Easy Sauteed Savoy Cabbage (no boiling necessary!)
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Gone are the days of boiling cabbage like your granny. Instead, try out this deliciously easy sauteed savoy cabbage recipe. The simplicity and flavor of this exquisite side dish will have people requesting it at every meal!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Simple flavors: The only flavors beyond the flavor of the cabbage itself are butter and salt. Two of the best ways to flavor any vegetable in my opinion!
Easy recipe: No more messing with boiling water and having a giant pot you are working with! Making cabbage in a skillet is such an ingeniously easy way to make savoy cabbage.
Budget friendly: Cabbage is one of the cheapest veggies you can find at the grocery…probably because nobody knows what to do with cabbage! But guess what… now you will know how to cook savoy cabbage in an incredibly delicious way!
Need inspiration for some other side dishes? Try my; Diced Air Fryer Potatoes, Smashed Broccoli with Parmesan and Frozen Cauliflower Rice.
Do you have to boil cabbage?
I am sure you have heard of boiled cabbage. Whether it was your grandmother’s recipe that smelled up the whole house, or the fad diet from a few years ago that claimed eating only cabbage soup was the way to lose weight. And yes you can boil cabbage. But do you have to? Absolutely not!
In this recipe, I will show you how to make cooked cabbage sauteed in a skillet with some butter and salt to give you a new twist on how to cook cabbage for roast dinner or any other meal that needs a side dish.
What is Savoy Cabbage?
If you are heading to the market, you will want to look for the cabbage that is round, dark green, has crinkly leaves, and its outer leaves fan out from the head instead of being wrapped tightly around like on other green cabbages. So savoy cabbage kind of looks like a giant green wrinkly flower. Which I love!
Whether you eat savoy cabbage cooked or raw, you will find that the leaves are tender, and mildly flavor compared to other cabbage varieties. It is by far one of the sweetest tasting in flavor of all the cabbages.
Some of the other names savoy cabbage goes by are Milan Cabbage, Lombard Cabbage, or King Savoy.
Here are some other veggie side dishes to try; Sauteed Leeks, Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli and Roasted Parsnips
Nutrition
Cabbage in general is a very healthy vegetable that brings many vitamins and minerals to your dinner table. Savoy cabbage alone contains almost half of your daily value of Vitamin C and is also high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber. Not to mention, the low amount of carbs making it and little bit of protein it contains makes this a great meal for anyone on a keto diet or low carb diet.
Serve this yummy cabbage with a high protein recipe; Thin Pork Chops in Air Fryer, Sauteed Chicken Breasts and Air Fryer Ribeye Steak
Ingredients
Savoy Cabbage Head: I like savoy the best for this recipe due to its mild flavor and crisp tender leaves.
Butter: The bonus to using butter in this recipe is that it helps cook and crisp up the cabbage, caramelizing the outside, and adding buttery flavor . . . which is always a plus!
Seasonings: Garlic is the main seasoning flavor in this recipe, but I also add salt and chili pepper flakes for savoriness and a bit of kick.
Pistachios: This is my secret to taking basic sauteed savoy cabbage over the top. Unlike other savoy cabbage recipes that turn out a bit soggy (particularly the boiled cabbage recipes) the sweet, nutty crunch from the pistachios adds a whole new enticing layer of flavor and texture to this recipe.
See the recipe card for full information on all ingredients and quantities.
Variations/ Adaptations
If you are having trouble finding savoy cabbage, you can try using Napa (or Chinese cabbage) or Sweetheart cabbage in this recipe. Serve with my cowboy butter or my homemade butter . Or you can substitute the butter for vegan butter if you are vegan. And for those who are watching their salt intake, you can of course lower the amount of salt you use on your cabbage.
Also, feel free to try adding your favorite seasoning or dressing to the sauteed savoy cabbage for a different flavor and twist to this recipe.
Uses and availability
You can normally buy savoy cabbage at your local supermarket or grocery store. Also, many times you can find it at the local farmers market. Savoy cabbage is one of those crops that is planted in the spring, but needs all summer to grow. Therefore it is not harvested until fall and winter. Making it a great side dish for a roast dinner on a cold evening.
Savoy cabbage vs other green cabbage
There are many types of cabbage, so let’s compare a few to savoy cabbage so you know the differences.
As stated above, savoy cabbage has a slightly more mild flavor, tender dark green leaves, a crinkled texture all over, and the outer leaves tend to fan out from the center ball of the cabbage.
Green cabbage is more of a lighter green, has a more bitter flavor, the leaves are a bit tougher, the texture of the leaves are smooth, and the overall shape is a round ball. There are no flared outer leaves on this one.
Napa cabbage is another type of cabbage, also known as Chinese cabbage because it is grown in China and used in many Chinese dishes. The shape of napa cabbage is thin and oblong in shape. The taste is mild and slightly sweet, and the leaves are tender and slightly ruffled around the edges.
Sweetheart Cabbage is similar to napa cabbage, but not the same. The shape of sweetheart cabbage is more pear shaped. However, the taste and texture are similar to napa with a mild, sweet flavor, and tender leaves with ruffled edges.
Other serving suggestions that would pair perfectly with this recipe; Gammon Joint in the Air Fryer, How to Boil Chicken Legs and Air Fryer Pork Belly
How to prepare savoy cabbage
Before you cook it, you will want to make sure you cut and clean savoy cabbage properly. To do this, first remove the outer leaves. You can do this easily by cutting the base of the stem off the head with a large clean knife. Most of the outer leaves will probably fall off on their own. If not, remove them by pulling them off.
Next, run the outer leaves and the rest of the head under cold running water for 20-30 seconds, gently rubbing with your fingers to remove any dirt that may have gotten attached during harvest or transport.
Once your cabbage is properly cleaned, you can begin to cut it. Start by removing the tough center stem that runs up the center of the outer leaves.
Then stack the outer leaves on top of one another and cut them down the center and then across, creating 1 inch pieces.
Next, cut the head into thin slices using a large, sharp knife. The thinner the slices the more flavor and tenderness the slices will have after being sauteed.
How to cook savoy cabbage
- On a chopping board, start by thinly slicing the cabbage (Image 1).
- Then thinly slice across to cut the cabbage into smaller pieces (Image 2).
3. To a large pan, add the butter and melt over a medium heat (Image 3).
4. Next, add the savoy cabbage into the pan (Image 4).
5. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 10 to 15 minutes. In the final 2 minutes, add the red pepper flakes, half the pistachios and garlic. Stir to ensure everything is fully incorporated (Image 5).
6. Once the cabbage has softened and cooked through. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Stir through, then serve with a crack of black pepper, the remaining pistachios and a pinch of salt (Image 6).
Tips for the best result
For less servings, it is okay to just make half the savoy cabbage and store the other half in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Using a large sharp knife to cut the slices is essential. It is faster and easier than using a small knife.
How to use Leftovers
Often, I will only cook half a head of savoy cabbage because they are so large. So here are some ways to use leftover savoy cabbage that is still raw.
- Boiled cabbage and potatoes
- Sauteed savoy cabbage with sausage
- Asian slaw
- Coleslaw with mayonnaise
- Sauerkraut
- Stuffed cabbage rolls
- Add to salad or stir fry
Storage of Leftovers
Store raw leftovers in the refrigerator until the cabbage begins to brown and leaves get soft and wilted. Store cooked cabbage in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
You can also freeze cabbage that is raw or that has been cooked. Store either in the freezer for up to three months in an airtight container.
Serving Suggestions
Sauteed savoy cabbage is best served as a side dish alongside so many different meals. But my favorite meal is roast dinner. However, you can serve cooked cabbage with many other meals as well such as any meat, vegetable, or starch like potatoes. This savoy cabbage side dish goes with so many recipes, including my; Chicken Mince Stir Fry, Soy Garlic Chicken Breast and Easy Baked Pesto Chicken
And if you are vegan or vegetarian, this sauteed cabbage may be a main course for you, otherwise known as a cabbage steaks.
FAQs
There are many ways to cook savoy cabbage. You can boil it, grill it, roast it, or in this case, saute it.
You will know cabbage is bad if there is a bad smell coming from it, the outer leaves are brown and wilted, and the leaves are soft instead of tough and strong.
Yes, savoy cabbage is dark green on the outside, but normally has a yellow and whitish color on the inside. This is completely safe to eat.
If you tried this Easy Sauteed Savoy Cabbage recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Easy Savoy Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 x head of savoy cabbage, thinly sliced (£0.75)
- 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced (£0.39)
- 50 g salted butter (£1.69/5)=(£0.34)
- 50 g salted pistachios (£2.75/4)=(£0.69)
- Juice of half a lemon (£0.30)
Cupboard Essentials
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt and Pepper
Method
- To a large pan, add the butter and melt over a medium heat. Next, add the savoy cabbage into the pan.
- Season with salt and pepper and saute for 10 to 15 minutes. In the final 2 minutes, add the red pepper flakes, half the pistachios and garlic.
- Once softened and cooked through. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice. Stir through, then serve with a crack of black pepper, the remaining pistachios and a pinch of salt.
Notes
Nutrition
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