Learn how to cook red cabbage with red wine: it is the perfect accompaniment for many dishes. This red cabbage dish is easy to make, economical, and incredibly flavorful.
Try this traditional recipe for making red cabbage with red wine, just like my German family makes it.
This dish is just like a good red cabbage dish should be: soft, aromatic, and fruity. It is a good side dish for many dishes like baked brats, Hungarian goulash, goose or duck, etc.
Check out more red cabbage recipes, such as Red Cabbage and Chicken, Red Cabbage Soup, or Slow Cooker Red Cabbage.
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Recipe ingredients
Red cabbage: One small to medium head (blue or purple cabbage) weighing more or less 1 kg/ 2.2 lbs.
- However, if the cabbage is larger and you want to use it all, increase the amounts of the other ingredients accordingly and freeze the leftover cooked cabbage. Or use the rest to make this light Purple Cabbage Slaw with Carrots.
Red wine: You don't have to buy expensive wine here, but don't buy the cheapest one either. It is in the low - to mid-price category and something you would also drink and not use only for cooking.
Apples: One or two small, tangy apples. They’ll overcook and disintegrate, coating the cabbage with a squishy film. Apple sauce is a great substitute, making the dish aromatic, slightly tangy, and fruity. It also creates a creamy texture, even more so than using fresh apples.
Spices: The spices are an essential part of this recipe. I’ve had red cabbage spiced with only salt and pepper, which was not impressive. You will need bay leaves, allspice, juniper berries, and whole cloves.
Vinegar: I use red wine or apple cider vinegar, whatever I have.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make red cabbage with red wine?
Step #1: Remove the tough outer leaves and the core, and shred the cabbage.
Step #2: Peel apples and onions and chop them finely.
Step #3: Melt butter and caramelize sugar in a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-low heat.
Step #4: Add purple cabbage and apples and sauté on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, often stirring.
Step #5: If using apple sauce, add it now. Add spices, wine, vinegar, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper.
Step #6: Simmer, covered, on low heat for 1 hour. Stir from time to time, and add more red wine if necessary. Adjust taste.
Good to know!
Make sure that the cabbage is finely chopped and that they are peeled if whole apples are used. The peel will remain tougher than the rest, and you don’t want that.
Let the brown sugar caramelize nicely, but don’t let it burn. If it burns, start over again, as you will not like the bitterness.
Once you have caramelized the sugar and added the cabbage, stir very often for the first five minutes before adding the wine. This will prevent the sugar from catching and ensure that the red cabbage is braised and coated with the sugar.
Store and reheat
Refrigerate leftover red cabbage with red wine in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Then, you can reheat the leftovers several days in a row.
This means you can cook it in advance and reheat it before serving; it tastes even better if cooked in advance and served the next day.
Leftovers freeze very well. Freeze individual portions and thaw them in the fridge overnight or on the counter for 1 hour or so. You can start reheating the cabbage when still slightly frozen, stirring often.
Reheat the red cabbage with wine on the stovetop or microwave.
What to serve with it?
Recipe
Red Cabbage with Red Wine
Equipment
- Large pan or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 lbs red cabbage 1 kg, Note 1
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 small apples tangy, Note 2
- 3 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 5 juniper berries
- 3 cloves
- 1 cup red wine 250 ml
- 1 splash red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 pinch granulated sugar to taste
- fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cabbage and apples: Remove the tough outer leaves. Quarter the red cabbage and remove the core. Shred the cabbage finely. Peel apples and cut them into small cubes if you use apples instead of apple sauce.2 lbs red cabbage / 1 kg + 2 small apples
- Caramelize sugar: Melt the butter in a large pan. Sprinkle the sugar in the pot and let it caramelize (don’t let it burn).1 tablespoon butter + 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Sauté red cabbage: Add cabbage and apples and sauté lightly for about 5 minutes, often stirring. Add all the spices, wine and vinegar. If using apple sauce instead of fresh apples, add it now.3 bay leaves + ¼ teaspoon allspice + 5 juniper berries + 3 cloves + 1 pinch granulated sugar + 1 cup red wine / 250 ml + 1 splash red wine vinegar
- Simmer: Cover the pot, turn down the heat, and let the red cabbage simmer for 1 hour. Stir from time to time and add more red wine if necessary (I didn't need to, but keep an eye on the pot, it should not get too dry).
- Check for salt and pepper and for more sweetness or sourness. Add a pinch of sugar and a little red wine or balsamic vinegar (to taste) to balance and sweet and sour flavor.fine sea salt and ground black pepper
Notes
- If the cabbage is larger and you want to make a larger batch increase the rest of the ingredients accordingly. The cooked red cabbage freezes very well.
- Replace apples with ½ cup (100 g/ 3.5 oz) unsweetened or lightly sweetened apple sauce. Add it to the pot together with the spices, red wine, and vinegar.
Adina says
I have an eggplant problem with my husband.... it won't stop cooking eggplants though. 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I love red cabbages too and easily finish the whole bowl...sadly, my husband ain't a fan.
Have a lovely weekend, Adina.