Butter Braised Cabbage

Butter Braised Cabbage seasoned perfectly with salt and pepper is one of the simplest yet tastiest side dishes you can make.

Butter Braised Cabbage

Tender crisp cabbage cooked in butter is so good! (There aren’t many things that aren’t even better with butter, right?) Cooked cabbage is not the limp, flavorless vegetable you might initially think it is. Remember to taste and season generously and you just might wind up liking it as much as we do!

Cabbage has long been a favorite vegetable of mine. I realize that is not the case for everyone. I have a good friend who wrinkles her nose at the mention of cabbage and her kids think similarly. Naturally, I have been on a mission to convince her otherwise.

She started by making her family Cabbage and Noodles. Instant hit! Her eleven-year-old rated it a 4.5 out of 5. It missed a perfect score because he said, “it wasn’t very pretty.” Which is fair, as it isn’t a super colorful dish. However, three servings later, it was clearly a win with him – pretty or not.

I am pretty sure that this Butter Braised Cabbage is going to be their next favorite. You can use any cabbage variety you like green cabbage, savoy, or napa cabbage. I just use green cabbage I like the slightly sturdier texture it keeps when you braise it.

If I am feeling a bit fancy, I use napa cabbage because the leaves are frilly and there is more variation to the green colors and it just looks a little prettier.

Butter Cabbage

The ingredients are super simple and very easy to find.

•  butter 
• green cabbage 
• freshly ground black pepper
• kosher salt

Buttery Cabbage Recipe

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large deep-sided skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cabbage and toss to coat.
2. Cook, while stirring occasionally, until cabbage is hot and crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes. Cover with a lid in between stirring times, to cook a little more quickly.
3. Uncover and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir to melt the butter and coat the cabbage. Remove from the heat.
4. Taste the cabbage and season with salt and pepper to taste.

I like the texture of cabbage best when it is a little bit crunchy yet. If you prefer it slightly softer, you can cover the skillet with a lid during the cooking process to wilt it a bit more. A lid will also help it cook more quickly if you are short on time, just check for doneness as it cooks.

Cabbage Recipes

Cabbage is such a delicious vegetable, trust me on this one. It is the perfect accompaniment to so many main dishes.

Fried Cabbage with crispy bacon and slightly wilted cabbage is a classic not to sleep on. Let’s face it bacon is every vegetable’s best friend.

Fried cabbage has become an easy go-to at our house. Be sure to try it in a breakfast skillet with bacon, potatoes, and a nice soft egg on top. This Misen pan is the perfect skillet for making fried cabbage.

Oven-roasted cabbage with balsamic and roasted onions is nothing short of a crazy obsession. Try it and you will understand.

Change it up from the classic creamed spinach and serve your family creamed cabbage; a crisp, barely wilted cabbage in a creamy sauce or make it creamed with bacon.

There are so many great ways to cook cabbage! Once you’ve mastered sauteeing you really have to try roasting it or even tossing it in the air fryer.