How to Cook Sweetheart Cabbage

4.91 from 10 votes

This is the simplest and most delicious way of cooking sweetheart cabbage, also known as pointed or hispi cabbage.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American, German

Servings: servings

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Adina

Prepare cabbage: Remove the outer leaves, rinse, and dry the vegetable. Halve the head, then cut it into quarters. Remove the core, making a V-shaped cut around it. Discard it. Shred the wedges into thin slices by cutting diagonally across them.
1 small sweetheart cabbage
Cook: Heat butter and olive oil in the pan. Let the butter foam just for a few seconds. Add the cabbage and stir well. Cook for 8 minutes on medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low if the cabbage starts to stick or colors too quickly. Cook until lightly browned, crispy tender, but not too soft or mushy.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter + 2 tablespoons olive oil
Add soy sauce and stir for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Adjust the taste with a pinch of salt (it might not be necessary, soy sauce is salty) and some black pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
1 pinch of fine sea salt + freshly ground black pepper + 1-2 tablespoons parsley

Add bacon: Cook a small onion and 3-4 slices of bacon until the fat renders and the onion is golden. Stir in 2 chopped garlic cloves for a minute, then add the cabbage and carry on with the recipe. If you use bacon, use less butter and oil as the bacon will also render some fat.
Alternative seasoning: Skip the soy sauce and season with dried thyme, summer savory, or fresh dill or parsley. Just before serving, add 1-2 teaspoons of good balsamic vinegar to taste.
Heat: You can add some red pepper flakes, chili flakes, or cayenne pepper.