Make Italian Cabbage with Garlic and olive oil on the stove for a delicious side dish! The sautéed cabbage becomes tender, intensely flavorful and naturally sweet.
The Irish might be content boiling their cabbage, but you know Italians are going to sauté it in tanto olive oil and garlic.
Oh, yes, my friends.
We want our Italian cabbage to have savory garlic flavor and natural sweetness as it caramelizes. We don't do bland!
This is my mom's recipe that our whole family loves. Make this easy cabbage with garlic for St. Patrick's Day with stovetop corned beef or any time you want a delicious Italian side dish!
Recipe ingredients
This is a simple cabbage recipe with just three ingredients, plus salt and pepper.
Cabbage: Use green cabbage (pictured) or savoy cabbage, which has crinkly leaves. Savoy is my favorite, because it's sweeter and less peppery than green cabbage, but either one will work here.
Olive Oil: This recipe calls for a generous amount of olive oil, so use your favorite kind. The oil coats the cooked cabbage, providing delicious flavor.
How to cut cabbage
- Rinse the cabbage and remove a few of the outer, dark leaves. Pat the cabbage dry with a paper towel.
- Slice off the root end and discard it.
- Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom, then cut those pieces in half, cutting out and discarding the core.
- Take each quarter of cabbage and slice it into wedges about half an inch thick. You can break up the cabbage into strips when you add it to the pan.
How to make it
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Cook thinly sliced garlic in olive oil in a 12-inch skillet or cast iron pan (affiliate link) for about two minutes.
- Add the cabbage wedges and separate them into strips. Add the seasonings and turn the cabbage to coat it in oil.
- Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-30 minutes or until done to your liking.
Recipe tips
- The raw cabbage strips will look like too much to fit into a 12-inch pan, but will wilt and cook down.
- Use tongs (affiliate link) instead of a spoon to more easily turn the cabbage to coat it in oil.
- If you want the cabbage browner and more caramelized, don't stir it too much.
What to serve with it
Besides corned beef, this Italian Cabbage would go great with breaded pork chops or the best pork loin roast ever. It also would make a healthy side dish to go with pan-seared cod.
To keep it a vegetarian meal, try serving it with rice cooked like pasta.
More vegetable sides to try
- Broccoli Rabe with Garlic
- Italian Sautéed Escarole
- Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic & Lemon
- Italian Mushrooms and Tomatoes
- Zucchini Bake with Pecorino
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe for Italian Cabbage with Garlic, please leave a comment and a rating!
Italian Cabbage with Garlic
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cabbage (savoy or green)
- 4 large garlic cloves
- 3 ounces olive oil
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ cup water
Instructions
- Rinse the head of cabbage and pat it dry. Remove a few of the outer, dark leaves. On a large cutting board, slice off the root end and discard it. Cut the cabbage in half from top to bottom, then cut those pieces in half, cutting out and discarding the core. Take each quarter of cabbage and slice it into wedges about half an inch thick. Cut those in half if they're large. (You'll separate the cabbage into strips in your pan.)
- Peel the garlic, cutting off the root and stem ends. Slice the garlic thinly.
- In a 12-inch nonstick skillet (or use a cast iron pan if you have one), heat the olive oil on medium-high and add the garlic to the pan. Let the garlic cook for a couple of minutes before adding the sliced cabbage, salt and pepper. (It will look like too much, but the cabbage will cook down.) Stir the cabbage to coat it with oil, breaking up the cabbage into strips.
- Let the cabbage cook, covered, on medium heat, stirring it occasionally. When you find the pan getting dry, add ⅛ cup of hot water. Continue letting the cabbage cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and getting brown. (Stir it less often to allow it to brown.) It will take at least 15 minutes, but depending on your pan, you may need 30 minutes. Don't let it burn. Taste the cabbage to see if it needs any more salt.
- Store the leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Notes
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: My mom, who is from Naples and has been making this family favorite for many decades.)
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