Okay, so I’ve been on this kick lately trying to eat more veggies. And cabbage? Super cheap, super healthy, but, you know, kinda boring on its own. I decided to see what I could do to jazz up some fried cabbage.
Experiment Time: Fried Cabbage Combos
First things first, I grabbed a head of green cabbage from the fridge. I already had some, cause as I said, it’s cheap. I chopped it up – not too fine, not too chunky, just kinda rough-cut pieces.
Then, I heated up some olive oil in my big skillet. I like using a big one so I can move stuff around easily. While that was heating, I seasoned the cabbage with just salt and pepper. Basic stuff.
I tossed the cabbage into the hot pan and let it cook for a bit, stirring occasionally. I wanted it to get a little brown and crispy on the edges, you know? That’s where the flavor is!
The Taste Test
- The Classic: Just the fried cabbage with salt and pepper. It was…okay. Definitely needed something more.
Then started playing around to see What goes well with it.
- With Bacon: I crumbled some pre-cooked bacon I had in the fridge (don’t judge, it’s a lifesaver!) and tossed it in with the cabbage for the last few minutes. Okay, this was a HUGE improvement. Salty, smoky, crispy…everything you want.
- With Onions and Garlic: Next batch, I chopped up an onion and a couple cloves of garlic and sautéed them in the pan before adding the cabbage. This gave the cabbage a nice, sweet, savory flavor. I sprinkled in a little bit of red pepper flakes too, for some heat.
- With Sausage:Then, sliced up some kielbasa sausage and browned it in the pan first, then added the cabbage. Another winner! The sausage added a great, hearty flavor.
- With Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil: I wanted to try something a little different, so for the last batch, I whisked together some soy sauce, sesame oil, and a tiny bit of honey. I poured that over the cabbage in the last couple minutes of cooking. This was surprisingly good! It gave it a nice, Asian-inspired flavor.
The Verdict?
Honestly, fried cabbage is way more versatile than I thought! The bacon and sausage versions were probably my favorites – that salty, savory thing really works. But the onion and garlic one was great too, and the soy sauce version was a fun twist. I’m definitely going to keep experimenting. Maybe some carrots next time? Or some different spices? The possibilities are endless!
