German Red Cabbage
German Red Cabbage (German: Rotkoh) is one of Germany’s most popular side dishes.
Beautiful purple-red cabbage is cooked till perfectly tender. This simple side dish strikes the perfect balance between savory, sweet, and sour.
You can serve this easy side dish with Schnitzel, a complimentary side of Spätzle (German egg noodles), and Creamy Cucumber Salad. Finish it with a slice of Streuselkuchen, and you’ve got a perfect German meal.
Good To Know
In the area of Germany I grew up in (the beautiful city of Düsseldorf), Red Cabbage is called Rotkohl. But in other parts of Germany, primarily the south and German-speaking Austria, red cabbage is known as ‘Blaukraut’ or ‘Rotkraut.’
However, all of these terms refer to the same vegetable. And no matter what you’ll call it, this easy recipe is simple and delicious.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
BUTTER – Use unsalted butter.
APPLES – Granny Smith apples add a subtle hint of tartness.
ONION – You can use sweet, yellow, or even white onions.
RED CABBAGE – Look for heavy heads with bright colors. You can find red cabbage all year long, but the peak season is between late summer and early winter.
SUGAR – We’ll use a bit of granulated sugar to balance the tartness and get that delicious sweet and tangy taste.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR – This vinegar provides acidity and flavor.
RED WINE – Adds depth of flavor.
HERBS & SPICES: To season the red cabbage, we need bay leaf, fresh sage, and a couple of cloves.
How To Make Red Cabbage
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Use a large knife to shred the cabbage. The thinner you’ll cut the cabbage, the less time it will take to cook tender.
- Peel and chop onions. Core and dice green apple. Measure and set out the rest of your ingredients.
- Use a large pot and melt butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add onions, apples, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for 6-7 minutes.
- Add shredded cabbage and immediately pour in apple cider vinegar and red wine. This will ensure the cabbage’s color remains vibrant.
- Add sage, bay leaf, and cloves. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cabbage is tender. Season cooked red cabbage with salt and pepper.
More German Side Dishes
Leftovers
STORE – Got leftovers? Store the cooked cabbage in an airtight container. It will last for 3-5 days in the fridge.
REHEAT – When it’s time to reheat, warm over medium-low heat on the stovetop.
Recipe Success Tips
This recipe is all about cabbage.
To find good cabbage, look for these signs:
- The head should feel heavy.
- Avoid heads that have discolored or dried-out outer leaves.
- The leaves are not separating from the stem.
- Smaller heads (about 2 pounds or less) are more tender.
How Shred Cabbage by Hand
- Begin by turning the cabbage upside down and cutting it with a sharp knife into four quarters.
- Put each of the quarters on its side. Hold the knife at an angle and slice out the core from the to the bottom. Discard the core.
- Hold your knife at an angle to shred the cabbage and cut by thinly slicing each quarter crosswise.
Did you know that a cabbage’s core is eatable, but it mostly gets discarded because it is not as tender as the outer leaves?
More Easy and Delicious German Recipes
Braised Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 2 green apples diced
- 1 medium head red cabbage shredded
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup red wine
Instructions
- Use a large pot (or Dutch Oven) and melt butter over medium-high heat. Once melted add onions, apples, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté for 6-7 minutes.
- Add shredded cabbage. Immediately pour in apple cider vinegar and red wine. This will ensure the color of the cabbage remains rich and vibrant.
- Add sage, bay leaf, and cloves. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 30-35 minutes stirring occasionally until the cabbage is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Equipment
Video
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett grew up in German kitchens learning to cook and bake alongside her Omas before spending over a decade running full-service restaurants in the US. She founded Cheerful Cook in 2017 to share practical, tested comfort food recipes that actually work on busy weeknights, drawing on both her American restaurant experience and her German home-cooking roots. Her work has been featured on MSN, Yahoo, the Associated Press, and other major media outlets.
I love German Rotkohl. Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Loved it. I made it last week and am making more today. Thank you for the great, simple recipe!
Turned out perfect 🤩