A quintessential and popular German side dish, this braised German Red Cabbage is the perfect accompaniment to your Sunday roast, beef rouladen, brats and more! This thoroughly authentic German Red Cabbage recipe (Rotkohl) is easy to prepare, can be made in advance, and can even be frozen.
What is German Red Cabbage?
Known as Rotkohl, Blaukohl or Blaukraut in Germany, depending on the region, this braised red cabbage is a staple side dish that is served throughout Germany. It has a distinct sweet and sour flavor profile achieved by braising the red cabbage with apples, vinegar, and spices.  A traditional accompaniment for beef dishes in particular, I grew up in Germany enjoying Rotkohl on a regular basis served with our Sunday roasts, Sauerbraten, and Rouladen.
This sweet and sour red cabbage has been around for, well, seemingly 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 something wonderful. If you’ve traveled to Germany or have sampled traditional German food, you’re likely familiar with Rotkohl.  And this authentic German red cabbage recipe will transport you back to your favorite German dinner tables with memories of your favorite German meals.
Is Red Cabbage Healthy?
You bet it is! 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 antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, as well as sulfur which improve the health of your skin (ie, natural beautifiers), 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. In short, it’s quite the superfood! And among all red cabbage recipes, this German red cabbage is my favorite way to enjoy this healthy vegetable!
Butter, apples, vinegar, red currant jam, bay leaves, cloves and juniper berries are some of the ingredients that mingle together to create this delicious braised sweet and sour red cabbage. Just be sure to make time for the slow cooking process.  It’s that long simmering process that’s key to the final outcome. The other key is to be sure to include all of the ingredients called for, including the spices, in order to achieve that authentic German Rotkohl flavor.
This traditional Rotkohl recipe is simple to prepare and can slowly cook with minimal attention while you’re preparing the other dishes or going about your daily business. It’s a great make-ahead dish because the flavor is even better the next day. Feel free to double or triple the batch because this sweet and sour cabbage also freezes well. Simply let it thaw and gently reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.
German Red Cabbage Recipe
Let’s get started!
Finely chop the red cabbage. Achieving exact uniformity isn’t necessary so you can do this either by hand or with a mandolin or food processor.
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.
Add the diced apple along with the broth, bay leaf, whole cloves, juniper berries, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Â Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Â Add more broth if needed. Â Mix a tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water until dissolved and stir it into the cabbage. Â Add salt, sugar and vinegar to taste.
Serve this as a side to your meat dish along with potatoes, Spätzle, Semmelknödel, or German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelklöße).
Enjoy!
For more traditional German dishes be sure to try our:
- Spätzle
- Käsespätzle
- Rouladen
- Sauerbraten
- German Goulash
- Maultaschen
- Schnitzel
- German Potato Dumplings
- Semmelknödel
- Zwiebelkuchen
- German Bread (Vollkornbrot)
- Bratwurst
- Currywurst
- Swabian Potato Salad
German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)
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 jelly , this is traditional but can substitute cherry jam
- 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 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, and Sauerbraten along with potatoes, Spaetzle, or Knoedel.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 23, 2014
Petra says
still can’t wrap my head around cooking shredded cabbage for 2 hours without ending up with mush.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Petra, no it won’t result in mush – you’ll just have to try it and see for yourself :)
Bubba Mustafa says
Grew up on jarred Red cabbage. Then moved. They didn’t even know jarred German style red cabbage, but they have the heads of fresh.
Gonna try to make a Sauerbraten for Xmas (with dumplings)
My Q on this recipe:
I’m not very big on sweet foods, and question the apples. Onions add sweetness along with the sugar and jam. So where would be the best place to cut back on sweetness?
(I plan on a practice run or 2 on the cabbage and dumplings)
Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Bubba, if you’re going to do a practice run anyway, my recommendation is to make it as written (you can use tart apples) and then determine if it’s too sweet for you. It really isn’t what I would call “sweet” – it’s not like candied cabbage or something like that. But there are some sweet fruit notes in it. If it’s still sweeter than you like it eliminate the sugar and the jam. Happy cooking!
Damian says
Thank you Kimberly for this fantastic recipe for Rotkohl, returning to some of my German roots. Very similar to a recipe in my German Great Grandmother’s recipe book. In fact I am cooking it as I type this comment. To be served with some fine pork sausages and steamed baby red potatoes. So I will let you know the result, which I certain will be delicious. By the way all the ingredients are readily available here in Australia at very reasonable prices. Thank you once again for your website.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful! I can’t think of a better way to return to your German roots than through cooking. Yes, please let us know how it turns out. Thanks again and greetings to Australia!
B says
This was awesome. I was just in Germany last month and had a taste for this dish. I didn’t have the berries and I used blueberry jam (what I had). So delicious. I will be making this again. I put my cloves in a little bag and then fished it out. Do they dissolve? It was too red to see.
Thanks so much!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m happy to hear that, B, thank you! No, the cloves don’t dissolve but there’s so few of them and they’re very easy to see, so we usually just fish them out at the end.
jasosanman says
Best recipe for Rotkohl I’ve ever used!!! Thanks! Reminds me of when I was an exchange student in Germany a long time ago. I added a little bit of “smokey bacon” they call it Arkansas bacon.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, I’m so glad, thank you!
Anonymous says
Omg! Better than all the restaurants around here in Pittsburgh! Made this twice now it is amazing! Thank u!!! I didn’t like the last step so I omitted it the 2nd time around! Thank u love it!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, I’m so glad to hear it, thank you!
kll says
Does this freeze well?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I wouldn’t recommend it as it will alter the texture (ie, make it pretty mushy), but I have heard of people freezing it and say that it’s fine.
Laynie says
Hi Kimberly
Decide to make schnitzel.
So going to make the red cabbage again
We have place in Denver called Savory Spice Shop. Can buy in loose amounts as little as 1/2 oz. Only for $2- 2.50.
They do have this store in other.
Wanted to recommend to others. They let you taste and smell everything
This is for juniper berries and cloves.
Looking forward to see the difference in taste with.
I’ll let you know.
Elayne
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks for the tip about the shop, Elayne, and I look forward to hearing about your Schnitzel experience! :)
Laynie says
I made this last year. I had a jar of thick cherry preserves I bought at a Polish grocery in NYC in the east Ukrainian Village. I ate this alongside chicken schnitzel. So good I ate the leftovers with what whatever meat or fish I made that week. Are juniper berries and cloves necessary. If I could find them not sure if expensive and what I would use remaining berries for. Are they expensive? Would a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods carry?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Laynie, the thick cherry preserves are perfect. No, neither of them are necessary to make good Rotkohl, but they do add a really nice flavor dimension. Juniper berries are definitely harder to find so don’t worry about those. You can usually find cloves in very small quantities in most any grocery store.
brenda says
enjoyed this dish. the first time I enjoyed red cabbage was about thirty years ago at a german restaurant in downtown chicago. The restaurant was called Little Hidelbergs on statestreet. That was the only restaurant i have ever gone to since and enjoyed this dish. i have never made it and have been pretty much content with the jar at the grocery store. not anymore!!!!! this was so easy and tasty. thanks much! I made a lot and will share with my daughter.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s wonderful to hear, Brenda, I’m so glad you enjoyed it and really appreciate the feedback!
Susanne Christie says
Kimberly:
I’d suggest using lemon juice instead of vinegar as this brightens the cabbage and keeps it looking lovely during the cooking process as well as gives the cabbage the acidity required . I’ve always used 3 Granny Smith apples to the recipe and a bit of Raspberry beer from Belgium. And prefer using a tablespoon or two of Apricot marmalade to finish off my “Rotkohl”.
I’m looking to improve my Mom’s Rouladen recipe as it’s often too dry, any suggestions?
Thanks you in advance,
Susanne
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Susanne, thanks for sharing how you make your Rotkohl. Vinegar is what’s traditionally used in Germany for flavor but yes, lemon juice would brighten the cabbage. Rouladen is one of my all-time favorite dishes and I hope to get that post up and published before too long.
Lesli says
I want to make this tonight but I don’t have red wine vinegar. Would apple cider vinegar work in this recipe?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lesli, apple cider vinegar is more pungent, so use a little less than 2 tablespoons. You can always add more if you decide to after doing a taste test.
Douglas Dreger says
i made this sautéing the onion in bacon fat, and using a plum preserve (could not find red currant). It is awesome. Thanks for the recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Douglas! And yes, plum preserve is a perfect substitute. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Candace Nielson says
Last week I made a beef roast with this Rotkohl recipe and Kimberly, you are a star because my husband I were in the clouds. We have not tasted Rotkohl like this since we were in Germany and for that we thank you. I’ll be making your recipe from now on.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much for your feedback, Candace, I am truly happy to hear that! :)
Joe says
Can’t wait to try this. My grandmother used rendered goose fat but she said bacon grease will suffice. Since I lost her recipe this sounds very close. I will use bacon grease instead of butter though.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Joe, let us know what you think!