Baked white (Dutch) cabbage with tender pork pieces – healthy, sauteed and baked to the sweetest perfection. Easy to prepare with pantry ingredients this simple meal is the perfect budget family dinner. Traditionally enjoyed during colder months of the year. Can be made vegan/vegetarian if desired.
Baked white (Dutch) cabbage with tender pork pieces, topped with fresh ground black pepper. Our family enjoys this simple budget-friendly meal during colder fall and winter months – or whenever fresh cabbage is available.
We love this simple family meal as it combines the sweet freshness of cooked cabbage, enhanced by fresh black pepper & topped with juicy pork meat bites. Our 4 year old loves it too.Â
HOW TO MAKE BAKED CABBAGE WITH/WITHOUT PORK
COOKING METHOD: One can either choose to make this meal entirely on stove top or saute ingredients and then bake in the oven. I’ve found that a combination of stove top cooking and subsequent short baking provides the best results – in terms of time saving and taste. Nevertheless, my grandmother used to cook this meal on the stove top entirely. Personally, I love having that ”baked ” touch to the meal, therefore I apply a combination of the two methods. At the end, it’s generally up to ones preferences.
MEAT: Depending on where you source pork meat from, pork lion can sometimes become try to the taste. Therefore, one can better choose pork meat parts with fat on (like pork chops). When cut in pieces pork fat dissolves in the cooking process, providing even richer taste to cabbage.
VEGAN (MEATLESS): If one’s looking for savory cabbage recipe, made with fresh white cabbage that is also vegan – simply omit adding any meat and cook as usual. This meal is absolutely delicious either way.Â
WHITE CABBAGE AS SIDE MEAL: If you choose to cook white cabbage (or sauerkraut) without the meat, then this meal turns to a wonderful side meal to any roast.
SEASONAL: Last but not least, this recipe can easily be adapted to use sauerkraut in spite of fresh white Dutch cabbage. We, usually make the fresh version whenever white cabbage is in season (usually during fall/winter months).
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Sweet Cabbage with Pork
Ingredients
- 1 white Dutch cabbage (approx. 3-4 pounds/2 kg), core removed & finely chopped
- 1 lb (500g) pork lion, cut in small pieces
- 2 onions, cleaned & minced
- 1 can tomatoes (or 2-3 fresh tomatoes)
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil (or lard)
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp mint powder
- fresh ground black pepper (to taste)
- salt to taste
- 1/2 cup water or more as needed
Instructions
- Wash cabbage under cold water. Then remove core and cut the rest in small strips. Then in a large mixing bowl sprinkle some salt and squish shredded cabbage until it reduces it size in half. All salt should be used for squishing the cabbage (see tips above).
- In a large sauce pan add chopped onion and vegetable oil. Saute until onion becomes soft. Then add tomatoes, paprika, cumin and mint. Add pork lion (previously chopped into small pieces) and saute for 5-10 min until meat changes color.
- Then add previously shredded & squished cabbage and water and bring to a boil. Cook on stove top until cabbage and meat are almost cooked. Then transfer into large baking pan and bake for about 10 min on 350 F/180C (or until cabbage starts to get brownish on top).
- Serve warm and sprinkle some fresh ground black pepper on top.
Recipe Notes
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Made this for dinner tonight. Simple and delicious. Hubby was skeptical but loved it too.