The sweet and sour cabbage is a traditional side dish from Northern Italy, particularly common in Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli, and Trentino-Alto Adige. In the latter region, the recipe often includes apples, which enhance the sweet note of the dish, while vinegar adds a pleasant contrast. I was inspired by this South Tyrolean version to create my interpretation of sweet and sour cabbage with apple. As an old and rustic recipe, there are countless versions and small variations, and I have personalized the recipe to my taste without drastically changing it. For example, similar dishes – like eggplants, fennel, or sweet and sour pumpkin – commonly use sugar and vinegar to balance the flavors. In this version, I chose to omit the sugar, replacing it with the natural sweetness of apple and raisins. Additionally, I added some sweet bacon, whose distinct flavor creates a pleasant contrast with the overall taste of the dish. Sweet and sour cabbage with apples is an ideal accompaniment for meat mains and is best served at room temperature.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Trentino-Alto Adige
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
- Energy 238.20 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 22.61 (g) of which sugars 13.41 (g)
- Proteins 8.06 (g)
- Fat 14.65 (g) of which saturated 1.20 (g)of which unsaturated 0.12 (g)
- Fibers 7.47 (g)
- Sodium 154.10 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 215 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples and Bacon
If you are celiac, ensure that the bacon is labeled “gluten-free”.
- 1.76 lbs savoy cabbage
- 1 Renetta apple
- 1/2 onion
- 2.8 oz sweet bacon (optional)
- 0.7 oz raisins (or: 1 tablespoon of sugar)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Colander
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Pan wide non-stick, with lid
How to Prepare Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Apples in the Pan
To prepare sweet and sour cabbage with apples, start by cleaning the cabbage: remove the two outer leaves, then cut it in half. Use a knife to cut the stem and remove it (1). Place the cabbage with the cut side down on the cutting board and slice it into strips (2). Transfer it to a colander and rinse it thoroughly (3).
Soak the raisins in warm water (4). Peel the apple, remove the core, and cut it into pieces not too small (5). Finely chop the onion and place it in a large non-stick pan with the oil (6).
Turn on the heat to low and, as soon as the onion starts to fry, add the bacon (7). Let everything sauté gently, being careful not to burn the onion, until the bacon takes on color (8). At this point, add the cabbage (9) and a pinch of salt.
Mix and let it flavor for a minute or two, then pour in half a glass of hot water (10). Cover with a lid and let the cabbage stew for 5-6 minutes. When it has wilted, add the apple pieces and the raisins, after squeezing them (11). If necessary, add a little more water. Continue cooking the cabbage and apples with the pan covered for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft (12).
Then remove the lid and raise the heat to evaporate the excess water. In this phase, stir constantly to prevent the cabbage from burning. Then, with the heat still high, add one or two tablespoons of vinegar (13). The quantity depends greatly on your taste; if you did NOT use raisins, also add 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let it evaporate well, stirring continuously, until the strong smell of vinegar is no longer detectable (14).
Turn off the heat. You can serve the sweet and sour cabbage with apples right away, but in my opinion, like all sweet and sour preparations, it is better appreciated at room temperature than hot.
Storage
You can store the sweet and sour cabbage in the refrigerator, sealed in a glass jar, for 4-5 days.
You can store the sweet and sour cabbage in the refrigerator, sealed in a glass jar, for 4-5 days.
Tips and Variations
Instead of bacon, you can use the same amount of speck or guanciale. The apple variety most suitable for this preparation is Renetta, but Golden can also work.
