The beloved side dish found in virtually every restaurant and home throughout Germany and I grew up eating this on a regular basis with Sunday roasts and Rouladen. Here is a thoroughly authentic recipe for this delicious way of preparing red cabbage.
I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for a long time and just kept forgetting. A few comments from German food fans reminded me, so here it is – the quintessential German red cabbage side dish!
Rotkohl has been around for, well, forever. And that’s how it usually works, doesn’t it? Great dishes stand the test of time. And Rotkohl takes the humble red cabbage and transforms it into a wonderful dish that traditionally accompanies beef roasts, Rouladen and Sauerbraten. For any of you who have traveled to Germany, you’ll remember this delicious dish. This recipe is like the Rotkohl you enjoyed at your favorite German restaurants or in your favorite German homes.
Rotkohl is also a great way to eat those healthy veggies. Red cabbage is packed with a ton of health benefits. It’s low in fat and high in fiber (ie, a “smart carb”), it’s full of vitamin K which has been shown to help prevent nerve damage leading to Alzheimer’s and dementia as well as help with mental functioning (ie, brain food), it’s high in sulfur which improves the health of your skin (ie, natural beautifier), it’s high in vitamin C which helps remove toxins in the body (ie, great for detox), it’s been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, helps regulate blood sugar, and because it’s high in potassium it can also help regulate blood pressure.
So cabbage, especially red cabbage, is one of man’s best friends – a superfood. And here is a delicious, traditional German way of preparing it. Butter, apples, vinegar, red currant jam, bay leaves, cloves and juniper berries are some of the ingredients that mingle to include this unforgettable side dish. Just be sure to make time for the slow cooking process. It’s that long simmering process that’s key to the final outcome.
Let’s get started!
Finely chop the red cabbage.
Finely chop the onions.
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter and cook the onions until lightly caramelized, 7-10 minutes.
Add the red cabbage and cook for 5 minutes.
Dice the apple.
Add the diced apple along with the broth, bay leaf, whole cloves, juniper berries, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed. Mix a tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water until dissolved and stir it into the cabbage. Add salt, sugar and vinegar to taste.
Enjoy!
Traditional German Rotkohl (Sweet/Sour Red Cabbage)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds red cabbage ,very thinly sliced
- 1 large yellow onion ,finely diced
- 1 large Granny Smith or other semi-tart apple ,peeled, cored and diced
- 1/4 cup butter (paleo: use grass fed or oil, vegans: use oil)
- 2 tablespoons red currant jam ,or cherry preserves (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 juniper berries
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour (gluten free and paleo: omit)
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook the onions until lcaramelized and just beginning to brown, 7-10 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Add the apple, broth, bay leaf, cloves, juniper berries, red currant jam, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed. Combine the flour and water until dissolved and stir into the Rotkohl. Simmer for another minute. Add more salt, sugar and vinegar to taste.
- Traditionally served with roasts, Rouladen, Sauerbraten and potatoes, Spaetzle or Knoedel.
Nutrition
Roy J Jaeger says
You use whole juniper berry and whole cloves along with bay leaves, but no mention of bothering to remove any of them. No need to crush before hand? Or need bother plucking out the bay leaves?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Roy, yes this calls for whole spices and bay leaf. You can leave them in if you wish but it’s not a pleasant experience to bite into them ;)
Mearal Dalstead says
I see some in jars in shops . Can this recipe be bottled to use later. Would only use small quantities.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mearal, it would have to be pressure canned but I don’t know what the specific parameters would be.
Geoff Leaman says
Can Rotkohl be kept in a fridge after making & if so, How long would you suggest be a maximum please?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Geoff, absolutely. It will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge.
Jeff says
Hi Kimberly,
A couple of questions:
1 – can Raspberry jam be substituted? I haven’t been able to find Red Current or Cherry
2 – can leftovers be frozen?
3 – I’ve seen in the comments that this can be made a day or so in advance, what is your recommendation on reheating?
I’m looking forward to pairing this with Sauerbrauten!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jeff, yes you can use raspberry jam. I haven’t personally tried freezing this but a few readers said they’ve done so successfully. Yes, this can be made ahead and either reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. Happy cooking! :)
George Koch says
Can this be frozen?
Clare Fletcher says
This recipe is to DIE FOR. It’s so authentic. And it wasn’t too hard to do. Thank you so much for providing all of these authentic recipes from southern Germany. Makes me really nostalgic for the time I used to live there!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Clare, and really appreciate the feedback, thank you!
Erich says
Hi Kimberly,
Im a little confused regarding the recipe when it refers to the “broth” where am I getting the broth from?
Once I cook onions and cabbage, you say add the apples, broth etc.
I don’t seem to find instructions for the broth?
Thanks so much
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Erich, you can purchase ready made vegetable broth at the store either in liquid form in a can/carton or in the form or bouillon cubes that you add to water.
Mike says
Can u can this recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Mike, I’m sure this can be canned with a pressure canner but I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t offer the specifics. I also don’t know how it will impact the texture of the Rotkohl.
Richard Smith says
Thank you for an excellent recipe. I made it exactly as directed, along with the sauerbraten (venison top round marinated for 12 days). It was wonderful!
I love the flavor of the rotkohl cold. Is that an unusual way to eat it?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Richard, I’m so glad you made and enjoyed both recipes – thank you! Rotkohl is typically eaten warm but if you prefer it cold there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! :)