Christmas spiced red cabbage

This Christmas spiced red cabbage is very slowly braised with red onion, chopped apples, dried cranberries, cinnamon and ground allspice – it’s a vibrant, flavourful addition to your festive table!

And so it has begun. The Christmas adverts are starting to appear on tv. Channel 5 are showing cheesy Christmas movies every afternoon.

Last night I caught the first annual sighting of the Coca Cola truck advert.  You can’t walk into a shop without seeing a display of Christmas goodies.

The most wonderful time of the year will soon be here and as usual, I’m like an over excited little kid.  I LOVE Christmas.

Red cabbage was not something that I grew up eating, but I’ve grown very fond of it over the years. 

This festive braised red cabbage recipe is incredibly versatile – it’s sweet and slightly sharp flavour sits very happily alongside pretty much any roasted meat. 

It’s also delicious with sausages – hand me a plate of sausages, buttery mash, onion gravy and a generous helping of this spicy, aromatic red cabbage and you would make me a very happy girl indeed!

how to make christmas spiced red cabbage

(keep scrolling to find printable recipe card)

• Core and finely shred the cabbage.
• Cook sliced onions on a low heat for 5-10 minutes or until softened.

• Throw in freshly grated nutmeg, cinnamon, ground allspice and salt and pepper and cook for a minute or two before adding cranberry or apple juice, soft light brown sugar, 2 cored and diced apples, dried cranberries, pomegranate molasses or red wine vinegar and a grinding of freshly ground black pepper.

• Cover the pan with a lid.  Turn the heat down as low as possible and leave for 2-3 hours. The longer the better.

cooking tips and tricks for cooking braised red cabbage

Red cabbage needs a long, slow simmer to enable all the flavours to merge together.

It’s one of the easiest vegetable dishes going – all you need to do is chuck the ingredients in the pan, set it on a low heat and that’s it! Chopping the cabbage is the only part that requires any real effort.

Please note that my recipe is for a medium cabbage – if you are feeding over 8 people, it would probably be wise to double the recipe.

I use pomegranate molasses in this recipe to provide a slightly sour note, but if you don’t have any in your cupboard you can use red wine vinegar instead.

Can I cook red cabbage in advance?

Absolutely – it’s actually better for making ahead of time.  I like to make a big batch a few weeks before Christmas and freeze individual portions in freezer bags or boxes.  The night before you want to serve the cabbage, place in the fridge to defrost. 

To reheat in the oven, place the cabbage in an butttered ovenproof dish, cover with foil and cook at 180C for about 25-30 minutes or until piping hot.  

You can also reheat red cabbage on the hob.  Place in a saucepan, cover with a lid and simmer on a medium heat for about 20-25 minutes until very hot. If the cabbage seems dry, add a splash of water.

More festive side dishes

Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts 

Crispy roast potatoes

Cranberry and orange sauce 

Creamy green bean casserole 

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Dauphinois potatoes 

Honey Mustard Roasted Parsnips & Carrots

Sausagemeat sage & cranberry stuffing balls

more christmas dinner inspiration 

Rolled Turkey Breast with Apricot and Cranberry Stuffing

Easy Brined Roast Turkey Crown 

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Christmas spiced red cabbage

Yield: Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

This vibrant, slow cooked red cabbage has a delicious sweet and sour flavour that goes incredibly well with roast meat or sausages.  It's a perfect side dish for your holiday table!

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 red cabbage, shredded finely (600G Shredded Weight)
• 2 small apples, peeled, cored and diced into small pieces
• 200 ml cranberry or apple juice
• 3 tablespoons soft light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses, or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 50g dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and saute on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened but not coloured.
2. Add the the cinnamon, ground allspice, salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg and cook for a couple of minutes before tumbling in the shredded cabbage and diced apples. Pour in the cranberry or apple juice, light brown sugar, pomegranate molasses or red wine vinegar and dried cranberries.
3. Stir well, cover with a lid and simmer on a very low heat for about 2-2 1/2 -3 hours - stirring every now and then to make sure the cabbage isn't sticking to the bottom of the pot, adding a little more cranberry/apple juice if it seems a little dry.

Notes

If you wish, you could cook this red cabbage in the oven at 150C in a flameproof casserole dish for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. 

The cabbage will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge (covered) or in the freezer for up to 2 months.  

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 106Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 23gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 1g

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