Red cabbage recipes are undoubtedly an integral part of Czech cuisine. Among the top favorites is braised sweet and sour cabbage, a delightful side dish that pairs wonderfully with pork, goose, or duck roast.
➜ About the recipe
Let me tell you, fall feasts in the Czech Republic such as Hody are dominated by an incredibly tasty combo: roast meat, sweet and sour cabbage, and potato dumplings, all on one dinner plate! Pure comfort food that pleases both body and soul.
Braised red cabbage, seasoned with a dash of cider vinegar and sugar, is made either in a lighter, healthier version (see the recipe) or thickened with flour. The latter gives the cabbage a creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the roasted meat.
Today's recipe is devoted to this particular method of preparing red cabbage. Red cabbage thickened with flour roux is often called "Moravian cabbage" (moravské zelí) in the Czech Republic.
My tip: Check out more Czech fall recipes
➜ Ingredients
To make Czech sweet and sour cabbage from scratch, you will need the following:
- A fresh head of red cabbage; a smaller head of cabbage weighing 1 1/2 pounds (700 g) will make 4-6 side servings.
- Yellow onion
- Lard; Czechs prefer using lard for frying, but in my case, I opted for goose fat (as shown in the ingredient photo) because I was simultaneously preparing a goose roast along with the cabbage. Butter, sunflower oil, or canola oil are also suitable alternatives for this purpose.
- White sugar; for a more intense flavor, use brown sugar
- Apple cider vinegar; acid content 5%
- Caraway seeds; ideally crushed. See how to grind spices (including caraway seeds) by hand. Please do not confuse caraway seeds with cumin.
- Salt
- Water
- All-purpose flour; for making roux that will thicken the cabbage mixture
✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.
Equipment: A 12 inch (28 cm) diameter thick-bottomed pot with a lid. I used my cast iron Dutch oven; I've only had good experiences with this type of cookware!
➜ Instructions with photos
How to cut head of cabbage
First, prepare the cabbage head. Remove the outer wilted leaves and set them aside. Cut the cabbage in half from the top to the stem.
Cut a stiff stem from each half. On a cutting board, place the cabbage halves cut side down and slice them into strips about 1/3 inch thick. Then chop across strips for bite-sized pieces.
You will need a large enough kitchen cutting board and a sharp knife with a long, wide blade.
If you have a cabbage shredder, that's a great option to use. Alternatively, a food processor works well too.
How to make sweet and sour red cabbage
Peel and chop the onion. Heat the oil in a large enough saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until golden brown. Remember to stir. This will take about five to seven minutes.
Add the chopped cabbage, caraway seeds, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and half a cup of water. Stir the mixture, reduce the heat to one-third, cover with a lid, and let it simmer gently for approximately 30-45 minutes, or until the cabbage becomes almost tender.
How to make braised cabbage creamy
Heat the fat in a frying pan over medium heat. Then, add the all-purpose flour and stir until the mixture becomes foamy in the pan. Fry for another minute while stirring.
By following these steps, you've successfully created roux, a well-known Czech thickening agent used in sauces and various liquid dishes.
Incorporate the roux into the cooked cabbage. Pour in a cup of water, mix it thoroughly, and allow it to gently boil for five minutes.
Lastly, taste the cabbage and, if needed, slowly add salt, sugar, and vinegar. Make sure to stir thoroughly to meld the flavors within the cabbage before adding any more seasoning.
➜ How to serve sweet and sour red cabbage as a side dish
Because this red cabbage recipe is intended as a side dish, I recommend planning your meal so that all components of the dish are ready at the same time.
Czechs commonly pair this recipe for red cabbage with anything pork, a pan-seared slice of smoked meat, or roast poultry. The third part of the meal includes choices like potato or bread dumplings, lokše, or potato pancakes (placky).
➜ Useful tips
- If you want to add natural sweetness to your cabbage and cut down on sugar, grate an apple into the cabbage at the beginning of the cooking process.
- Any leftover cabbage? After it has cooled down completely, transfer the cabbage into a bowl, cover it with foil or clingfilm, and refrigerate. It will remain fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- The cooled cabbage mixture freezes well. Simply put any leftovers in an airtight container, store it in the freezer, and make sure to use it within three months.
More cabbage recipes:
- Fried cabbage and noodles (haluski)
- Braised sauerkraut (as a side dish)
- Sweet cabbage filling (for Czech buchty and kolache)
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Follow me on Facebook and Pinterest. Subscribe to my newsletter. Send me any question about Czech cuisine to my e-mail. I love hearing your feedback!
Czech Creamy Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ pounds red cabbage (700 g) a small head
- 1 and ½ Tablespoons fat lard, unsalted butter, sunflower oil or canola
- 1 onion
- 1 and ½ teaspoons caraway seeds crushed
- 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar 5% acidity
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 and ½ cups water
Roux:
- 2 Tablespoons fat lard, unsalted butter, sunflower oil or canola
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Remove the outer wilted cabbage leaves. Cut the cabbage in half from the top to the stem. Cut a stiff stem from each half. On a cutting board, place the cabbage halves cut side down and slice them into strips about 1/3 inch thick. Then chop across strips for bite-sized pieces.
- Peel and chop the onion. Heat the oil in a large enough saucepan over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until golden brown. Remember to stir. This will take about five to seven minutes.
- Add the chopped cabbage, caraway seeds, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and half a cup of water. Stir the mixture, reduce the heat to one-third, cover with a lid, and let it simmer gently for approximately 30-45 minutes, or until the cabbage becomes almost tender.
- Make the roux: Heat the fat in a frying pan over medium heat. Then, add the all-purpose flour and stir until the mixture becomes foamy in the pan. Fry for another minute while stirring.
- Incorporate the roux into the cooked cabbage. Pour in a cup of water, mix it thoroughly, and allow it to gently boil for five minutes.
- Lastly, taste the cabbage and, if needed, slowly add salt, sugar, and vinegar. Make sure to stir thoroughly to meld the flavors within the cabbage before adding any more seasoning.
Notes
- Makes 4-6 servings of red cabbage as a side dish.
- Because this red cabbage recipe is intended as a side dish, I recommend planning your meal so that all components of the dish are ready at the same time.
- SERVING: Czechs commonly pair this recipe for red cabbage with anything pork, a pan-seared slice of smoked meat, or roast poultry. The third part of the meal includes choices like potato or bread dumplings, lokše, or potato pancakes (placky).
- If you want to add natural sweetness to your cabbage and cut down on sugar, grate an apple into the cabbage at the beginning of the cooking process.
- Any leftover cabbage? After it has cooled down completely, transfer the cabbage into a bowl, cover it with foil or clingfilm, and refrigerate. It will remain fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge.
DISCLAIMER: Because I come from Central Europe, my recipes are based on metric units such as grams or milliliters. Check out how I convert metric units to the U.S. system:
Conversion chart
Debbie Crowley
This recipe for red cabbage is delicious. Thank you Petra love your recipes. The roast goose looks amazing haven’t had it since i was a young girl, my Aunt made it for Christmas dinner!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com
Thank you for your feedback and nice words, Debbie! I am delighted the recipe was a success! Greetings from the Czech Republic.