Enjoy this classic southern fried cabbage Keto friendly side dish with just about any protein. This tender cabbage is loaded with bacon flavor and is super easy to make.
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Chances are, if you're on Keto or a low carb diet, you've tried the ever so populuar Keto cabbage recipe, Egg Roll in a Bowl.
And while this it is an excellent dish, this recipe for Keto Fried Cabbage with Bacon changes things up and adds all new flavors to your meal planning. If you like cabbage, you're going to absolutely love this recipe!
The smoky flavor of paprika and bacon, a subtle sweetness from Swerve Brown, and an ever so light hint of tanginess from apple cider vinegar creates a truly incredible dish.
But don't just limit this to a Keto side dish, the bacon rounds this recipe off as a complete meal if you prefer! And the leftovers are even better the next day!
What's in Keto Fried Cabbage?
- Uncured bacon
- Cabbage
- Onion
- Chicken Bone Broth
- Garlic
- Bacon grease
- Butter
- Apple cider vinegar
- Brown Swerve
- Smoked paprika
- Pepper
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Keto Fried Cabbage
Core the head of cabbage and cut it into thick shreds, then chop into bite size pieces and set it aside.
Cut the bacon into bite size pieces and sauté it in a large skillet until crisp, then remove it from the skillet and set it aside. Remove all the bacon grease except 2 tablespoons.
Be sure to save the bacon drippings not used. This bacon grease keeper is great for straining out the solids, leaving just the grease for future use.
Add in the butter and chopped onions, sauté them for about 2 minutes on medium or until the onions are translucent.
Add in the garlic and sauté for another 20 seconds.
Add in the apple cider vinegar, chicken bone broth, Brown Swerve and smoked paprika and stir, making sure to scrape up any of those little brown bits of flavor from the bottom of the skillet.
Stir in the cabbage and toss until well coated, add in most of the bacon, then cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until it reaches your desired texture.
Once the cabbage is where you want it, add in the reserved crisp bacon, toss and serve.
Tips for Making Keto Fried Cabbage
- If you don't have Swerve Brown, you can either use Swerve confectioners or granular. You can even omit sweetener all together but it truly helps to balance out the flavors of the bacon and vinegar.
- To make sure your cabbage has a consistent texture when cooked, cut your cabbage into as equal size pieces as you can.
- Cabbage cut into smaller pieces, as in this dish, requires little cooking time, so keep an eye on it once it starts to steam/fry. It won't take it long to cook at all.
- Feel free to add additional spices of your choice. Curry power, garlic powder or a little red pepper flakes are just a few options.
- This Keto cabbage recipe is just as delicious substituting the bacon with smoked linked or Italian sausage that has been pan seared or even grilled steak tips you have reheated in the bacon grease. You just can't go wrong with this dish!
Can You Freeze Cabbage?
This Keto cabbage recipe will freeze well, which makes it a great meal prep idea. Place leftovers in a freezer safe container like this one and freeze for up to a month.
The key to keeping the texture as close to when it originally cooked is to let it thaw out first in the fridge, then reheat it slowly in a covered pan. But, as with most vegetables, cabbage will be a little more tender once frozen then reheated.
How Many Carbs in Cabbage?
There are approximately 6.5 total grams of carbs in a one cup size portion of cooked cabbage. The fiber in cabbages comes in around 2.5 grams making the net carb count only 4 grams.
Is Cabbage on Keto Okay?
Absolutely! With just 4 grams of net carbs, cabbage is a great veggie for Keto. Cabbage is even used as a pasta substitute in some Keto lasagna recipes. And freshly grated cabbage makes this low carb Cole Slaw the best you've ever had.
Not only is it a low carb, high fiber vegetable, it's nutrient dense as well. It's a good source of Vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, Vitamin B6, calcium and magnesium. All of which are very important on Keto or with any diet. If you'd like to read more about the health benefits of cabbage, check out this article.
If you like smoked sausage, give this Keto Cabbage and Sausage a try!
More Keto and Low Carb Side Dishes
- Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Prosciutto
- Jalapeño Popper Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese
- Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
- Easy Creamed Spinach
- Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower
- Easy Broccoli Salad with Bacon
More Keto Recipes with Bacon
If you love the bacon in this recipe, you'll love these recipes where bacon takes center stage.
- Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
- Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
- Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Bacon Ranch Dressing/Dip
- Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Pork Loin
Shop my favorite products on Amazon and check out my Keto Pantry List!
Keto Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Recipe Video
INGREDIENTS
- 12 ounces uncured bacon, chopped
- 1 medium head of green cabbage
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- ¼ cup chicken bone broth
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Brown Swerve
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Core the head of cabbage and cut into thick shreds, then chop into bite size pieces and set aside.
- Sauté the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then remove the bacon and set aside. Remove all the bacon grease except 2 tablespoons. Add in the butter and onions, sauté for about 2 minutes on medium.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for another 20 seconds. Add in the apple cider vinegar, chicken bone broth, Brown Swerve and smoked paprika and stir.
- Stir in the cabbage and most of the bacon, toss until well coated, then cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until it reaches your desired texture. Add in the reserved crisp bacon, toss and serve.
RECIPE NOTES
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I made this yesterday - absolutely delicious! My non-keto husband remarked (unprompted) that it was really good. It was even better warmed up today🙂
Yay, that's wonderful!