Cabbage is a versatile, cheap, and filling vegetable that is perfect for keto diets due to its low carb and high fiber content. It’s also packed with vitamins and minerals. This article explores a variety of keto cabbage side dish recipes, highlighting their ease of preparation and delicious flavors. You can use cabbage instead of high-carb foods like rice or pasta. Cabbage has many health benefits for people on a keto lifestyle.
Why Cabbage is Great for Keto
Cabbage is an excellent option for a low-carb keto diet because it is a low-carb vegetable. One cup of cabbage has only 5 grams of net carbs. You can use cabbage in a variety of keto meals, including replacing rice in bowls, making tasty slaws, and so many more options.
When choosing the right cabbage, think about what you’re cooking and the flavor you’re aiming for. Green cabbage is better for dishes where you want a more plain flavor profile. Look for cabbages that feel heavy for their size. Check the outer leaves. Gently squeeze the cabbage. It should feel firm. Buy whole heads instead of pre-cut cabbage. Store your cabbage in the fridge’s vegetable drawer.
Keto Cabbage Recipes
These keto cabbage recipes show how versatile cabbage can be on a keto diet. Cabbage is so easy to use in keto cooking. Avoid adding high-carb ingredients like carrots, peas, or sweet sauces. Here are some recipes that make the most of this keto-friendly vegetable:
Keto Fried Cabbage with Bacon
This Fried Cabbage with Bacon is the perfect keto, low-carb side dish! Pan-fried cabbage is a favorite keto side because it requires so few ingredients! This Southern fried cabbage with bacon is a quick and easy keto side dish that is naturally low carb.
Read also: Low-Carb Cabbage Roll Casserole
Ingredients Overview:
- Green cabbage
- Bacon
- Onions
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Heat a large skillet to medium heat, add the chopped bacon and cook until crisp.
- Reheat leftovers: Toss leftovers into a hot skillet and sauté for a couple minutes until warmed throughout.
Important Considerations:
- Use any bacon you’d like!
- This recipe is gluten-free when prepared as described.
- This keto fried cabbage recipe makes four servings, approximately 3/4 cup each.
Skillet Cabbage with Bacon & Garlic
Side dishes don’t get much easier than this simple but oh-so-tasty dish of Skillet Cabbage with Bacon & Garlic, which also happens to be low-carb and keto-friendly. In this Skillet Cabbage with Bacon and Garlic dish, the cabbage does magic - load a heaping pile into the skillet and after a few minutes, it shrinks! Then, just cook it down until the cabbage is tender, shiny, and green.
Instructions:
- Start by cooking the bacon first until it is nearly crispy.
- Add the garlic, and then get that cabbage busy cooking!
- Cook it down until the cabbage is tender, shiny, and green.
- Add some salt and pepper, then serve it up with your favorite meats.
Roasted Cabbage
This Roasted Cabbage is the perfect healthy side dish! This Roasted Cabbage is coated in seasoning and roasted at a high temperature for beautifully crispy edges. This dish will add a ton of flavor and nutrients without many calories or carbs!
Ingredients:
- Cabbage - A medium size green cabbage, outer leaves removed, sliced into wedges. If you prefer a milder flavor, you could use savoy cabbage instead.
- Extra virgin olive oil and Worcestershire sauce - This mixture keeps the cabbage from drying out and provides great flavor.
- Garlic, Kosher salt, Black pepper, and Crushed red pepper flakes (optional) - These bring out the best flavor in the cabbage.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Slice half a head of cabbage into six wedges.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, Worcestershire, and minced garlic.
- Spray a casserole dish or a rimmed baking sheet and place the cabbage wedges on it.
- Salt and pepper each wedge to taste, then roast 20-25 minutes.
Serving Suggestions:
- Consider serving with a Spinach Stuffed Chicken for a great keto-friendly dinner, just 6.5 net carbs total.
Storage:
- Once cooked, allow the roasted cabbage to completely cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge, but you can extend the life of the cabbage by freezing it up to 3-6 months. If you have frozen the cabbage, make sure to allow it to thaw before reheating.
Keto Cabbage Stir Fry
Recently, I’ve been super into cabbage stir fry. It’s fresh, flavorful, frisky, and can easily be incorporated into your bowls. Just add chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp to make a full entrée out of this recipe!
Ingredients:
- Avocado Oil: The stir fry is cooked on the stove top using a higher heat, which means a high-temperature cooking oil is best for this application.
- Yellow Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onion: Fresh, flavorful yellow onion, garlic, fresh ginger, and green onion add a nice punch of flavor to this cabbage stir fry.
- Cabbage: Fresh green cabbage gets thinly sliced, then chopped for this stir fry.
- Liquid Aminos or Coconut Aminos: Flavor maker! Liquid aminos is similar to soy sauce.
Instructions:
- Cut the cabbage in half, then remove the hard white core. Place cabbage cut-side down on the cutting board and slice into thin slices, about 1/4-inch wide.
- Add the avocado oil to a large skillet with a deep lip and heat over medium-high. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened and begins to turn translucent.
- Stir in the chopped cabbage to the skillet - this will likely overflow the skillet at first. Stir as best you can, then cover. Cook until cabbage has wilted and begins cooking down, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the cover and add the remaining ingredients, and stir well. Continue cooking until cabbage begins turning golden-brown around the edges and begins sticking to the skillet, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Other Keto Cabbage Recipes
- Smoked Sausage & Cabbage Skillet: A quick, low-carb, one-pan meal that’s both flavorful and family-friendly.
- Keto Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls: A simple, one-skillet meal that captures the flavors of traditional cabbage rolls without the carbs!
- Unstuffed Keto Cabbage Soup: A hearty, keto-friendly meal that can be made using an Instant Pot or stovetop.
- Marinated Keto Coleslaw: A light, tangy, and slightly sweet side dish, perfect for any keto meal and made without mayo.
- Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl: A quick, one-pan meal with the flavors of an egg roll without the high-carb wrapper.
Tips for Cooking with Cabbage on Keto
- Green vs. Red Cabbage: Both green and red cabbage are low in carbs. When choosing the right cabbage, think about what you’re cooking and the flavor you’re aiming for.
- Freshness: Look for cabbages that feel heavy for their size. Check the outer leaves and ensure they are firm.
- Storage: Buy whole heads instead of pre-cut cabbage and store them in the fridge’s vegetable drawer.
Read also: Easy Cabbage Soup Recipe
Read also: Delicious Keto Meal