For me Christmas wouldn’t be the same without braised red cabbage. Plus it’s really easy to make and it’s a great make ahead dish for Christmas and beyond!
My favourite festive dish…
If there is one dish I have to make at Christmas it is this one, forget the sprouts, stuff the turkey (sorry I couldn’t resist that gag), but for me Christmas wouldn’t be the same without braised red cabbage.
I love the taste, I love the colour, but most of all I love how the aromas of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg fill the house and make it smell and feel like Christmas. Plus it’s really easy to make and it’s a great make ahead dish for Christmas and beyond!
A great make-ahead dish
I usually make this on Christmas eve. It’s delicious with roast duck, lentils and mashed potato and brilliant reheated the next day and served with turkey and all the trimmings.
This recipe makes at least enough for 6 people for 2 days, if not more. Making it on Christmas eve means that’s one Christmas dish I’ve got done and out of the way before Christmas Day has even started. Plus having those gorgeous, Christmassy aromas wafting through my house really puts me in the mood for Christmas!
How to reheat braised red cabbage
To reheat this spiced red cabbage on Christmas Day is a doddle: just place the cabbage in a saucepan and add about 100 ml water. Heat gently with a lid on until the cabbage is hot (about 5 minutes) and serve! Easy peasy!!!
What to serve with Braised Red Cabbage?
This delicious spiced red cabbage pairs really well with roast meats such as turkey, duck and chicken. It would go brilliantly with…
Braised Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 500 g red cabbage sliced finely
- Salt and pepper
- 2 small red onions (or 1 large one) diced finely
- 1 large Bramley apple diced finely
- 1 clove garlic diced finely or crushed
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cloves ground
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
- 10 g butter
Instructions
- Prepare all your ingredients as directed above. Mix together the ground spices and brown sugar in a bowl. Preheat your oven to 160C / 140C fan / gas mark 3 / 325F.
- Arrange about a quarter of the cabbage at the bottom of a large casserole dish
- Sprinkle over about a third of the onions, a third of the apple, a third of the garlic and a third of the sugar and spice mix. Add a few twists of salt and pepper.
- Add another layer of cabbage, followed by another layer of onions, apple, garlic, spices, salt and pepper.
- Repeat a third time and then top with the remaining red cabbage.
- Pour over 3 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar (this will help preserve the colour of the cabbage, so don’t miss this step out!) and dot with approximately 10g of butter.
- Put a tight lid on the casserole dish (use foil if you don’t have a lid) and cook in your pre-heated oven for 2½ hours, stirring twice during cooking time.
- Serve immediately or leave to cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two.
Notes
- To reheat, simply place in a saucepan with approximately 100ml water and heat gently with a lid on until the cabbage is hot (about 5 minutes).
- Suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Pin Braised Red Cabbage for later
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Only Crumbs Remain / Angela says
Mmm, love this Eb. We’re off to my parents this Christmas so I think I’m going got offer to make this for the meal and take it with it and reheat it as you suggested it sounds delicious, Pinning.
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Angela! It is a brilliant make ahead recipe. It honestly tastes just as good reheated the next day – perhaps even slightly better! Eb x
Petra / Be Healthy Now says
I tried braised red cabbage in a restaurant before but I never made it at home since I didn’t know how, I do love though and I might even make it at home one weekend when I have some spare time.
#TastyTuesdays
Eb Gargano says
Thanks, Petra! It really is very easy to do. The cooking time is quite long but it doesn’t take much prep time and the result is so worth it!! Eb x
Sarah James @ Tales From The Kitchen Shed says
Your braised red cabbage looks delicious Eb & what a good idea to make it on Christmas Eve. Thanks for sharing x
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Sarah! Yes, I make this on Christmas Eve pretty much every year. I just love the smell of it filling the house – so Christmassy! Plus it’s lovely to have one dish sorted before Christmas Day has even started! Eb x
Mandy says
Lovely. A friend of mine makes something really similar and it’s absolutely delicious. Maybe I’ll add it to our Christmas menu this year too. Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Mandy! Eb x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
This looks and sounds so good! I love red cabbage and prefer it to the regular cabbage. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Eb Gargano says
It really does taste good and looks and smells so Christmassy!! Thanks for commenting, Kirsty! Eb x
Kerry at Kerry Cooks says
Ooh braised red cabbage is my absolute favourite! Really must make some this weekend! Thanks for sharing this with Festive Food Friday!
Eb Gargano says
One of my favourites too! Thanks for commenting, Kerry! Eb x
Corina says
I’ve also never made this before but I have eaten it at other people’s houses and I just love the gentle spicing and the Christmassy aromas. Thank you for another gorgeous entry to #CookOnceEatTwice
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Corina! It is one of my Christmas favourites. 🙂 And it is just as fantastic the next day – possibly slightly better! Thanks for hosting #CookOnceEatTwice. I’m sure I’ll be back in January 🙂
Corina Blum says
and thanks for sharing this again with #CookOnceEatTwice this year! It sounds like such a great side dish for Christmas and throughout winter too. x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Corina! It’s funny – I first shared it with COET in 2015!! Good that your linky is still going strong 😀 Eb x
Monika Dabrowski says
I really really like this recipe Eb! Great choice of spices and I love the fact you used a cooking apple. Sweet and tangy is always a good combination! #CookBlogShare
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Monika – and I totally agree. I love sweet and tangy!! Eb x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I love side dishes like this! The colour and the vinagery taste are my favourite thing with a roast dinner or a stew 🙂
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Cat – and yes I totally agree with you about that vinegary twang and the beautiful colour – so pretty!! (Though that does remind me of the time when my MIL steamed red cabbage and it turned out an attractive shade of light blue – hahaha!) Eb x
Karen says
My MIL said it tasted just like the one from the restaurant!
Given that it is stirred during cooking, is it necessary to do the layering? Or could it just all be stirred in a bowl before going in the oven? I’m sure there is probably a good reason for it. Just trying to save some effort!
Eb Gargano says
That’s so great to hear! Oooh – that’s a good question. I layer to ensure even distribution of all the ingredients and to avoid ‘clumps’, which can sometimes happen in recipes like this. (Nobody wants a mouthful of just garlic, or just nutmeg!) But if you want to speed things up, you might be able to get away with simply stirring, so long as you are careful to avoid ‘clumping’. Thanks for this lovely review… and especially the 5* rating 😀