Rotkohl (German Red Cabbage)
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
A quintessential and popular German side dish, Rotkohl (braised German red cabbage) is the perfect accompaniment to your Sunday roast, beef rouladen, brats and more! This traditional Rotkohl recipe is the way my Mutti and Oma made it and is easy to prepare, can be made in advance, and can even be frozen!
What is Rotkohl?
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.
Rotkohl Ingredients
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.
Rotkohl 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. 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!
Serving Suggestions
In Germany, Rotkohl is the quintessential side to serve with roasts and a variety of meat dishes along with a carb of choice. Here are few dishes you’ll commonly see served with Rotkohl in Germany:
- Sauerbraten
- Rouladen
- German Goulash
- Schweinshaxe
- Spätzle
- Bread Dumplings (Semmelknödel)
- German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelklöße)
For more traditional German dishes be sure to try my:
- Spätzle
- Käsespätzle
- Rouladen
- Sauerbraten
- German Goulash
- Schweinshaxe
- Maultaschen
- Schnitzel
- Königsberger Klopse
- German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelklöße)
- Bread Dumplings (Semmelknödel)
- Zwiebelkuchen
- German Bread (Vollkornbrot)
- Bratwurst
- Currywurst
- Swabian Potato Salad
Save This Recipe
Enter your email address and we’ll send it straight to your inbox!
Rotkohl (German 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 (vegan: substitute 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: 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, German Potato Dumplings, or German Bread Dumplings.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 23, 2014
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
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!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed it, Clare, and really appreciate the feedback, thank you!
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
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.
Can u can this recipe?
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.
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?
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! :)
Excellent, excellent! I’m an expat living in Berlin and have eaten this in restaurants and friends’ houses. Today, I finally made it myself using this recipe. Just added orange peel as an extra and it was amazing. Thanks for sharing this.
Fantastic, Gaby, thanks so much!
I love red cabbage just about any way you fix it. Rather than butter, I have sometimes started by cooking 2 or three slices of bacon and then browning the onion in that grease. I like the apples, but have sometimes substituted raisins that worked well. Brown sugar rather than white also adds a little more depth of flavor.
I had some homemade cranberry sauce, so used that instead of vinegar. And I was out of apples, so I used some home canned crab apples, it is heavenly! Thank-you for your complete directions.
Awesome, Stephanie, and thanks for the feedback about the substitutions!
Thanks Kimberly! That makes sense. I definitely added the vinegar, but I let the cabbage cook longer than 5 minutes before adding it. It was cooking for about 15 minutes total before I got the vinegar in. Still yummy as always though. I love your blog and your recipes never fail in flavor or execution (unless I make a mistake!) I also made your Zwetschgenkuchen recipe yesterday and it came out perfectly and it was delicious!
Thanks so much, Kitten! :)