Keto Fried Cabbage with Bacon

This recipe for Keto Fried Cabbage is going to be a favorite meal or side dish for you and your family. It’s so easy to make, and after all, who doesn’t love everything with bacon in it??  Add some onions and you have the best combination going!!!

This cabbage is so delicious and will become one of your go-to recipes for years to come.

If you are anything like me, cabbage was never one of my favorite vegetables, in fact for years I would never even eat cabbage. Then I started eating it in small doses as an accent in soups or stuffed cabbage full of meat and rice…etc. 

I love to serve Keto fried cabbage for my friends and family and it tastes so good that they never know that they are eating a low carb recipe. Now when they ask me to make fried cabbage and bacon I get excited. It’s easy to make, delicious to eat and I love having leftovers for the next day.

What is Fried Cabbage and Bacon?

Fried cabbage and bacon is easy to describe and it’s just like it sounds. It’s a side dish of cabbage that is fried in a pan and, like in this case, we add onions and bacon which turn a plain ordinary veggie into a very delicious side dish or even a meal in itself.

Is Cabbage Keto-Friendly?

If you are looking for low carb vegetables, look no further than cabbage, one of the most Keto-friendly veggies out there. Cabbage is very low in carbs. You can eat a cup of cabbage for only 4 NET Carbs, which makes it a winner because you can fill up on a lot of cabbage for only a few carbs.

Cabbage is also really healthy for you to eat. It is full of vitamins and minerals, helps with digestion, may keep your heart healthy, lower blood pressure and cholesterol…etc.

How Many Carbs in Fried Cabbage?

Since cabbage itself is low carb, it’s really easy to turn it into a low carb recipe.

This Keto cabbage recipe is only 2.6 NET Carbs for a ½ cup portion, so you can eat quite a bit and still stay within the keto equation for carbs.

What Ingredients are in Keto Fried Cabbage?

• Cabbage – Green cabbage or a combo of red and green is good in this keto cabbage side dish.
• Bacon – Oscar Mayer bacon is my favorite but you can use any bacon, even turkey bacon.
• Onions – Any type of onions that you choose to use, yellow, white or red.
• Spices – Salt and Pepper are basic spices to use. Add any other ones that you want to, such as garlic powder, paprika, or crushed red pepper if you want a kick in your keto cabbage and bacon.

Fresh Cabbage vs. Frozen Cabbage

I use fresh green cabbage for this recipe. I always opt for fresh ingredients if possible. I personally have never seen bags of cabbage in the freezer section of my grocery store, but if you see it in your store then feel free to use it. 

Another idea is buying fresh cabbage, cutting it up and then freezing it to use it in the future for a keto cabbage side dish. If you wrap it properly to prevent freezer burn then you will enjoy it.

What Type of Bacon Should I Use?

You can use any type of bacon that you want in keto fried cabbage, we usually use traditional pork bacon. 

My favorite brand of bacon is Oscar Mayer. It may cost more but the flavor is phenomenal and it also has less fat than other cheaper brands which causes them to shrink more than the Oscar Mayer ones.

Turkey bacon is also a good choice if you want to cut the fat or if you prefer the turkey flavor over pork. Oscar Mayer also has a turkey bacon which is the only turkey one I will buy, because most of the other brands out there taste like cardboard.

If you are on the Paleo diet plan you could always replace regular bacon with paleo approved bacon.

What is the Best Fat to Fry Cabbage With?

You may be wondering what fat you can use to fry your low carb fried cabbage in, butter, bacon grease, olive oil, avocado oil, lard…etc? Any of these would work, and sometimes it’s about preference or it could be what you have in your kitchen at the time that you want to cook your keto cabbage recipe. 

In this case it’s an easy choice for me because I always opt for using bacon grease since I already have it left over from frying the bacon, and I like the taste.

Different Variations of Fried Cabbage

Another way that you can make your low carb fried cabbage is to add some sausage, ham or kielbasa to it. This is good to keep in mind if you want to make the keto fried cabbage recipe often because by changing the variety of meat it’s just enough to make it seem like you are eating an entirely new recipe. 

By adding some cajun or creaole seasoning to your keto fried cabbage it changes the flavor to become a southern fried cabbage. 

By adding some Italian sweet or hot sausage to your keto fried cabbage recipe it changes the flavor to become an Italian fried cabbage.

And one more change is to add some corned beef to your Keto fried cabbage for an Irish fried veggie dish. What a surprise….and Irish dish with cabbage and corned beef!!

Preparing Cabbage for Frying

Now let’s show you step by step how to prepare and make this Keto fried cabbage recipe.

Washing

1. Before you wash your cabbage, pull off any old, damaged and wilted leaves. 
2. Rinse the cabbage off under cold water thoroughly.
3. Next, dry it as best as you can with a paper towel. It doesn’t have to be really dry, just enough so that the water is not dripping off of it.

How to Cut Cabbage

It’s really easy to cut the cabbage to make this keto fried cabbage recipe.

1. The first thing to do is to get a large cutting board and a sharp knife that you like to use. Anchor down your cutting board to the counter so that it doesn’t move around while you are trying to cut the cabbage.
2. Hold the cabbage with one hand on its side and cut off the bottom outer core.
3. Turn the cabbage and cut it in half lengthwise from top to bottom. Next cut the halves in half again the same way so that you end up with 4 identical pieces.
4. Next cut out the rest of the core that is still inside the cabbage. Now you are ready to cut it up into strips.
5. Hold the top of the quartered piece with one hand and cut across the piece from the bottom to the top in ½-1 inch pieces. Repeat for all pieces.

How to Make Fried Cabbage and Bacon 

Now that you have cut up the cabbage it’s time to fry it, but first, you need to prepare the rest of the ingredients for your keto fried cabbage and bacon.

STEP 1: Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces on a cutting board. Cook the bacon in a large frying pan or dutch oven. This is one of the only times I suggest cooking bacon in a pan instead of cooking it in the oven. Once it’s cooked, take it out of the pan and drain on paper towels.

STEP 2: Drain out of the pan about half of the grease and reserve it in case you need to use it later on.

STEP 3: Chop up the onion and start to saute it.

STEP 4: While the onion is starting to saute, now it’s time to add the cabbage, blending it with the onions. If it is sticking to the pan then add a little more bacon grease.

STEP 5: You don’t want the cabbage to be soggy and overcooked so just saute the cabbage until it’s al dente which only takes about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

STEP 6: Now add the pieces of bacon and blend it all together. It’s complete and ready to eat!!

How Long Does It Take to Fry Cabbage?

It only takes about 5 minutes to fry cabbage. You do not want to overcook it because it leaves behind water and as a result will turn into a soggy mess. When the cabbage is al dente then it’s done.

Best Tips for Low Carb Fried Cabbage

• Do not overcook your cabbage or else it will be soggy. Always cook it al dente for best results.
• By adding different types of meat to the fried cabbage it changes up the recipe just enough to make it seem like a different recipe.
• You can add other spices. Salt and pepper are basic spices but you can add onion powder, chopped garlic or garlic powder, spicy things such as cajun, creole, crushed red pepper…etc.
• Any grease will work in this dish, bacon, butter, oil…etc.
• If you want the fried cabbage to be sweet and sour then add some swerve brown sugar and apple cider or white vinegar.
• Try to make your cabbage pieces equal in size to cook more evenly.
• To make it a vegetarian dish just omit the bacon and bacon grease and fry the onions and cabbage in olive oil instead.

How to Make Keto Cabbage and Bacon in an Instant Pot

Having an instant pot has certainly been useful in making a lot of different foods, and this fried cabbage and bacon is no exception. It’s so easy to do. 

1. Rinse and dry the cabbage, then follow the instructions up above for cutting the cabbage and onions. Cut the bacon and now you are ready to put the cabbage together in the instant pot.
2. You need to add some broth to the instant pot to create some steam for the cabbage to cook. But it is a mistake to use too much liquid because you don’t want the cabbage to be mushy. Add just ¼-½ cup of broth.
3. Put the instant pot on saute. Add the chopped bacon, stirring until crisp, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel.
5. Add the onions to the pot and cook in the bacon grease for about 3-4 minutes.
6. Now add the cabbage and stir so that the bacon grease coats it. 
7. Add the broth and seal the pot. Cook for just about 2 minutes.
8. Release the steam/pressure.
9. Place the cabbage in a bowl and toss in the bacon. Serve your keto cabbage and bacon!

Other Diets This Recipe is Good For

• Gluten-free – These are all gluten-free ingredients.
• Dairy-free – There is no dairy in this fried cabbage and bacon recipe.
• Sugar-free – This yummy recipe does not need any sugar added to it.
• Paleo – By using a paleo bacon this can be enjoyed as an acceptable  side dish.
• Nut-free – There are no nuts in this keto cabbage side dish.

What to Serve with Fried Cabbage?

This Keto cabbage side dish goes well with so many things because it’s very tasty but at the same time, it isn’t overpowering.

It goes along side of any meat:

• Steak
• Burgers
• Chicken – baked, fried, sauteed
• Pork Chops or Pork Roast 
• Corned beef
• Ham
• Meatloaf

You can also serve this Keto cabbage side dish with any type of fish.

How to Make Ahead and Store Fried Cabbage 

Even though low carb fried cabbage does not take a lot of time to prepare, sometimes when I am going to make it for dinner I prepare it in sections. 

You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time and not assemble the whole dish. For instance, the bacon can be fried ahead and cut up so it’s ready to go when you decide to make the dish. The onions and cabbage can also be cut up so that when it’s close to dinner time, it takes just literally 5 minutes for all of the ingredients to come together.

If you have some keto fried cabbage and bacon leftover when dinner is over, just place it in an airtight container and it will stay good in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

How to Reheat Cabbage and Bacon

Reheating the  keto cabbage and bacon is very easy. I like to pop it into the microwave for 1-2 minutes and it’s hot and ready to eat immediately.  No hassle required.

Can You Freeze Fried Cabbage and Bacon

Fried cabbage and bacon is one of those dishes that freezes well if you wrap it properly. Just place it in an airtight container and then for added protection I like to put the container inside a ziploc plastic bag. That extra barrier adds one more layer of protection to your food.

You can safely keep the fried cabbage and bacon in the freezer for 3-4 months and enjoy it for a future meal.

More Low Carb Side Dish Recipes

If you’re in the mood for some other Keto-friendly side dishes then try our:

• Keto Green Bean Casserole
• Homemade Keto Stuffing
• Creamiest Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
• How to Make Cauliflower Rice
• Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce

All of them are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will have your friends raving!

Print