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german red cabbage recipe traditional authentic sweet and sour braised rotkohl blaukraut apples cloves red currant jelly side dish roasts

Rotkohl (German Red Cabbage)

A quintessential German side dish, this braised German Red Cabbage known as Rotkohl is the perfect accompaniment to your Sunday roasts, beef rouladen, brats and more!  A thoroughly authentic Rotkohl recipe.
4.96 from 188 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine German
Servings 6 servings
Calories 154 kcal

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

Calories: 154kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 568mgPotassium: 334mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1560IUVitamin C: 68mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1.1mg
Keyword Blaukraut, German Red Cabbage, Rotkohl
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