October 21, 2012

German sweet and sour red cabbage

Bowl of German sweet and sour red cabbage.

German sweet and sour red cabbage is a colorful, delicious, and classic side dish to meals like brats, Schnitzel, Sauerbraten, and more. It's so flavorful and perfect for enjoying all autumn and winter long.

This sweet and sour red cabbage is a favorite side dish in our family and one we have been enjoying for many years. While we love sauerkraut and eating that when we have German and Polish inspired meals, this red cabbage is also one we love. 

We serve this red cabbage when we have Oktoberfest dinners full of sausages, maybe Spätzle or pierogi, cucumber salad, German potato salad, and other delicious dishes. The color of the recipe adds such a nice pop of reddish purple to your plate.

Sweet and sour red cabbage is tangy and sweet, as the name implies, and also tender and delicious. It's always a hit with everyone who tries it and it's a great way to get kids to try cabbage. 

Making vegetables flavorful and inviting is the best way to get the whole family more excited about giving them a try and actually enjoying them.

German sweet and sour red cabbage ready to serve with a spoon.

German sweet and sour red cabbage is a pretty easy dish to put together as well. Shredding up the head of cabbage can take a bit of time. I like to use a knife for this job. I quarter the cabbage, cut out the core, and then thinly slice it so it is long ribbons. 

The other ingredients are simple to put together and then the cabbage cooks up in a big pot and is mostly hands-off other than stirring occasionally and checking for seasonings and taste balance. You want to get the right balance of sugar to vinegar so it requires some tasting ans adjusting. 

A pinch of clove adds a depth of flavor to this cabbage and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens and freshens everything up!

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Yield: 6-8 servings
Author: Amy (Savory Moments)
German Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

German Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

German sweet and sour red cabbage is a colorful, delicious, and classic side dish to meals like brats, Schnitzel, Sauerbraten, and more. It's so flavorful and perfect for enjoying all autumn and winter long.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head red cabbage, cored and shredded
  • 1 large apple, cored and shredded or grated
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon (about 1 tablespoon)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except lemon juice in a large pot. I recommend starting with 1/4 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of vinegar.
  2. Stir the pot well and taste the liquid. Then adjust those two to get the right amount for you.
  3. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, but still has a little bite, about 25-30 minutes.
  4. Stir in the lemon juice. Remove the cabbage using tongs (so that it's not overly we and juicy in the bowl) and transfer to a large serving bowl, leaving most of the liquid in the cooking pot.
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I hope you give this German Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage a try! Let me know in the comments below.

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Close-up of German sweet and sour red cabbage.

This recipe was originally published in 2012 and has been updated in 2021 with new text, a recipe card, and more to improve reader experience.

Check out these other German-inspired recipes:

German Goulash Soup (Gulaschuppe)

German Egg Pancakes 

Spätzle   

Pfeffernüsse 

Pan-fried Finger Dumplings

12 comments:

  1. What a perfect accompaniment to sausages and potato salad! Yum.

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  2. I'm really enjoying the sweet and soured quality to this..and the apple is a beautiful touch (and festive, too)!

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  3. This is my type of healthy and delightful side dish.
    I love red cabbage while my husband dislikes it to the core.

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  4. I need to try this! I am getting more into European foods and I think I'd really enjoy these flavors.

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  5. My husband would love this! He bought the biggest head of cabbage I've ever seen at the farmers market so I am looking for ways to use it up. Lovely and healthy!

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  6. Looks delicious, especially the color.

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  7. Last year, we hosted a German student at home, and he made us one of these! Thanks for sharing your recipe, because he didn't leave us one:) He did leave us with good memories of a nice red cabbage salad, though!

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  8. I've never been overly enthused with red cabbage...although this preparation sounds awesome! The perfect thing to get my taste buds going.

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  9. I lived in Germany for a little bit and remember eating a lot of cabbage that looked like this - very tasty memories!

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  10. I agree with you about the flavor improving if made a day ahead. Adding clove sounds great.

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