabbage is everywhere in winter – and after a while, it can be tough to come up with unique ways to use it. The recipe that follows will add new life to your cabbage-cooking routine. This dish brings out the natural sweetness of cabbage (and adds a whole lot of flavor, thanks to the bacon!)

The secret to success with this recipe is to avoid cooking the cabbage for too long. You want to cook out any bitterness, but overcooked cabbage can smell like sulfur and become less than appealing. As soon as you've cooked out the rawness, this dish is done.

Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon

10 minutes

20 minutes

30 minutes

3 ounces bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 1-pound head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp and it has rendered its fat. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion and red bell pepper to the fat in the pan and stir to combine. Cook about two minutes, until fragrant, then add the cabbage.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has cooked down slightly and is tender but not soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Season the cabbage with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Add the bacon back to the pan, toss thoroughly to heat and then serve.