Creamed Cabbage Recipe – Cabbage Has Never Been so Flavorful!

This easy creamed cabbage recipe is full of savory flavor and it makes a delicious side dish for just about any main course!

Right before New Year’s, I shared a post with photos of a few recipes that I made but never blogged for various reasons.

In that post was a picture of creamed cabbage! The picture itself was not my favorite, but the dish was fantastic.

It’s one of those things you can eat every day for a week, and when it’s gone, still wish you had made a bigger batch.

I don’t blame you for bombarding me via email for the recipe.

I made it again and re-shot the pictures (I’m telling you, the last set really didn’t do the recipe justice).

And then I made it again so I could test out a grain-free version (which, I am thrilled to say, turned out delicious).

If you haven’t tried creamed cabbage, you are definitely in for a treat with this recipe. It’s a great way to sneak healthy cabbage into rich-tasting comfort food!

Why This Easy Creamed Cabbage Recipe Works

This dish is creamy and comforting, but is also fairly light with no cream. Instead, a touch of butter adds richness and a little bit of flour is used to thicken milk to make a velvety sauce.

The bulk of the dish is cabbage, which makes it hearty and healthy. Onion, garlic, and bacon add depth of flavor.

And this dish is easy to make gluten free, paleo, low carb, or keto!

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – We brown the turkey bacon in a little bit of butter. If you use beef bacon or pork bacon, omit the butter.
• Turkey bacon – Instead of turkey bacon, now my favorite type of bacon to use is beef bacon. However, you can use any kind of bacon you like.
• Onion – Use a regular yellow onion here for depth of flavor.
• Green cabbage – Regular run-of-the-mill green cabbage is what we’re going for. It cooks up to be anything but boring in this side dish!
• Garlic – Garlic adds savory complexity.
• Salt and black pepper – These basic seasonings help create a well-seasoned, balanced flavor profile.
• Dried marjoram – This is optional, but takes the flavor of this humble cabbage recipe to the next level.
• Water – We cook the cabbage down in a splash of water; to bump up the flavor even more, you can use chicken stock or vegetable stock.
• Flour – We use a little all-purpose flour as the thickener.
• Whole milk – Cabbage cooked in milk has a surprisingly sweet flavor and creamy texture. We balance the dish with savory components (like onion and garlic), and salty ingredients (like bacon).
• Fresh parsley – This optional garnish adds a pop of green color and flavor. If you want to add a mild onion flavor, you can use chives instead of parsley.

Instructions

1. Heat the butter in a large deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crisped bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
2. To the same skillet, add the onion, cabbage, garlic, salt, marjoram, black pepper, and water. Cook (covered) until the cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water if the pan starts to get too dry.
3. Add the flour and cook 1 minute, then add the milk and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in the crisped bacon.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the parsley, if using.

Tips

• There’s an economical way to add protein. Sometimes I’ll add a can of rinsed and drained white beans because they go really well with cabbage. If you do so, this recipe will serve 8 as a side dish or 4 as a main course.
• Don’t worry if bacon isn’t your thing. Browned sausage is a nice switch-up for bacon. Or omit it if you prefer; it’s a pretty versatile dish!

Special Diet Friendly

This recipe is easy to make low carb/keto or paleo, and I give instructions for both. Note that both the keto and paleo variations are gluten free and grain free.

Low Carb and Keto Creamed Cabbage Recipe

The low carb and keto friendly version of creamed cabbage is very easy to make!

For the keto version of this recipe, omit the milk and flour. When the cabbage is tender, add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and bring to a simmer. If you want it extra thick and creamy, you can also stir in 2 ounces of cream cheese (at room temperature). That’s it!

Paleo Version

Omit the flour and milk. Once the cabbage is tender, add 1 cup canned light coconut milk (or full-fat for a richer dish) and bring to a simmer. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the parsley.

More Must-Try Cabbage Recipes

• Tilapia Fish Tacos Recipe with Cabbage Slaw
• Cabbage Lasagna (Low Carb)
• Cheesy Scalloped Cabbage Casserole
• Cabbage, Carrot, and Chicken Stir Fry

This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on February 5, 2014 and updated on March 8, 2024.