Roasted Red Cabbage adds a splash of colour to any meal! The warm and comforting flavours of red cabbage and sweet apple in this easy vegan side dish are perfect served with all kinds of dinners. With minimal prep and lots of delicious flavours, it's simple enough to make on weeknights and impressive enough for holiday feasting. I've even included instructions for transforming it from a side to a main by adding some vegan sausage while roasting!
Is anyone actually passionate about cabbage? Sure, it has plenty of uses, like in slaws, pickled vegetables, or salads, but it’s so rarely the star of the show. That’s why this recipe for Roasted Red Cabbage is such a game-changer.
Roasting red cabbage in the oven transforms this ordinary vegetable into your next big craving. As it bakes, the cabbage and apples become really tender, sweet and juicy. The longer it’s in the oven, the better it gets!
Jump to:
- What ingredients do I need and why?
- How to make oven roasted red cabbage
- Success tips
- Some ways you can adapt this recipe
- Are red cabbage and purple cabbage the same?
- Is red cabbage good for you?
- How do I serve roasted red cabbage?
- Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
- Can cooked red cabbage be frozen?
- Hungry for more?
- 📖 Recipe
Fantastic as a holiday side or with vegan roast dinners, this roasted red cabbage with apples, onion, and fresh seasonings goes great with just about any dish. One of my favourite ways to transform it into a hearty meal is to serve it with the vegan sausages, vegan mashed potatoes, and red wine gravy drizzled on top.
What ingredients do I need and why?
For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card.
Who knew red cabbage and apples together were a dream come true? This short list of ingredients is all you need to help the humble cabbage go from “blah” to “wow”:
Here's what you need to make it:
- Red cabbage - Whether you call it red or purple cabbage, this bright and versatile veggie is delicious and full of nutrients. It's super easy to cut up too. Its flavours work really well with the apples and other flavourings and it looks so pretty!
- Onion - Roasting onions with the cabbage adds so much flavour!
- Apples - You can use your favourite kind of apple for this recipe. They will bake along with the onion and cabbage to make the dish sweet and juicy. The pops of soft apple are such a lovely contrast against the cabbage.
- Fresh herbs - The fresh thyme and sage really elevate this recipe and add so much flavour.
- Red wine vinegar - The tangy flavour of red wine vinegar makes each bite of this side dish more intense (in the best way).
- Sweetener - Maple syrup or brown sugar helps balance the acid from the vinegar and adds a hint of sweetness.
- Vegan sausages (totally optional and only needed if you want to transform this recipe from a side to a main) - You can use any type, but Field Roast apple sage sausages are incredibly good with this cabbage dish.
How to make oven roasted red cabbage
Sliced red cabbage is easy to make in the oven. The heat and lengthy cooking time will help turn the raw and crisp veggie into a sweet and juicy side dish. And it's so pretty!
This is how you make my roasted red cabbage:
Step 1 - Chop the cabbage and apples and add everything to an oven-safe dish, placing the herbs on the top so they are easy to pick out before serving.
Step 2 - Cover and bake for just under 1 hour. The cabbage should be tender and smell very fragrant and delicious once it’s done.
It's as simple as that. Such an easy recipe and it tastes like way more work went into it than it actually did!
Success tips
- The fresh herbs really elevate this roasted cabbage recipe and add so much flavour. I really recommend not subbing dried herbs. You can usually find them year-round in the produce section at grocery stores.
- The cooking time depends on the cabbageʼs freshness, how finely itʼs shredded, and the size of the pan.
- Wear gloves while prepping the cabbage if you want to avoid red hands!
- If the cabbage isn’t fork-tender or very fragrant, leave it in the oven for a few minutes longer to finish cooking.
- Covering the baking sheet with a lid of foil will prevent the cabbage or onions from drying out or burning and make everything tender and juicy.
Some ways you can adapt this recipe
- Add vegan sausages while roasting. Instructions are included in the recipe.
- The oil could be omitted to make the recipe oil-free but be sure to use a good non-stick oven-proof dish.
- You can try using pears if you don’t have apples on hand (as long as you don't mind the pears disintegrating a little).
- Use green cabbage and white wine vinegar instead of red cabbage and red wine vinegar.
- Omit the sugar to make the recipe sugar-free or use maple syrup to make it refined sugar-free.
- Need a substitute for red wine vinegar? Balsamic vinegar is an easy replacement or you can use sherry vinegar for something more subtle.
Are red cabbage and purple cabbage the same?
Red cabbage and purple cabbage are exactly the same. The colour of the vegetable will always be somewhere between a deep purple and pink (this depends on the pH value of the soil it's grown in).
Is red cabbage good for you?
Red cabbage is an impressively healthy food. It’s an excellent source of fibre and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Read more about its health benefits here.
How do I serve roasted red cabbage?
Serve this delicious roasted red cabbage as a light and flavorful side dish with just about anything, from Sunday roasts, to midweek dinners with some vegan sausages baked in with it!
It’s a great recipe to turn to when you don’t know what to do with the leftover cabbage in your kitchen. Here’s how I love to serve this dish:
- Because this recipe is naturally gluten-free, it makes the best side next to my gluten-free seitan roast
- Or keep the gluten and make my vegan roast for the holidays
- With vegan meatloaf
- With lentil shepherd's pie
- Turn it into a main! Slice a few Field Roast (or a similar brand) sausages and roast them with the cabbage. More details are included with the full recipe below. Serve that delicious combo alongside some creamy vegan mashed potatoes and vegan red wine gravy. Maybe with some vegan green bean casserole as an additional side!
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
This easy red cabbage recipe can be made ahead of time and stores well. Cook the roasted cabbage and apples as per the recipe instructions. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat the cooked cabbage, place it in an ovenproof dish, cover and bake in the oven at 350ºF (175 °C) for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Can cooked red cabbage be frozen?
Yes! Before freezing let the cooked red cabbage cool completely. Keep it in a sealed container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the frozen cabbage defrost completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in the oven in a covered dish at 350ºF (175 °C) for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Hungry for more?
Looking for more tasty vegan sides? You'll love these:
- Quinoa Cranberry Salad
- Vegan Sweet Potatoes
- Vegan Mashed Sweet Potato
- Coconut Lime Rice
- Healthy No Oil Crispy Roasted Potatoes
- Vegan Sweet Potato Biscuits
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📖 Recipe
Roasted Red Cabbage
Author:Ingredients
- 1 kg / 35 oz or 1 small head red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 medium apples , cut into chunky slices, cored but no need to peel (red or green)
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small handful fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar (omit for sugar-free)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ tsp salt , plus more to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground pepper , plus more to taste
Optional to make it a meal
- 4 Vegan Sausages (Field Roast apple sage sausages are incredible with this)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400 ° F (200 °C).
- To a large oven-proof dish add the red cabbage, onions, apples, thyme and sage.
- Pour over the red wine vinegar, maple syrup/sugar and olive oil and sprinkle over the salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Cover with a lid or very tightly with foil, and bake in the oven for about 50 to 55 minutes, after which time the cabbage should be really tender and smell fragrant and delicious. If it's not, give it a few minutes longer. If you get caught up with something it's fine left in the oven longer. If it will be much over 30 minutes extra though turn the oven down a bit to 325°F (160 °C) after the initial 50 to 55 mins.
- Check the seasoning before serving and add a little more salt and pepper if required. Be sure to stir it in well.
To turn from a side to an entree
- If you want to turn it from a side to more of a meal, add some vegan sausages. If using Field Roast sausages (or similar that are already cooked and just need to be heated through), slice them up and add them to the cabbage ten minutes before the end. If using raw vegan sausages like Beyond, cook them in a saute pan first while the cabbage is roasting, either whole or in slices until browned nicely and cooked through, then add them to the cabbage for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
NOTES
- The fresh herbs really elevate this recipe and add so much flavour. I really recommend not subbing dried herbs. You can usually find them year-round in the produce section at grocery stores.
- The cooking time depends on the cabbageʼs freshness, how finely itʼs shredded, and the size of the pan.
- Wear gloves while prepping the cabbage if you want to avoid red hands!
- If the cabbage isn’t fork-tender or very fragrant, leave it in the oven for a few minutes longer to finish cooking.
- Covering the baking sheet with a lid of foil will prevent the cabbage or onions from drying out or burning and make everything tender and juicy.
- The oil could be omitted to make the recipe oil-free but be sure to use a good non-stick oven-proof dish.
- You can try using pears if you don’t have apples on hand (as long as you don't mind the pears disintegrating a little).
- Use green cabbage and white wine vinegar instead of red cabbage and red wine vinegar.
- Omit the sugar to make it sugar-free.
- Need a substitute for red wine vinegar? Balsamic vinegar is an easy replacement or you can use sherry vinegar for something more subtle.
To freeze Let the cooked red cabbage cool completely. Keep it in a sealed container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the frozen cabbage defrost completely in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in the oven in a covered dish at 350ºF (175 °C) for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutritional information is calculated without the optional sausages.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
Doris says
So yummy. We are not vegan but it was a wonderful dish to create and add more veggies to our table.
Doris says
Just wondering if it can be cooked in a slow cooker rather than the oven?
A Virtual Vegan says
The recipe hasn't been tested in a slow cooker. I'm sure it could be cooked in one, but you wouldn't get as good a flavour as you would when cooking it in an oven. Cooking in the oven concentrates the flavours. For some reason slow cookers make food taste a little bland and with that characteristic slow cooker taste, at least in my experience.
Michelle says
I have red cabbage from my garden and apples... this looks like a great Xmas side dish! Looking forward to giving it a try. Thanks Mel!
A Virtual Vegan says
Hope you enjoy it Michelle!
Patricia Giannelia says
Looks great - a variation on the German stewed red cabbage that I grew up with. It also has onions and apples, and then juniper berries or whole allspice for an amazing flavour.
Also, living in the Okanagan now, I find that the sweeter apples - Royal Gala, Ambrosia, Delicious are so sweet, I don't need added sugar.
Looking forward to trying this version for our Christmas dinner this year!