Name: Fried Cabbage With Bacon
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 4 strips bacon ({roughly chopped}); 2 tsp sesame oil; 1/2 cup onion ({sliced}); 1/2 cup celery ({~2 stalks, thinly sliced}); 3 cups green cabbage ({roughly chopped or shredded}); salt and pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

A speedy 10-minute side dish, Fried Cabbage With Bacon is a delicious and fast recipe that everyone will love! This bacon-fried cabbage is sure to become a family favorite.

a grey bowl with bacon fried cabbage and a fork.

This fried cabbage with bacon comes together in about 10-15 minutes, which makes it perfect for a busy weeknight. The cabbage takes on an almost sweet flavor and pairs perfectly with the salty bacon.

This side dish is easy and wickedly affordable to make. But tell everyone it took forever so that they are impressed by you.

This recipe is similar to Southern fried cabbage in that it contains cabbage, bacon, and onion. Southern fried cabbage also usually includes red pepper flakes, vinegar and/or mustard.

But we’re changing things up by adding chopped celery and a little splash of sesame oil.

bacon, celery, onion, sesame oil, and cabbage on a white background.

How to Meal Prep Bacon Fried Cabbage

If you practice the incredibly hip art of meal prep, you can shred/cut the cabbage ahead of time. Also, you’d be the smartest person ever if you were to bake a batch of bacon over the weekend to use in this recipe.

Save any leftover cabbage to make air fryer cabbage or air fryer egg rolls.

Variations

Green cabbage works best but you can use red cabbage if that’s what you have in the fridge.
To make this vegetarian/vegan, leave out the bacon or use your favorite plant-based bacon.
A small pinch of red pepper flakes adds some delicious heat to this fried cabbage recipe.
If you don’t eat pork, make this recipe with turkey bacon.

How Do You Cut Cabbage For Frying?

I’m a big fan of cutting vegetables how you prefer to eat them! You’ll see in the photos that I did a rough chop of the cabbage.

You could also cut it into ribbons so that the cabbage cooks faster, or even use prechopped cabbage from the produce section.

2 photos showing the process of making fried cabbage in a skillet.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

I prefer using a cast iron skillet for this recipe, but any heavy-duty skillet will do.
If you prefer your fried cabbage more “al dente” with a bit of crunch, cook for 5-7 minutes. If you want the cabbage fall apart tender, cook for 15 minutes.
Fried cabbage will keep in the fridge for 2-4 days in an air-tight container. Reheat in the microwave for 1 minute or on the stovetop in a skillet for 3-4 minutes.
To freeze: allow cabbage to fully cool and place in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours.

a spoonful of sautéed cabbage and bacon hovering over a black bowl.

5 from 10 ratings