This delicious side dish is sure to impress with it’s slightly sweet, slightly tangy flavor profile. It totally transforms a head of red cabbage into something extraordinary. It’s a humble side dish, yet somehow elegant at the same time. Try it and see for yourself. Tom and I both love it! It cooks up quickly in your Instant Pot so it’s the perfect side dish for October fest, Thanksgiving or Christmas. We will be enjoying it all winter long. In the summer it can be enjoyed as cold side dish.
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The idea for this recipe came from a standard German recipe I saw, but of course it called for copious amounts of butter, salt and sugar. I love cabbage so I was determined to make a healthier recipe. This is a healthy version of a traditional German dish called Rotkhol or Blaukraut. This can be made in an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker, slow cooker or on the stove top.
I took out the unhealthy ingredients and used Well Your World Date Powder (see the link below to order) for a little sweetness to contrast with the apple cider vinegar, also known as ACV. Two Granny Smith apples kept it from being overly sweet and along with a red onion, some apple juice, caraway seeds and some Allspice it has plenty of flavor. If you would like more healthy holiday meal ideas check out my Favorite Vegan Holiday Recipe Round Up blog post.
It fills a 6 QT Instant Pot. It cooks down but you still have enough to feed a crowd.
It reduces in volume – but you will have plenty to eat and share. If you don’t have an Instant Pot you can make this in a slow cooker or on the stove top.. Sauté the onions with seasonings first, then add the rest of the ingredients, put the lid on and slow cook on low for 5-6 hours. You can make it on the stove top as well. In a Dutch oven or 5 qt pan over medium heat water sauté the onion with the spices 6-8 minutes or until translucent, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until cabbage and apples are fork tender.
You have control over how sweet or tangy it turns out. Feel free to adjust the vinegar and date powder/sugar to your own personal taste preferences.
Substitutions:
Apple Cider Vinegar – white balsamic vinegar, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice
Red Onion – yellow onion
Granny Smith Apples – Golden Delicious, Empire, Honeycrisp, Cortland, Mcintosh Red
Apple Juice – apple cider
Date Powder – equivalent amount of date sugar, date syrup, maple syrup, coconut sugar
This Date Lady chart is so helpful for how to use date products and substituting.
Use Discount Code NUTMEG when ordering JOI Plant Milk Bases.
This dish can be made 2-3 days ahead and it can be gently reheated on the stove top or the microwave. We also enjoy eating it cold as a side with a bowl of soup.
Braised Red Cabbage with Apples No Oil
Equipment
- 1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Stove Top or Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, peeled, cut in half, thinly sliced
- 2 large Granny Smith apples, cored, shredded
- 2 1/2 – 3 pounds red cabbage,
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt substitute or 1 tsp salt if you use it
- 1 Tablespoon date powder or date sugar
- 3/4 cup apple Juice or apple cider
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage by peeling off the outside thin layer of leaves. Cut in half, remove the core, cut in half again. Cut each wedge into 1 inch pieces, try to keep it uniform in size so it all cooks at the same rate.
- Set the electric pressure cooker to medium heat, sauté, when the pan is hot, add thinly sliced red onion, allspice and caraway seeds, using a splash of hot water as needed to prevent sticking. Stir frequently and cook for 7-8 minutes or until onion is translucent, using water, as needed to prevent sticking. When onions are done cooking press cancel or off to stop the sauté setting.
- Now shred the cored apples on a box grater or using the shredding disc of your food processor. I use the fine shredding disc.
- Add shredded apple, salt or salt substitute, date powder or date sugar, chopped cabbage, apple juice, apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup water to the pot. Give it a stir to combine the ingredients.
- Lock the lid in place on the pressure cooker. Select Pressure Cook or Manual, High Pressure level for 4 minutes.
- When the cooking time is over, let it do natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then manually finish letting the steam release. Press cancel, remove the lid and give it a good stir to get all of the cooked onions from the bottom of the pot stirred through out the cabbage and apples.
- Adjust any seasoning at this time. If you want it sweeter add more date powder or date sugar. If you want it to be more tangy add more apple cider vinegar.
- Serve hot or room temperature. It should last 4-5 days in the refrigerator. It just keeps getting tastier!
For Slow Cooker or Stove Top Cooking
- If you don't have an Instant Pot you can make this in a slow cooker. Sauté the onions with seasonings first, then add the rest of the ingredients, put the lid on and slow cook on low for 5-6 hours. You can make it on the stove top as well. In a Dutch oven or 5 qt pan over medium heat, water sauté the onion with the spices 6-8 minutes or until translucent, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with the lid and cook until cabbage and apples are fork tender. Stir frequently and add more water if needed to prevent sticking.
Notes
Get Healthy 
Stay Healthy One Meal At A Time
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