One-Pot Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Apple Cider

A German-style braised red cabbage cooked in one pot with tart apples, apple cider, maple and cloves until silky and sweet-sour. A classic holiday side.

Prep
15 min
Cook
65 min
Serves
6
One-Pot Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Apple Cider — A German-style braised red cabbage cooked in one pot with tart apples, apple cider, maple and cloves until silky and sweet
Illustration generated by AI · SDXL

One-Pot Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Apple Cider is a vegan side recipe made with olive oil, yellow onion, red cabbage. It takes 80 minutes of hands-on time, serves 6, and each serving has 164 calories, 3 g of protein and 5 g of fiber.

This is one of the best recipes with red cabbage when you want a side that tastes better the longer it sits. Adding a splash of vinegar at the start keeps the cabbage a deep ruby colour instead of letting it turn dull blue. A second splash at the end sharpens the sweetness from the cider and maple. Olive oil stands in for the usual lard or butter, and a low, slow braise gives you tender cabbage that still has a little bite.

Ingredients

6 servings

Braise

To finish

Kit: large Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid, chef's knife, cutting board

Cook mode · One-Pot Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Apple Cider

Tips

  • Make it a day ahead if you can. The flavours deepen overnight and it reheats perfectly.
  • Slice the cabbage evenly so every piece softens at the same rate. A mandoline or the slicing disc of a food processor speeds this up.
  • Pick a tart apple. Very sweet apples can tip the dish into tasting like dessert.

Swap ideas

Red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar
Red wine vinegar gives a more classic, winey tang, and balsamic adds deeper sweetness and a darker colour.
Brown sugar instead of maple syrup
Brings a more traditional caramel sweetness. Use the same amount.
A pinch of cinnamon or 2 juniper berries added with the bay leaves
Makes it more wintry and festive, closer to the Christmas versions of Rotkohl.
Pears instead of apples
Softer and more floral, with a slightly sweeter result. Cut back the finishing maple syrup.

The numbers

Nutrition per serving

164kcal per serving

Protein2.6 g
5% DV
Fiber5.1 g
18% DV
Carbs30.6 g
11% DV
Fat4.9 g
6% DV
Everything else · 6 servings per recipe
Saturated fat
0.7 g 3%
Sugars
20.9 g
Sodium
433 mg 19%
Potassium
523 mg 11%
Calcium
88 mg 7%
Iron
1.5 mg 8%
Vitamin C
91 mg 101%
Vitamin B12
0 µg 0%

% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.

Sources: Oil, olive, salad or cooking, Onions, raw, Cabbage, red, raw, Apples, raw, with skin (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program), Apple cider, Vinegar, cider, Syrups, maple, Spices, bay leaf, Spices, cloves, ground, Salt, table, Spices, pepper, black

Method

  1. Quarter the cabbage through the core, cut out the hard core, then slice each quarter crosswise into thin ribbons about 1/4 inch wide. Peel, core and dice the apples, and thinly slice the onion.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and just starting to turn golden at the edges, 5–6 minutes.

  3. Add the cabbage in two or three handfuls, stirring each batch until it wilts slightly, then cook for 3–4 minutes until it has shrunk by about a third.

  4. Stir in the apples, apple cider, 2 tbsp of vinegar, 2 tbsp of maple syrup, the bay leaves, cloves, remaining salt and the pepper. Bring to a lively simmer. The vinegar keeps the cabbage bright red.

  5. Cover, turn the heat to low and braise at a gentle simmer for 45–55 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. If the pot looks dry or the cabbage starts to catch on the bottom, add the water a few tablespoons at a time. It's ready when the cabbage is very tender but still a little springy and the apples have mostly melted into it.

  6. Uncover and simmer for another 3–5 minutes until only a few spoonfuls of glossy liquid remain in the bottom of the pot.

  7. Take out the bay leaves. Stir in the finishing 1 tbsp of vinegar, then taste and adjust with more salt, or a teaspoon of maple syrup if it tastes too sharp. Serve warm.

Storage: Let it cool, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a covered pot with a splash of water or cider, or in the microwave.

Questions

How much protein is in one-pot braised red cabbage with apples and apple cider?
Each of the 6 servings has 3 g of protein, 5 g of fiber and 164 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
Is one-pot braised red cabbage with apples and apple cider vegan?
Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
How long does one-pot braised red cabbage with apples and apple cider take to make?
15 minutes of prep and 65 minutes of cooking, so 80 minutes of hands-on time.
Can you make one-pot braised red cabbage with apples and apple cider ahead?
Let it cool, then keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a covered pot with a splash of water or cider, or in the microwave.
What can I substitute in one-pot braised red cabbage with apples and apple cider?
Red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar — red wine vinegar gives a more classic, winey tang, and balsamic adds deeper sweetness and a darker colour.. Brown sugar instead of maple syrup — brings a more traditional caramel sweetness. use the same amount.. A pinch of cinnamon or 2 juniper berries added with the bay leaves — makes it more wintry and festive, closer to the christmas versions of rotkohl.. Pears instead of apples — softer and more floral, with a slightly sweeter result. cut back the finishing maple syrup..
Does one-pot braised red cabbage with apples and apple cider contain gluten or nuts?
None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.

Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.

Published October 4, 2026 ·German