Fried Cabbage, plus Bacon

Fried cabbage with bacon and onions is salty, sweet, buttery, hearty, and so good – this Irish inspired recipe is a huge hit for the whole family!

If you love salty, sweet, buttery, rich flavors from fried cabbage with crisp and crunchy bacon, this recipe is for you. Popular in both Irish and Southern households, this humble side dish is a nostalgic classic that is hearty and good – and works in a variety of low-carb diets – including keto eating plans.

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

How to Make Pan Fried Irish Cabbage with Bacon and Onions

While a lot of people think of fried cabbage as a southern dish, we also think of it as an Irish classic! This is hands down our absolute favorite cabbage and bacon recipe – simple, easy, and good in one pan – one of the most good dishes you can make to celebrate Saint Patricks Day!

Fried Cabbage and Bacon Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed off: Provides the main ingredient, offering a tender and slightly sweet vegetable base.
• 2 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin: Adds a rich, fruity flavor while helping to roast the asparagus to a crisp-tender texture.
• 2 tsp garlic salt or garlic powder: Infuses the dish with a savory, garlicky flavor; garlic salt also adds extra seasoning.
• 2 tbsp lemon juice: Introduces a bright, tangy acidity that complements the asparagus and enhances its natural flavors.
• 1 tsp sea salt, Celtic (skip if using garlic salt): Season the asparagus to enhance its taste, if garlic salt is not used.
• 1 tsp pepper, fresh cracked: Adds a bit of heat and complexity with its pungent, slightly spicy flavor.

Steps to cook Cabbage with Bacon

Prep Bacon. Cut bacon into thick chunks, pan fry until crunchy. Remove from pan and set aside. Drain off most of the bacon fat – leave a little if desired for taste, but too much will give an oily texture.

Cook Onion. Add the butter to the pan on medium-high and heat until melted and foamy. Add diced onions to pan, cook until soft and transparent, about 4 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking or burning. Add garlic and cabbage to the pan, tossing evenly to coat in butter. Generously season with salt and pepper.

Reduce. Let cabbage reduce by half, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally as it cooks down to prevent burning and allow it to cook evenly. Add bacon back to pan. When cabbage has lost much of it's volume and started to turn shiny, slightly translucent, and has lovely browned bits, it is ready to serve.

Serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, three months in the freezer.

Kitchen notes

Use the right pan. We love heavy pans that conduct heat evenly and are naturally nonstick – and we personally use these Greenpans for almost every recipe. A nonstick frying pan makes this recipe simple, easy, and good!

Remove the Bacon. To keep your bacon chewy, crunchy, and good – but still give the dish tons of bacon flavor – it is important to crisp it and then remove to the side while cabbage cooks. If you add bacon into the pan and leave it in, it can get soft and soggy – which is harder to eat, and frankly less appetizing.

Leave a bit – but not too much – bacon grease. leave bacon grease in the pan after removing so you can get all that smoky, meaty flavor infused into your cabbage as you cook it!

Add bacon back to pan after much of thee cabbage's moisture has cooked off – or it will suck up the moisture from the cabbage.

Other Irish Food Recipes You'll Love

If you're in the mood to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with an Irish themed menu, the following recipes are some of our favorites! Try Cheesy Sausage Potatoes and CabbageThe Best Easy Irish Brown Soda Bread Recipe Homemade Lucky Charms Treats RecipeThe Best Irish Potato Pancakes EverOne Pot Irish Whiskey Glazed Salmon RecipeIrish Cream White Russian Cocktail Recipeand Easy and good Caramelized Cabbage & Onions Recipe.

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Cabbage and Bacon Recipe FAQs

Can we use a shallot instead of onions?

Yes – you can substitute shallots for onions if you'd prefer an earthier, more subtle flavor.

Can we use pancetta instead of bacon?

Pancetta, prosciutto, Irish-style bacon rashers, diced smoked sausage, and other salty hams will work in place of bacon – but we love the crispy crunch of thick-cut American bacon.

Can we use shredded cabbage?

Yes! Using shredded cabbage will cook your cabbage more evenly. We like the rough chopped texture, but also like the shredded texture. You can even save time by buying bags of pre-shredded cabbage.

Do we drain the bacon grease?

If your bacon gives off a lot of grease, you will want to drain some off, and leave a bit for flavor. We prefer pan-frying cabbage in a primarily butter base – with a bit of bacon grease for flavor – as we find too much grease gives an overly oily texture and mouthfeel. If you prefer to pan-fry in bacon grease and skip the butter, that is totally fine, and up to you!

Ingredients

• 4 strips thick cut bacon, diced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 head cabbage, diced
• 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp celtic sea salt

Method

1. Cut bacon into thick chunks, pan fry until crunchy. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Drain off most of the bacon fat – leave a little if desired for taste, but too much will give an oily texture.
3. Add the butter to the pan on medium-high and heat until melted and foamy.
4. Add diced onions to pan, cook until soft and transparent, about 4 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking or burning.
5. Add garlic and cabbage to the pan, tossing evenly to coat in butter.
6. Generously season with salt and pepper.
7. Let cabbage reduce by half, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally as it cooks down to prevent burning and allow it to cook evenly. Add bacon back to pan.
8. When cabbage has lost much of it's volume and started to turn shiny, slightly translucent, and has lovely browned bits, it is ready to serve.
9. Serve immediately.
10. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, three months in the freezer.