Braised red cabbage with balsamic vinegar

This Italian braised red cabbage with balsamic vinegar recipe makes a delicious and healthy winter side dish. It’s perfect for special occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving! This dish makes quite an impression on the table with its glistening deep purple colour and tantalising aroma. Braised red cabbage is meltingly tender and deeply infused with Italian flavourings. It’s very easy to make, and as well as being hearty and filling, it’s also naturally vegan and gluten-free.

About this balsamic red cabbage recipe

The inspiration for this recipe came from one of my Italian cookbooks, Le Grandi Ricette della Cucina Italiana. I adapted it and made it vegan by omitting bacon and butter. Apart from that, I didn’t change much because this recipe is simply delicious as it is. Leaving out the bacon and butter actually improved it because the cabbage doesn’t solidify when cold due to the congealed animal fats. This balsamic red cabbage is also delicious cold. When I’m alone and feeling lazy, I’ll often eat it straight out of the fridge!

Is red cabbage healthy?

Red cabbage (also known as purple cabbage) is low in calories and contains an impressive amount of nutrients. It is particularly rich in vitamin C and is also a good source of vitamin K. Other vitamins include vitamin A, B6, potassium, thiamine and riboflavin. Red cabbage also provides small amounts of iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and zinc. I sourced this nutritional information from healthline.com.

How to braise red cabbage

This Italian braised red cabbage recipe with balsamic is really easy to make with very little hands-on time required. The red cabbage is finely sliced and braised in white wine and Italian balsamic vinegar, with a little garlic, ground coriander seeds, sugar and salt. The white wine helps to preserve the deep purple colour of the red cabbage, which tends to turn blueish when cooked. A lot of people ask how to cook red cabbage without losing the colour – well, there’s your answer. As soon as you add the white wine, you’ll see how the colour changes back to deep purple!

Slow cooking

Braising is a slow cooking method on low heat. This slow and gentle simmer allows the flavours to meld, creating a dish that is tender and infused with balsamic flavour. You could make this braised red cabbage in a slow cooker if you want, although you’ll need to increase the cooking time to around 5 hours. I use a cast iron pot with an enamel coating. You can use any kind of thick-bottomed pan with a lid. Once everything is in the pan and the lid on, you can basically forget about it and get on with other things.

Is balsamic vinegar vegan?

Traditional Italian balsamic vinegar is vegan. However, when choosing a brand, I recommend you look for one with the wording Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP (or something like “Traditional balsamic vinegar” in English). There are other, cheaper versions on the market that are not made following the traditional method used in Modena (a city in Northern Italy). Check the ingredient label carefully. The cheap stuff often contains additives like thickeners, caramel, or colouring, which may or may not be vegan. If you want to know more about Italian balsamic vinegar and how it is made, there is a comprehensive article about it on Wikipedia.

Prep time and cooking time

Preparation time is minimal, around 10 minutes to chop the cabbage and get everything in the pan. Afterwards, you can leave the cabbage to braise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours without doing much at all, apart from checking that the liquid doesn’t dry up. 

This Italian-style braised red cabbage with balsamic vinegar is healthy, budget-friendly and 100% vegan if you use vegan sugar. It makes a delicious winter side dish to accompany all sorts of vegan meat dishes. See some of my favourite serving suggestions below. 

How to make Italian-style vegan braised balsamic red cabbage

Ingredients

• red cabbage – you’ll need half a red cabbage for 4 people. The other half will keep for weeks in the fridge if stored correctly. When you’re shopping, look for red cabbages that are shiny and compact. The leaves should be tightly packed and firm, not limp.
• oil – for the best results, use extra virgin olive oil here.
• garlic – fresh, minced garlic is ideal for this recipe. I don’t recommend using dried garlic.
• coriander seeds – a few freshly ground coriander seeds contribute to the warm flavouring of this dish. You can substitute with a pinch of ground coriander powder if you prefer.
• white wine – the wine is the cooking liquid, which will evaporate almost entirely by the end of the cooking process. You can swap white wine for red if you prefer.
• balsamic vinegar – use good quality Italian balsamic vinegar for this recipe.
• sugar – you can use either vegan white sugar or cane sugar.
• salt – I recommend using unrefined sea salt.

Method

• Cut the red cabbage in half and remove the hard core. Cut one of the halves lengthwise into four segments, then slice each segment crosswise into thin strips. Put the cabbage in a colander and rinse with cold water.
• Put the oil in a pan and heat it up. Add the strips of cabbage and sauté on medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring often. In the meantime, grind the coriander seeds or crush them with a mortar and pestle.
• Add the minced garlic, a pinch of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt and the ground coriander seeds. Stir to amalgamate. 
• Turn up the heat and add the white wine and balsamic vinegar. Allow the alcohol to evaporate for a couple of minutes, then lower the heat to a minimum and put a lid on the pan. 
• Braise the red cabbage on the lowest heat setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. It will cook in the wine, and you shouldn’t need to add any more liquid. By the time it’s cooked, almost all of the wine will have evaporated, leaving the cabbage deliciously moist but not wet. Every now and then, lift the lid, give the cabbage a stir and check there’s enough liquid in the bottom of the pan. If it does start to dry out, add a tablespoon or two of water.

What to serve with balsamic braised red cabbage 

Braised red cabbage is usually served as a hot side dish to accompany vegan meat dishes like braised seitan, vegan sausages, vegan meatloaf, etc. You can also use it as a filling for vegan burgers and hotdogs, along with crispy fried onions and mustard.

What to do with leftover braised red cabbage

Store any leftover braised red cabbage in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep for several days.

Can you freeze braised red cabbage?

Yes, you can! Braised red cabbage is actually very suitable for freezing. First, allow it to cool down completely. Then, put it in a ziplock bag or airtight container. You can freeze your extra portions for up to six weeks, defrosting them whenever you need a nutritious, vibrantly colourful veggie to brighten up your meal.

How to reheat it

Put the cabbage in a wide, non-stick pan and add a tablespoon of water. Reheat it slowly, on the lowest heat, with a lid on. That way, it won’t dry out. Otherwise, you could reheat it in the microwave if you prefer. To reheat from frozen, first allow the red cabbage to defrost at room temperature and then proceed as above.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Italian braised red cabbage with balsamic vinegar! If you do, please leave a comment – I’d love to hear from you!

While you’re here on Vegan Hot Stuff, maybe you’d also like to take a look at some other popular winter recipes…

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