Sautéed Cabbage

By Amy Dong
Updated Mar. 9, 2025

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This Sautéed Cabbage recipe is a simple, flavorful, and easy way to cook this nutritious vegetable. It’s healthy, affordable, and extremely versatile.

Overhead shot of a white bowl of freshly made sautéed cabbage. — This Sautéed Cabbage is a deliciously sweet, tender, and healthy side dish.

Why This Recipe Stands Out

This Sautéed Cabbage recipe is not only delicious, but it’s also a great way to get in your veggies. Here’s why we love it:

Easy to Make: With just a few simple ingredients, this recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes like our Honey Glazed Carrots.
Budget-Friendly: Cabbage is one of the cheapest fresh vegetables around, so this recipe is easy on the wallet. It’s similar to how affordable and delicious our Grilled Zucchini is!
Nutritiously Supercharged: Cabbage is packed with nutrients and health benefits for a super nutritious vegetable side dish.
Versatile: This easy sautéed cabbage pairs well with just about any meal. We love serving it with our favorite Asian inspired dishes like Asian Shrimp Stir Fry and our Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – It’s the base of our dish and infuses the cabbage with a rich, fruity flavor. The high smoking point of olive oil makes it perfect for sautéing.
Garlic – We love the robust, aromatic flavor that fresh garlic adds to this dish. It’s chopped to release its flavor.
Half a Head of Cabbage – We use green cabbage for its mild, slightly sweet flavor. The thinly sliced cabbage becomes tender-crisp when sautéed, providing a satisfying texture.

Substitutions And Variations

Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:

Add Bacon: If you’ve got bacon lovers, feel free to add cooked, crumbled bacon to the pan towards the end of cook time. This will help bacon stay crisp.
Use Bacon Grease: Additionally, if you’d like to use some of the bacon grease for stir frying the cabbage, use it in place of the olive oil.
Add Onions: We love adding onions to our sauté because they add a nice flavor and texture. Feel free to throw in some sliced onions and sauté them with the cabbage for an extra flavor boost.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

Finely sliced green cabbage with a chef's knife on a white chopping board.

Cabbage being sautéed in a pan to make sautéed cabbage.

Start by finely slicing the cabbage. Next, heat oil and garlic in a large pan. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add sliced cabbage and stir frequently to prevent garlic from burning. Stir until cabbage is softened and edges are lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes. Season and serve.

For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.

How To Prep Ahead

Take a look at our favorite prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:

Chop the Garlic: You can chop the garlic cloves ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Slice the Cabbage: Feel free to thinly slice the cabbage in advance. Store it in an airtight container or resealable bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. This is a great way to get a head start.
Fully Cook and Store: You can also fully cook this sautéed cabbage ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply reheat it in a pan until it’s heated through.

What To Serve With Sautéed Cabbage

Protein

This side dish goes well with a variety of proteins. We recommend trying it with our Grilled Chicken Breast or Grilled Pork Chops with Marinade.
For a low-carbohydrates meal, pair this sauté with a grilled protein like our Perfectly Cooked Steak. The cabbage’s sweet and savory flavors will complement the meat perfectly.
This dish is made using a simple combination of ingredients, meaning it pairs well with a wide variety of main dishes. Try serving it with our juicy and flavor-packed Grilled Lemon Chicken.

Asian Dishes

Sautéed cabbage works beautifully with our favorite Asian-inspired dishes. Serve it alongside classics like this Kung Pao Chicken or our Healthy Orange Chicken.
You also can’t go wrong serving it with this 30-Minute Asian Orange Beef or our Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry.

Other Vegetable Side Dishes

We also love serving it alongside our favorite vegetable side dishes like this Air Fryer Broccoli and Grilled Zucchini.
For the holidays, your family will also love it alongside some Honey Glazed Carrots and Garlic Butter Mushrooms.

Commonly Asked Questions

What kind of cabbage is best for sautéing?

While you can use any type of cabbage for this recipe, we recommend using green cabbage. It has a mild flavor and tender texture, making it perfect for sauté.

What other types of cabbage can I use for this recipe?

Instead of green cabbage, you can go for Savoy cabbage or even red cabbage for a slightly different flavor and color. We have a full guide all about cabbage for more information.

Can I use pre-shredded cabbage?

Yes, you can use pre-shredded cabbage to save time. However, we recommend slicing your cabbage fresh for the best texture and flavor.

How long does sautéed cabbage keep?

This sautéed cabbage is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Simply reheat it in a pan before serving.

Did you make this?

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