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Home » Side Dishes

Cajun Braised Cabbage Wedges

Published: Sep 6, 2023 · Last Modified: Sep 12, 2023 by Anecia

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You'll love these zesty Cajun Braised Cabbage Wedges! A super simple recipe with loads of great flavor!  Cajun seasoned cabbage wedges nestled in a savory braising liquid infused with crispy bacon and fresh parsley.

Braised cabbage in Dutch oven garnished with bacon bits and parsley.
Jump to:
  • Why this recipe works
  • Ingredients
  • How to make Cajun braised cabbage wedges
  • Recipe tips
  • Variations
  • Serving suggestions
  • Storage and reheating
  • More Southern recipes
  • 📋 Recipe

Why this recipe works

The Cajun seasoned cabbage wedges are a healthy side dish and you can make this as mild or spicy as you like.

  • Quick and easy - no need for a lot of meal prep. Braised cabbage doesn't take long to make at all.
  • Simple ingredients - start with a little cooked bacon then sear cabbage wedges in the bacon grease, make the roux- based sauce and you've got another family favorite in no time!
  • You can make this in a Dutch oven or on the stovetop with a large skillet that has a lid

Ingredients

A medium size head of green cabbage - this yields about six wedges; typically, a medium head of cabbage weighs between 3-4 pounds, so weigh the cabbage head before you buy it

  • Bacon - I use about 4 thick slices of peppercorn bacon, but you can use plain bacon
  • Butter - unsalted
  • All-Purpose flour - about 2-3 tablespoons to slightly thicken the braising liquid
  • Chicken broth - or chicken stock
  • Cajun seasoning - or Creole seasoning. (Creole seasoning is a little more spicy.) I use Tony Chachare's; but you can use any blend like Slap Yo Mama
  • Creole mustard - if you don't have Creole mustard, substitute with stone ground Dijon mustard
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Cayenne pepper- if you don't have powdered cayenne pepper, you can substitute with red pepper flakes
  • ​Celery seed - you can use a little celery salt if you don't have celery seed
  • Brown sugar- just a tad of sweetness balances out the flavor profile of this cajun sauce
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Louisiana hot sauce - you can use a splash of Tabasco sauce if you don't have "Louisiana Hot Sauce" - I prefer Louisiana hot sauce over Tabasco, but it's your call
  • Fresh chopped parsley - or you can garnish with chopped green onions
  • Pinch of salt to taste

How to make Cajun braised cabbage wedges

This is an overview. For exact measurements and ingredients, please see the recipe card below.

​Remove any loose outer layers of the head of cabbage and trim any brown or discolored part of the core (keep the core intact! Just gently remove any of the core that is brownish)

Using a sharp knife, cut cabbage in half; keep the core intact; that's what will hold the wedges together in the skillet

Head of cabbage with sharp knife slicing through the middle of the core.

Trim off a tiny bit of the core if it's discolored; slice a sharp knife through the cabbage into wedges (about three wedges per half head of cabbage); keep the core intact for each wedge

Head of cabbage cut in half on white cutting board.

Lightly season the wedges with the cajun seasoning (or creole seasoning)

Seasoned cabbage wedges on a white cutting board.

Cut the bacon into ¼" inch pieces and place it in a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat; cook the bacon; when it's brown and crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon pieces from the skillet

Bacon pieces in frying pan with a wooden spoon.

Transfer bacon bits to a small plate and turn the stove top heat to medium low

Place cabbage wedges in the skillet and sear them for 2-3 minutes per side until they're a light golden brown; then transfer to a plate

Bacon wedges browning in skillet.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan stirring continuously with a wooden spoon

Butter being added to skillet of bacon grease.

Sprinkle in a little flour and keep stirring

Tablespoon of flour being sprinkled over skillet with bacon grease.

Add in chicken broth and seasonings; taste for salt

Chicken broth being added to skillet containing roux.

At this point you can either add cabbage wedges back to the skillet, cover and allow to cook on low 20-25 minutes, or until the cabbage wedges are tender or place the braised cabbage wedges in a Dutch oven and pour the braising liquid over them.

Braising liquid being poured over browned cabbage wedges.

When ready to serve, drizzle a little of the Cajun sauce over the braised cabbage, garnish with pieces of crisp bacon and fresh parsley

Recipe tips

Cut the cabbage head in half starting at the core; trim off a little of the core if it's brown or gray

Leave the core intact; that's what will hold the cooked wedges together

For best results and enhanced flavor, while the cabbage wedges are braising, occasionally drizzle a little of the sauce over them and put the lid back on

Variations

If you're looking for different ways to make and/or serve this, consider these options!

You can easily turn this quick and easy braised cabbage recipe into a hearty main dish by adding a little andouille sausage or kielbasa sausage or whatever kind of sausage you prefer

If you want, you can add diced onion, celery and green bell pepper (also known as The Holy Trinity) to the sauce and lightly saute the vegetables while the wedges are braising

If you are serving a large group, you can use chopped cabbage instead of cabbage wedges

Serving suggestions

These pair beautifully with pan fried pork chops, buttery cornbread, salmon patties, or as a side dish to a big bowl of Louisiana Red Beans and rice.

Storage and reheating

​Store any remaining cabbage wedges with the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to reheat, pop the cabbage and sauce into a skillet with a lid and heat on low until it's warmed throughout.

Braised cabbage in white Dutch oven.

Cajun braised cabbage wedges are an ideal side dish and make for an easy dinner!

More Southern recipes

  • Pan Fried Pork Chops
  • Southern Fried Okra
  • Purple Hull Peas
  • Restaurant Quality Fried Catfish
  • Salmon Patties
  • Potato Cakes
  • Stewed Tomatoes and Okra
  • Cauliflower Stuffed Brioche

📋 Recipe

Braised cabbage in white Dutch oven.

Cajun Braised Cabbage Wedges

Seasoned cabbage wedges in a zesty and flavorful Cajun sauce with bacon and parsley.
5 from 3 votes
Print Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Cajun, Creole
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Yield: 6 wedges
Author: Anecia Hero
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

  • 3 lb head of green cabbage
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, reserve bacon grease
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for cabbage See recipe notes
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups chicken broth
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon creole mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for sauce

Instructions 

  • Cut cabbage into 6 wedges, leaving the core intact; lightly sprinkle Cajun seasoning over wedges; set aside
    3 lb head of green cabbage, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for cabbage
  • Cut bacon into small pieces and place in a skillet on medium-high heat; cook until bacon is crispy; use a slotted spoon to remove bacon bits; leave the bacon grease in the skillet
    4 slices cooked bacon, reserve bacon grease
  • Place wedges in hot skillet in a single layer and sear 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown; use tongs and transfer cabbage wedges to a plate
  • Turn heat to low and add butter; sprinkle in flour; combine and cook for 2 minutes
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Add chicken broth (use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bacon pieces from the skillet); add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, creole mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, celery salt, Cajun seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and Louisiana hot sauce; stir until combined; taste for salt; add salt if needed
    1½ cups chicken broth, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon creole mustard, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning for sauce, 2 teaspoons Louisiana Hot Sauce
  • Add cabbage wedges to the skillet with the sauce; drizzle a little sauce over each of the wedges; cover and cook on low for 20-25 minutes until the cabbage is tender
  • Garnish with the cooked bacon bits and fresh parsley

Notes

Cajun seasoning
You can substitute with Creole seasoning or a Louisiana spice blend like "Slap Yo Mama"

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1wedgeCalories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 492mgFiber: 6gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 708IUVitamin C: 85mgCalcium: 103mgIron: 2mg
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Anecia Hero, Food Blogger

About SmartyPantsKitchen

I'm Anecia, a native Texan, author, cook and photographer for SmartyPantsKitchen where I'm sharing Traditional and Contemporary Southern recipes for cooks of all levels. There's nothing fancy or gourmet about my recipes-just easy, simple, delicious and memorable! Take a tour and check out delicious recipes! 

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