This Slow Cooker Cabbage is tender cabbage slow cooked with crispy bacon, bacon grease, garlic and chicken broth into the most flavorful hands-off side dish.
This Slow Cooker Cabbage has become one of our most made side dishes. The bacon grease and chicken broth give the cabbage a rich, savory flavor that keeps everyone coming back for seconds. After 14 years of developing crockpot recipes, I know the slow cooker is one of the best ways to make vegetables flavorful and tender.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Budget Friendly — $7.50 total for a hearty side dish
- Deep smoky savory flavor
- Set it and forget it — 4 hours on low and the side dish is completely done
- Perfect for any occasion
- Even cabbage skeptics go back for seconds
Slow cooker side dishes make dinners a breeze because they free up valuable stove and oven space while still delivering plenty of flavor. If you love easy sides like this one, try our Crockpot Glazed Carrots, Crock Pot Green Beans, and Crock Pot Corn on the Cob. They are all budget friendly, hands off, and family favorites.
Ingredients
- Small head of cabbage, cored and chopped — the star of the dish. Cut into roughly 1 to 2 inch pieces so it cooks evenly and becomes perfectly tender without turning to mush. Green cabbage gives the classic flavor — savoy cabbage works as a slightly more delicate substitute
- Bacon, cooked and crumbled — cook the bacon first and reserve the drippings before crumbling. Thick cut bacon gives the most satisfying smoky flavor and the crumbled pieces add a satisfying texture throughout every bite
- White onion, diced — adds a sweet savory depth that softens completely during the long cook time. Yellow onion works as a direct substitute
- Bacon grease, reserved — the secret weapon that makes this cabbage taste so different from any other recipe. Reserve exactly ¼ cup of the drippings when cooking the bacon — this is non-negotiable for the best result
- Minced garlic — adds bold savory flavor that infuses throughout the cabbage during the long slow cook. Fresh minced gives the best result
- Salt and pepper — essential seasoning throughout. Always taste before serving and adjust — the bacon and bacon grease already add saltiness so season carefully
- Chicken broth — creates the savory braising liquid that the cabbage absorbs as it cooks. Low sodium gives you more control over the final saltiness. Vegetable broth works as a substitute
Carrie’s Tip: Do not skip the reserved bacon grease — it is the single most important ingredient in this recipe. The bacon grease coats every piece of cabbage as it slow cooks and gives it a deep smoky flavor that oil or butter simply cannot replicate. Cook the bacon first reserve exactly ¼ cup of the drippings and add it to the slow cooker before anything else goes in.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cabbage
Step 1 – Place the chopped cabbage in a 6 quart crock pot.
Step 2 – Brown the bacon with the white onion in a large skillet over medium high heat until the bacon is crispy on the stove top. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
Step 3 – Chop the bacon and pour the bacon, onions and bacon grease (approximately ¼ cup) to the crock pot.
Step 4 – Then top with the minced garlic, salt, black pepper and chicken broth. Stir the spices with the cabbage.
Step 5 – Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the cabbage is tender. For the best texture, we recommend low heat — it gives more consistently tender cabbage that holds its shape, rather than turning overly soft the way high heat can if left too long.
Tips for Success
- Always reserve the bacon grease. This is the single most important step — the bacon drippings are what give this cabbage its incredible smoky depth. Never substitute with oil or butter and never skip this step
- Chop the cabbage into even pieces. Uniform 1 to 2 inch pieces cook at the same rate — very large pieces may still be tough when smaller pieces are already perfectly tender
- Use low sodium chicken broth. The bacon and bacon grease already add significant saltiness — low sodium broth gives you more control over the final flavor before serving
- Do not lift the lid during cooking. Every time the lid is lifted during cooking add 15–20 minutes to the cook time — let the slow cooker do its job undisturbed
- Taste before serving. Always taste right before serving and adjust salt and pepper — the flavor develops significantly during the long cook and what seemed well seasoned at the start may need a small adjustment at the end
Variations and Substitutions
- Add sliced smoked sausage or kielbasa to the slow cooker alongside the cabbage for a complete one pot meal
- Add diced carrots or potatoes for a heartier more filling side dish
- Add a splash of apple cider vinegar right before serving for a bright tangy finish that cuts through the richness of the bacon
- Swap chicken broth for beef broth for a deeper more robust flavor
- Make it spicy — add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño for a subtle kick of heat
- Add a teaspoon of caraway seeds for a more traditional European-style cabbage flavor
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Cabbage
- Oven Roasted Potatoes and Sausage – This Smoked Sausage Sheet Pan dinner includes Kielbasa Sausage, carrots, asparagus and more all topped with amazing seasoning.
- Cornbread – Cornbread, cabbage and some sausage is the perfect meal. This homemade cornbread is an easy recipe.
- Roasted Chicken – This oven roasted chicken is seasoned perfectly and so tender making this one of my favorite chicken dinners.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Refrigerator
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The flavor actually deepens overnight as the cabbage continues to absorb the braising liquid
Freezer
- Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth
Reheating
- Reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth stirring occasionally until warmed through — microwave in 60-second intervals also works well for individual portions
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook on low for 4 hours rather than high — low and slow gives you tender cabbage that holds its shape while high heat can make it overly soft if left too long.
Yes — red cabbage works with the same method and cook time but will turn a deep purple color during cooking and has a slightly earthier flavor than green cabbage.
The bacon grease is what gives this recipe its incredible smoky depth — substituting with oil or butter will give you a noticeably different and less flavorful result. We strongly recommend using the reserved drippings.
Yes — sliced smoked sausage or kielbasa added at the beginning of cooking turns this side dish into a complete one pot meal. No additional liquid is needed.
Yes — it reheats beautifully and the flavor actually improves overnight as the cabbage absorbs more of the braising liquid. Make up to 2 days ahead and reheat before serving.
Green cabbage gives the most classic flavor and holds up best during the long slow cook — savoy cabbage works as a more delicate substitute and red cabbage gives a different color and slightly earthier flavor.
More Easy Cabbage Recipes
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Slow Cooker Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 small Head of Cabbage cored and chopped
- 8 slices Bacon cooked and crumbled
- ½ White Onion diced
- ¼ cup Bacon Grease reserved when cooking the bacon
- 1 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
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Instructions
- Place head of cabbage, cored and chopped, into a 6-quart crock pot.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon and diced white onion until the bacon is crispy and the onion is softened.
- Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble or chop the bacon into pieces.
- Add the cooked bacon, onions, and approximately ¼ cup reserved bacon grease to the crock pot with the cabbage.
- Add minced garlic, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to the crock pot.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 3–4 hours, until the cabbage is tender.
- Serve using a slotted spoon and enjoy!
Myself & family love cabbage supper. This was a big hit with all!?
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