German Red Cabbage recipe

In German we say: Essen und Trinken haelt Leib und Seele together. In translation: Eating and drinking keeps the body and soul together. When I miss Germany I like to cook foods that remind me of home...

Maybe you are looking for a hardy side dish to impress your friends with? Searching for your long lost German roots? Or maybe you simply need a veggie to take to a family potluck?


I got just the thing for you: German Red Cabbage.

In order to make it you need:

medium sized head of red cabbage
4 Tsp butter
half of a large onion or small onion sliced
2 small apples, on the tart side, washed, cored, skin left on, chopped roughly
3 Tsp vinegar (I use cider or red wine vinegar)
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves or 4 whole cloves
1/2 cup chicken broth
red wine
pepper and salt to taste

1. Melt butter in a large pot and add chopped onion and apple pieces. Let them soften for a a few minutes over low to medium heat.

2. Add shredded cabbage with a bit of water. Put the lid on and wilt the cabbage, turning it a few times.

3. Add spices, vinegar, broth, sugar, and simmer cabbage until it becomes soft, about 20-30 minutes

4. add some raisins and a few splashes of red wine. The red wine helps the cabbage to maintain a nice red color... Simmer slowly for another 15 minutes.

This recipe makes a large serving that will feed 8-10 people. Germans serve it for festive occasions with poultry such as goose or a Sunday roast. But it makes a great side to any meat dish. Red cabbage tastes best if made a day ahead. You can also cook it in the morning and reheat it for dinner to make it perfect! It can be frozen in a container and used another day when you don't have time to cook...

Hope you try it and let me know how the family liked it!