Braised Cabbage

4.50 from 8 votes

My Braised Cabbage with Bacon is a traditional Romanian dish consisting of braised cabbage and smoked meat! One of my favorite dishes growing up, this delicious braised cabbage is incredible easy to make requiring only a few simple ingredients.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: romanian

Servings:

Calories: 357kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

1 small green cabbage cabbage
2 tablespoons butter unsalted
1 large onion chopped
8 ounces smoked bacon cut into ½ inch pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2½ cup water
2 bay leaves
salt to taste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
¼ cup fresh dill chopped

Instructions

Prep oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Prep the cabbage: Place the shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt over it. Rub the cabbage between your clean hands then let it rest for 5 minutes.
Cook onion and bacon: In a large oven safe skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the bacon to the skillet and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until some of the fat from the bacon has rendered.
Combine the rest of ingredients: To the skillet, add the cabbage, tomato paste, water, dill, bay leaves and spices. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer.
Braise in the oven: Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Braise for 45 minutes covered. Uncover the skillet and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. The juices from the cabbage should be almost gone when it's done.
Serve: Serve warm.

Notes

I know it may look like a lot of cabbage as you are shredding it, but trust me it will cook down. You need about 6 to 8 cups of shredded cabbage.
Don't over salt the cabbage! I tend to be careful with the salt, because for whatever reason this dish always seems saltier when it's done cooking.
Make sure you use a pot or a skillet that is oven proof.
Store leftover braised cabbage with bacon in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, or on the stovetop over medium heat.
Let the braised cabbage cool down fully before transferring to an airtight container and popping it in the freezer. It’ll last 3 months frozen! Thaw either in the microwave or let it thaw fully in the fridge for a day before reheating on the stove.

Nutrition