Whole30 Cabbage with Bacon

If you love cabbage and can’t live without bacon, you’re going to love this Whole30 cabbage and bacon recipe. Sautéed with compliant bacon and a blend of herbs and spices, it’s sure to satisfy your taste buds.

I followed the Whole30 program for all of April 2021 and I’m really glad I did. If you are thinking of doing Whole30, my advice to you is to plan your meals as much as you can before you start.

Even though I ate a lot of vegetables, this cabbage and bacon recipe was a staple for me. I’ve been making this recipe for many years but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to have it on the program, but when I found compliant bacon at Trader Joe’s, I rejoiced.

This recipe is also paleo-friendly.

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Helpful tips

• Previously, I made this dish with both green cabbage and purple cabbage. The purple cabbage is a tad sweeter but the two varieties taste basically the same.
• This cabbage dish can be refrigerated for at least 7 days but it probably won’t last that long as it’s so delicious.
• I usually make this recipe with three pieces of bacon but I’ve also made it with four. Use as many as you like.
• Cut the bacon in half before frying it. The reason I do is that the bacon fries flatter when cut in half, which means it will cook more evenly.
• Depending on how fatty the bacon is and how much grease it produces, you may have to add a little olive oil to your pan when you’re ready to add and sauté the cabbage. Do so without any guilt.

How to make Whole30 cabbage with bacon

Pre-step

Get a medium stockpot or Dutch oven.

Step one

Get the ingredients – a medium head of cabbage, onion, bacon, oregano, cumin, chipotle powder, and garlic. (A)

Step two

Chop the onion into small chunks, and mince the garlic. (B)

Step three

Cut the cabbage into slices and then chop it into smallish chunks.

Step four

Heat the stockpot or Dutch oven on medium/low heat and once it heats up, add the bacon.

Step five

Fry the bacon until it is crispy. It usually takes around 6 minutes. The photo below shows the bacon partially cooked. (C)

Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate with a paper towel. Blot excess grease and set aside.

Step six

Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes. It will just start to become translucent. Make sure you scrape the bacon flavor crystals from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon as you cook the onion. (D)

Step seven

If you need to add some olive oil at this point, do so. I have to add oil half the time mainly because the bacon wasn’t fatty and didn’t produce enough grease. You need some fat, oil or even a touch of broth to finish the recipe.

Step eight

Add the cabbage and mix it together with the partially cooked onion. (E)

Step nine

Add the herbs and spices, salt, and minced garlic. (F) Mix together again and cover the pan but leave a gap. You want the cabbage to steam somewhat but not too fast.

Step ten

Sauté for 20 – 25 minutes. The bigger the cabbage, the longer it will take.

Stir the cabbage stir fry occasionally as it is cooking.

It’s done. Now crumble the bacon in it.

Look at how crispy that bacon looks.

Mix the bacon in the cabbage. I like to transfer this side dish to a serving bowl.

Time to serve the cabbage.

I hope you enjoyed this Whole30 cabbage with bacon recipe. It’s so delicious.

Other Whole30 dishes

• Asparagus and shallots
• Broccoli rabe
• Warm spinach salad

And as always, may all your dishes be delish.

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!