Name: Spicy Fried Cabbage and Onions
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3 Tbs bacon fat; 1 cup red onion, sliced; 1/2 cup rice cooking wine (may substitute other wines or apple cider vinegar); 1 Tbs garlic, minced; 2 Tbs ginger, minced; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 Tbs Gochujang Korean Chili Paste (may substitute hot sauce); 3 handfuls of Asian-style cabbage (may substitute any cabbage variety); Sesame seed or Everything Bagel Sesame Blend.

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Spicy Fried Cabbage and Onions is a simple but flavor-packed Asian-inspired fried cabbage recipe. Bacon fat, onions, garlic and Gochujang round out the flavors and heat in this perfect side dish dinner solution. Easy and fast to make, a weeknight dinner solution.

Fried Cabbage and Onions on white plate and garnished with lemon wedge and sesame seeds.

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My favorite way to make a delicious cabbage recipe is to use bacon fat, garlic, onions and a little something extra like Maple syrup or Gochujang Korean chili paste. This makes for a nice surprise on that first bite. If you don’t have bacon, smoked paprika would work nicely in order to add a little smoky flavor. You can cook this along side some pork chops or sausage like bratwurst, andouille or kielbasa for an easy weeknight dinner solution.

Regional Variations of Fried Cabbage Recipes

Where ever you can find cabbage grown, you can find fried cabbage dishes. Frying fresh cabbage is simple and requires no special cooking skills or equipment. The flavors are regional’s in nature and distinctive. Feel free to experiment with different aromatics and spices. Cabbage is really a blank canvas. Use the flavor profiles below for inspiration.

SOUTHERN FRIED CABBAGE – collard greens, bacon grease, slices of bacon, red pepper flakes, onions, salt & black pepper.
GUJARATI FRIED CABBAGE – green cabbage, asafetida, black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, tomatoes, green pepper or any variety of chili pepper, cilantro, lime juice, salt & sugar.
RUSSIAN FRIED CABBAGE – green or red cabbage, pork, onions, carrots, sour cream, catsup, bay leaves, brown sugar, salt & olive oil.
IRISH FRIED CABBAGE WITH POTATOES – also known as Irish Colcannon, cabbage, potatoes, butter, green onions, sour cream.
ASIAN-STYLE FRIED CABBAGE – Napa cabbage or Bok Choi, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, green onion, cilantro, sesame seeds, sugar.

Optional Seasoning & Flavor Enhancers

Creole or Cajun seasoning blend
Apple cider vinegar
Red pepper flakes
Sichuan peppercorns
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Vegan bacon, turkey bacon
White, red or yellow onions
Hot sauce or chili paste
Paprika
Ground turkey, beef, chicken or pork
Corned beef

Types of Cabbage

Collard greens
Bok Choi
Napa cabbage
Green or purple cabbage

Fat Used

Olive oil
Neutral oil like grape seed or sunflower
Bacon fat
Butter

How to Make This Recipe

Chopped cabbage stems and red onions in pot. — In a large pot or frying pan, cook fat over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook until soft.

Rice cooking wine pouring into pot. — Next add your liquid such as rice cooking wine. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Garlic, ginger, Gochujang added to pot and stirred. — Add aromatics such as chili peppers, sliced red or yellow onion or onion power, garlic, stirring frequently. Cook until aromatics are soft, then add spices. Stir constantly for one minute.

Cabbage leaves added to pot. — Add cabbage, stir and cover.

Cabbage leaves added to pot and stirred.

Cooked dish without cover. — Cook for about 3 minutes or until cabbage leaves are wilted. Garnish as desired.

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Do you have a favorite recipe for cabbage? Do you have a favorite childhood memory of your Grandmother cooking in the kitchen? Leave a comment, I learn so much from you all!

Spicy Fried Cabbage and Onions

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

This fried cabbage recipe gets its heat and flavor from Korean chili paste and bacon fat. Perfectly seasoned with garlic, ginger, red onion and rice cooking wine.

Ingredients

3 Tbs bacon fat
1 cup red onion, sliced
1/2 cup rice cooking wine (may substitute other wines or apple cider vinegar)
1 Tbs garlic, minced
2 Tbs ginger, minced
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs Gochujang Korean Chili Paste (may substitute hot sauce)
3 handfuls of Asian-style cabbage (may substitute any cabbage variety)

Garnish

Sesame seed or Everything Bagel Sesame Blend.

Instructions

Add bacon fat, onions and cabbage stems to large pot over medium heat. Stir frequently and cook until onions and cabbage stems are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add cooking wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to dissolve the brown bits.
Add ginger, garlic, chili paste, salt and stir for one minutes.
Add cabbage, stir and cover with a lid. Cook for 3 minutes.
Check to see if cabbage is wilted and cooked through, check for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Serve with sesame seed garnish.