This oven baked 5-ingredient pork and cabbage casserole is the sort of dish that shows up when money is tight and the snow just won’t quit. My mother-in-law first brought it over one bitter winter evening when our pantry was looking bare and the power had flickered off twice already. She set down a glass baking dish full of tender pork and sweet, wilted cabbage with those golden, crispy edges, and we all ate until we were warm clear through. It uses only a handful of humble ingredients you can still find on sale in a small-town grocery store, but it bakes up into something hearty and comforting that stretches to feed a family without stretching the budget.
This casserole is plenty filling on its own, but it’s lovely with a basket of warm dinner rolls or buttered toast to soak up the juices. A scoop of mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes on the side turns it into a real stick-to-your-ribs plate. If you like a little color and crunch, add a simple carrot salad or sliced apples with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. A jar of pickles or pickled beets on the table feels right at home with this kind of farmhouse supper.
Oven-Baked Pork and Cabbage CasseroleServings: 4-6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder or pork butt, cut into small bite-size pieces
1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), cored and sliced into thick shreds
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral cooking oil, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt), plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup water
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish (a rectangular Pyrex works perfectly) with a little of the oil.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced cabbage and onion with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and the black pepper. Use your hands to work the oil and seasoning through so everything is lightly coated.
Spread half of the seasoned cabbage and onion mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. It will look like a lot, but it cooks down.
Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel so they brown better. Sprinkle them with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Scatter all of the pork pieces evenly over the cabbage layer in the dish, tucking them in so they’re nestled but still in a single layer as much as possible.
Top the pork with the remaining cabbage and onion mixture, spreading it out to cover the meat completely. Drizzle the last tablespoon of oil over the top and pour the 1/2 cup water around the edges of the dish.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake, covered, for 1 hour, until the cabbage has softened and the pork is starting to get tender.
After 1 hour, remove the foil, gently stir from the bottom to bring some of the juices up over the top, and spread everything back into an even layer.
Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the pork is very tender, the cabbage is wilted, and the top edges of the cabbage are turning golden and crispy.
Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed, then spoon into bowls, making sure everyone gets some of the browned bits from the edges of the dish.
Variations & Tips
If you like a little tang, splash a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar over the cabbage before baking; it gives the dish an old-fashioned, sauerkraut-style brightness without adding more ingredients. For a slightly richer casserole, dot the top with a few small pieces of butter before you cover it with foil, or substitute a couple tablespoons of the oil with bacon drippings if you keep a jar by the stove. You can also stretch this meal further by stirring in a few peeled and sliced potatoes or a handful of cooked rice during the last 20 minutes of baking. If you prefer darker, crispier edges, simply leave the dish in the oven for an extra 10 minutes uncovered, watching so it doesn’t burn. Leftovers reheat well in a skillet with just a splash of water, and the flavors deepen by the next day, making it an excellent make-ahead meal for busy or lean weeks.
