Name: Christmas red cabbage recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves: 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 75g (3oz) butter (or dairy-free spread); 2 red onions, finely sliced; 1.5kg (3lb 5oz) red cabbage, very finely sliced; 300ml (½pt) port; 4 tbsp cranberry sauce; 75g pack dried cranberries; 2tbsp light muscovado sugar

By Jessica Ransom

last updated 15 December 2023

in Recipes

This Christmas red cabbage has seven ingredients and can even be frozen ahead.

Not only is this classic side dish delicious with a roast turkey, it’s also great with ham and beef or even stuffed into sandwiches. If you’d like to add some more festive flavour to your red cabbage, consider adding a star anise or cinnamon stick to the pot.

Ingredients

75g (3oz) butter (or dairy-free spread)
2 red onions, finely sliced
1.5kg (3lb 5oz) red cabbage, very finely sliced
300ml (½pt) port
4 tbsp cranberry sauce
75g pack dried cranberries
2tbsp light muscovado sugar

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Method

Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan, add the onions and gently cook for 15 mins until very soft. Stir in the cabbage, port, cranberry sauce, dried cranberries and sugar. Add 150ml (¼pt) water and season with salt and black pepper.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the lid and cook for a further 15 mins until all the liquid has gone. Check seasoning and serve.

Top tips for making our Christmas red cabbage

For an extra fruity flavour consider adding the zest and juice of an orange. You might also like to add a grated apple.

What does red cabbage go with?

Red cabbage is a bold flavour and usually (as in this recipe) is enhanced with other punchy additions like port and cranberry. This means it's a great side dish to serve with other strong flavours like salty baked gammon, game meats like pheasant, partridge or duck, or fat British sausages.

Which is healthier, red or green cabbage?

Both red and green cabbage are very low calories, high in fibre and other nutrients - so they're both very healthy. But red cabbage is even more healthy, with ten times more vitamin A - vital for immunity, skin and eye health. It's also packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants and has more iron than green cabbage.

Can you make Christmas red cabbage ahead?

Yes, the red cabbage can be made a couple of days ahead. In fact the flavour will develop if you let it rest. The cabbage can also be cooled and frozen a month in advance. Defrost in the fridge overnight then microwave or reheat on the hob until piping hot.

Save washing up and make your cabbage in a dish that will look lovely on your Christmas table so people can help themselves.

You might also like our braised red cabbage or if you have leftover raw cabbage, this pickled red cabbage is delicious too. Read our guide on how to cook red cabbage if you want more tips.

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.