Tender cabbage with crispy bacon in a very light sauce is rich and hearty without becoming heavy. Creamed cabbage with bacon is a perfect accompaniment to a variety of main dishes and will warm you up on a cold day.
Creamed Cabbage Recipes
Move over creamed spinach, creamed cabbage is where it’s at for me these days. Cabbage was an acquired taste for me. I remember disliking the smell of cabbage that filled the house when my mom made it into soup. But when cooked to tender-crisp perfection, I’m all in.
I am thrilled to have finally fallen in love with cabbage. From oven-roasted cabbage with sausage and potatoes to cabbage and noodles or a fried cabbage breakfast skillet, this versatile vegetable can be part of the main dish in countless ways.
Roasted cabbage drizzled with balsamic, butter braised cabbage, or sweet and tangy purple coleslaw are just a few of the ways that cabbage shows up as a side dish in our house.
Cabbage with Bacon
Is there anything that isn’t made better with bacon? I cannot speak with authority for all flavors, but I can tell you that creamed cabbage with bacon is a winning combination.
Before you get to cooking, it’s important to select a good head of cabbage at the store. Look for any visual discoloration or dark spots. If there aren’t any, give it a squeeze. It should be tight and firm.
Lastly, give it the sniff test. If you’ve ever had the unfortunate luck to smell a cabbage head that was past its prime, then you’ll know why this is the last test we perform. It’s memorable to say the least.
In this recipe, we use the leftover grease from frying up the bacon to whisk together a buttery flour mixture in which we will saute the cabbage.
At the very end, we’ll stir in sour cream and let it melt to create the creamy sauce.
Topped with crumbled bacon pieces, the end result is absolutely loaded with flavor. Leftovers won’t be a problem with this dish.
Cabbage and Sour Cream
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:
- bacon
- butter
- flour
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- green cabbage
- sour cream
Creamed Cabbage with Bacon
Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate.
Add the butter to the pan with the warm bacon grease. When the butter has melted, add the flour and salt and whisk quickly until smooth.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and top with bacon.
For what it’s worth, I love cabbage soup now. The secret is in adding the cabbage last, ideally, you want a bit of crunch to remain. Just add it to the pot near the end of the cooking time and stir it in to barely wilt it.
Ready to try a great cabbage soup? Try this Italian Vegetable Beef Soup, White Bean and Cabbage Soup, or Ground Beef Cabbage Roll Soup next.
And, don’t worry about that cabbage smell you may remember from your childhood. The aroma is directly tied to how long you cook the cabbage; that’s why mom’s soup filled the whole house.
Creamed Cabbage with Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 large head cabbage cored and shredded, about 8 cups
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel lined plate.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan. Add the butter to the pan with the warm bacon grease. When the butter has melted, add the flour and salt and whisk quickly until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the cabbage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sour cream and top with bacon. Serve warm.
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