This Sautéed Cabbage recipe is ready in under 20 minutes and made with only a few simple ingredients for the BEST flavor. It's an easy side dish that is rich in savory and subtly sweet flavor and gets beautifully caramelized when cooked in a skillet.
Shred the Cabbage: Cut entire head of cabbage into ¼-½” slices.* You should end up with roughly 7-8 cups of shredded cabbage. (Read recipe notes below to learn how to shred cabbage.)
1 medium head cabbage
Sauté the first Half: Place a large skillet over medium heat and add butter and crushed garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add in roughly half of the sliced cabbage and cook for a minute or two until it starts to wilt and shrink down some.
2 Tbsp. butter, 1 clove garlic
Add the Rest: Add in the remaining half of the cabbage along with the salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. (Let it sit for a few minutes without stirring if you’d like it to caramelize.)
½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Prep-Ahead Instructions:Thinly slice cabbage and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Storage Directions:Put in an airtight container. Place cabbage in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can freeze leftovers for up to 3-4 months. Thaw and eat as a side dish or add it to soups and stews. Add leftovers to a large skillet over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.Recipe Tips:
Similar sized. Cut the cabbage into slices that are the same thickness so it all cooks up at the same rate.
Do it twice. Add the cabbage into the skillet in two batches so it will all fit easily.
Let it sit. Letting the cabbage cook in the skillet without stirring for a few minutes gives it time to contact the hot skillet and caramelize.
Bigger is better. Use a larger skillet or saucepan so the most cabbage makes contact with the heat and can caramelize.
Keep it fresh. Opt for whole garlic cloves when possible. In a pinch, garlic powder will work.