Fried Cabbage with Bacon is loaded with flavor and when you need a quick and easy low-carb meal this can be on the table in no time! And if you like bacon and enjoy fried cabbage, this is an easy dinner you’ll make over and over!

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Low-Carb Fried Cabbage with Bacon found on KalynsKitchen.com

I love to share recipes with cabbage during March when cabbage goes on sale, and this popular Fried Cabbage with Bacon is one of the easiest and tastiest recipes I know to make with cabbage. But I also think that cabbage is great for a low-carb ingredient any time of year! So I’m reminding you about this Fried Cabbage with Bacon for Friday Favorites, and urging you to make it for an easy dinner!

And this cabbage fried with bacon is so quick and easy you barely need a recipe. Just fry some bacon (more or less, depending on how you feel about bacon), leave a little bacon fat in the pan, fry the chopped cabbage, add the bacon back in, cook a little more, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper (and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired).

Before you know it you’re eating a delicious dish of fried cabbage and tasty bacon. Just be sure to use a big pan so the cabbage fries without being crowded (because no one wants steamed cabbage when it’s supposed to be fried!)

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  • thick sliced bacon
  • green cabbage
  • bacon grease (reserved from cooking the bacon)
  • salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
  • Red Pepper Flakes, optional (affiliate link)

Do you need thick-sliced bacon for Fried Cabbage with Bacon?

You can make this Fried Cabbage with Bacon with regular sliced bacon if that’s all you have, but I do highly recommend using thick-sliced bacon if possible. The thick-sliced bacon releases more bacon fat, which flavors the cabbage. And thicker bacon stands up better in this dish with lots of cabbage.

Can you use less bacon for Fried Cabbage with Bacon?

We used a whole pound of bacon to make this a main dish, but if you’d like to serve this as a side dish you can use just less bacon and serve another type of protein on the side.

What size frying pan do you need?

We used a 14 Inch Frying Pan (affiliate link) to make Fried Cabbage with Bacon; definitely use the biggest frying pan you have to first fry the bacon and then fry the cabbage.

Does leftover Fried Cabbage with Bacon keep and reheat well?

Like many fried dishes, this combination of bacon with cabbage will always taste best immediately after it’s cooked. But leftovers will keep in the fridge well for several days and it can be reheated in the microwave or a hot pan on the stove. And the leftovers are definitely still delicious!

More Tasty Cabbage with Bacon:

If you love the idea of cabbage with bacon, check out Twice-Cooked Cabbage with Sour Cream and Bacon or Cabbage Salad with Bacon and Goat Cheese for two more tasty ideas for combining these ingredients!

Is Cabbage with Bacon an Irish dish?

Even though many Americans serve cabbage with Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day, bacon and cabbage is actually a more traditional Irish dish. So I hope you remember this during March while we’re celebrating all things Irish!

Want more low-carb recipes with cabbage?

Check out Low-Carb and Keto Recipes with Cabbage for more of my favorite recipes with cabbage. Or use the category for Cabbage Recipes to see all the recipes on this site that use cabbage.

Fried Cabbage with Bacon process shots collage

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. We cut the bacon into squares so there would be generous bites of bacon throughout the dish.
  2. Chop the cabbage into small bite-sized chunks.
  3. Fry the bacon until it’s crisp in a very large frying pan. 
  4. When the bacon is crisp, drain on paper towels. Remove the fat from the pan, leaving just one or two tablespoons.
  5. Heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat until its’s shimmering, then add the cabbage and cook 5-6 minutes, turning a few times so the cabbage cooks evenly.
  6. Then add the crisped bacon pieces and cook about 5-6 minutes more, turning frequently.
  7. When cabbage is softened to your liking, turn off heat, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and sprinkle with a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired.
  8. Serve hot.
  9. Fried Cabbage with Bacon will keep in the fridge a day or two and can be quickly reheated in a hot frying pan, but it’s probably best freshly made.
  10. And if you like my recipe for Roasted Cabbage with Lemon, I definitely wouldn’t mind some lemon squeezed over the top of this.

Fried Cabbage with Bacon on serving plate

More Cabbage Recipes You Might Like:

Low-Carb Fried Cabbage with Bacon found on KalynsKitchen.com
Yield: 6 servings

Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Low-Carb Fried Cabbage with Bacon is loaded with flavor and can be on the table in no time when you need a quick and easy low-carb dinner or lunch!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. thick sliced bacon, cut into squares (Use more or less bacon to taste.)
  • 1 large head green cabbage, cut into large bite-sized chunks
  • 1 T bacon grease (reserved from cooking the bacon)
  • salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
  • pinch hot pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cut the bacon strips into squares.
  2. Cut the cabbage in half, cut out the core, and cut the cabbage in large bite-sized chunks.
  3. Heat a very large frying pan over medium high heat. (We used a 14 Inch Frying Pan (affiliate link); use the largest pan you have.
  4. Add the bacon and cook, stirring a few times, until all the bacon is browned and crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate you've covered with a double layer of paper towels to drain.
  5. Remove all the bacon fat from the pan except about 1 tablespoon (more or less, according to your preference, but we thought this amount was perfect.) Heat the pan over medium-high heat until the bacon fat is shimmering.
  6. Add the cabbage into the pan and cook 5-6 minutes, turning a few times so the cabbage cooks on all sides.
  7. Add the crisp bacon back into the pan with the cabbage and cook 5-6 minutes more, turning frequently to get the bacon flavor throughout the cabbage and to get the cabbage nicely browned on all sides.
  8. When the cabbage is softened to your liking, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste. If you'd like a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
  9. Serve hot. This will keep in the fridge for a day or two and can be reheated in a hot frying pan, but it's best freshly made.

Notes

Recipe created by Kalyn and Kara.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 380Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 1375mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 26g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Square image of Fried Cabbage with Bacon shown on serving plate.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Fried Cabbage with Bacon is a good side dish or main dish for any low-carb diet, especially Keto. You can adjust the amount of bacon depending on what kind of eating plan you’re following or your preference. Bacon is not allowed for the original South Beach Diet, but you could make this with turkey bacon if you like, and that would be SBD approved.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Skillet Meals or Cabbage Recipes to find more recipe like this one! Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagramon TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2017. It was last updated with more information in 2023.

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