Being Nutritious

  • All Posts
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Nutrition Needs
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Nutrition Needs
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
×
Home » All posts » Side Dishes

Heart Healthy Southern-Style Cabbage

Updated: Jul 19, 2022 · Published: Jan 22, 2021 by Laura Yautz · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This simple, healthy Southern style cabbage dish is so unassuming, but so delicious! It's great on top of burgers, sausage, or all by itself! Topping this smoky, tangy veggie off with some grainy mustard just takes it over the top.

Traditional Southern fried cabbage, while delicious, isn't the best for a healthy heart. It's typically laden with butter and bacon, and usually even fried in the bacon grease. Yum, right? Well, I agree, but that's not a dish that should make a regular appearance on our menus. Enter: my heart healthy Southern-style cabbage. We use a splash of liquid smoke to give it that smoky, bacony flavor, and add some tangy vinegar to complement it.

Sautéed cabbage on a plate.

Is cabbage healthy?

Cabbage might not be as high in nutrition as some other vegetables, so it often get overlooked. But cabbage is high in vitamin C and fiber - excellent for these winter months to help support the immune system. It's also incredibly low in calories, making it useful in weight maintenance. Additionally, cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable, meaning it contains anti-cancer sulfur compounds. Cabbage definitely deserves a spot on your table!

FAQs and Substitutions for this recipe

Consider these tips and substitutions for this cabbage dish:

  • Use any kind of cabbage you like - purple cabbage would be great!
  • Try using a leek instead of an onion if you have it. Fancy!
  • Rice vinegar or another type of vinegar that doesn't have a dark color can be used instead of apple cider vinegar. Balsamic vinegar would not be a great choice because of its dark color (unless you don't mind your dish reflecting that color).
  • Consider serving your cabbage with Garlic Miso Smashed Potatoes and Easy Skillet Tempeh.
  • Reduce prep time by buying pre-shredded cabbage. Even a coleslaw mix (without dressing) with carrots would be fine.

Try these other recipes that include cruciferous veggies: Easy Vinegar Coleslaw, Grilled Broccoli and Onions, Cauliflower Salad with Apricots and Toasted Hazelnuts, and Brussels Sprout, Sweet Potato, and Black Bean Tostadas.

If you make this Healthy Southern Cabbage, let me know in the comments!

📖 Recipe

Sautéed cabbage on a plate.

Heart Healthy Southern-Style Cabbage

Laura Yautz
This simple side dish of smoky, tangy cabbage is so unassuming, but so delicious! It's great on top of burgers, sausage, or all by itself! Don't forget to top it with grainy mustard. Excellent!
4.67 from 3 votes
Prevent your screen from going dark
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, vegetable
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 69 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, halved and sliced thin
  • 1 small Head of Cabbage (or ½ large head), shredded (will yield 6-7 cups)
  • 2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
  • To serve: Grainy mustard

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large pan, over medium heat.
  • Add onion and cabbage, and saute until soft, and the volume is reduced by roughly half.
  • Add the apple cider vinegar and liquid smoke, and continue to saute about 10 minutes, until the cabbage is very soft, and mixture appears caramelized (most of the green from the cabbage should disappear).
  • Serve immediately, over burgers, sausage, or alone, with a grainy mustard.

Nutrition

Calories: 69kcal (3%)Carbohydrates: 8.5g (3%)Protein: 1.6g (3%)Fat: 3.7g (6%)Saturated Fat: 0.5g (3%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2.5gSodium: 25.4mg (1%)Potassium: 303.9mg (9%)Fiber: 2.9g (12%)Sugar: 1.4g (2%)Vitamin A: 6.3IUVitamin C: 46.1mg (56%)Calcium: 56.2mg (6%)Iron: 0.7mg (4%)

*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.

Keyword fried cabbage, healthy fried cabbage, healthy southern cabbage
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sautéed cabbage on a plate. Text overlay: Southern-style cabbage; all the flavor, heart healthy!
Sautéed cabbage on a plate. Text overlay: Heart Healthy Southern-style cabbage; tangy and smoky!
Sautéed cabbage on a plate. Text overlay: Heart Healthy Southern-style cabbage; tangy and smoky!
Sautéed cabbage on a plate. Text overlay: Heart Healthy Southern-style cabbage; tangy and smoky!
Sautéed cabbage on a plate. Text overlay: Heart Healthy Southern-style cabbage; tangy and smoky!

More Side Dishes

  • Overhead image of a bowl of cooked red cabbage.
    Slow Cooker Red Cabbage (German Style)
  • Overhead image of Halloween pasta salad in a dish.
    Halloween Pasta Salad with Spooky Mushroom Skulls
  • Pumpkin steel cut oats risotto in a heart shaped bowl, garnished with fresh sage leaves and chopped parsley.
    Slow Cooker Pumpkin Risotto with Steel Cut Oats
  • Slices of roasted acorn squash on a plate over sage pesto with pepitas.
    Sage Pesto with Pepitas on Roasted Acorn Squash

Comments

    4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Dianna Reynolds says

    January 23, 2021 at 1:14 pm

    5 stars
    Sounds like a delicious side for a meal!

    Reply
Laura Yautz in her kitchen

Hi, I'm Laura!

I’m a Registered Dietitian and I love food and cooking, It’s my passion to help you discover how delicious and easy heart healthy eating can be! I’m glad you’re here! Take a look around. You’re going to LOVE Being Nutritious!

About Me
Enroll in the FREE EMAIL COURSE to make your kitchen heart healthy!
Want to say thank you?

Seasonal Spring Recipes

  • Grilled tempeh triangles in a line on a plate, topped with peach relish and drizzled with balsamic glaze.
    Grilled Tempeh with Summery Peach Relish
  • Casserole dish with stuffed peppers in it.
    No Bake Chickpea Stuffed Peppers
  • Overhead image of whole eggless quiche in a pie plate.
    Eggless Quiche with Spring Veggies
  • Three small jars of smoothie, with straws.
    Banana Beet Smoothie
  • Bowl of lentil and mushroom stew, garnished with parsley.
    Instant Pot Irish Stew with Lentils and Mushrooms
  • Whole, unsliced loaf of bread, sprinkled with oats.
    Irish Wheaten Bread
  • Two tall glasses of a smoothie, garnished with a fresh strawberry.
    Pink Smoothie
  • Single muffin on a dish. A stack of muffins is visible in the background.
    Cinnamon Raisin Muffins

Footer

Sign up for free emails and updates!

Sign me up →
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Contact
  • Services
  • ↑ back to top

As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases. Your purchase helps me keep the lights on, at no additional cost to you! I never recommend products that I don't love. Thanks for your support!

Copyright © 2025 Being Nutritious. All rights reserved

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsAcceptReject
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.