This Instant Pot braised red cabbage is a classic German side dish, that goes great with bratwursts or any of your favorite German main dishes! Red cabbage, onion, and apples get cooked with an amazing sauce right in an Instant Pot, so it’s super easy and incredibly delicious!
Instant Pot braised red cabbage is tender, hearty, and coated in an amazing sweet & sour sauce!
Braised red cabbage or rotkohl is a traditional German side that’s paired with sausages, schnitzel, and so many other delicious mains! Thinly sliced red cabbage gets cooked down with aromatic onions, sweet apples, and an amazing sauce that has butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and warm spices!
My take on this classic recipe gets made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, so it’s done in no time at all! There’s no need to stand over a hot stove for hours – it takes just minutes to whip up this easy, healthy recipe!
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
A Hearty Side! Braised cabbage is a filling and nutritious side dish that pairs perfectly with so many meals!
Packed with Flavor! Onions, apples, spices, and apple cider vinegar all make this side dish full of amazing flavor!
Uses an Instant Pot! Pressure cookers are so popular because it gets lengthy dishes done in a breeze!
🥘 Ingredients
This simple braised red cabbage recipe uses apple cider vinegar to add a delicious tangy flavor to the sauce and tenderize the cabbage.
- 2 tablespoons Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe, whatever you prefer!
- 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar -- You can substitute red wine vinegar, if unable to find apple cider vinegar.
- 3 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar – Make sure the brown sugar is packed for the most accurate measurement!
- Seasoning – To season this braised cabbage, we’ll use a combination of ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon allspice.
- ¼ cup Yellow Onion – Mince or finely dice ½ of a medium or 1 small onion for this recipe. If desired, you can use white onion instead.
- ½ cup Apple – Peel and thinly slice or chop the apple for the braised cabbage (See Note).
- 2 pounds Red Cabbage – 2 pounds of cabbage is equal to about 1 medium head of red cabbage, cleaned and thinly sliced.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
This easy recipe uses an Instant Pot, but you can use whatever brand of pressure cooker you may have!
- Make the sauce. To start, set your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to the ‘Sauté’ function and add 2 tablespoons of butter to melt. Then, add 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar, and the seasoning (¼ teaspoon of salt, ⅛ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground allspice). Stir the mixture to combine.
- Add rest of the ingredients. Once the sauce is combined, add ¼ cup of minced or finely diced yellow onion and ½ cup of peeled, sliced apples. Then, stir the mixture to coat and add 2 pounds of sliced red cabbage. Once you’ve added the cabbage, stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Seal and set Instant Pot. Next, place the lid of the Instant Pit on and seal securely, making sure that venting knob is in the sealed position. Once the pressure cooker is sealed, use the ‘Manual’ setting to cook the cabbage on high for 3 minutes.
- Release pressure. After your Instant Pot has built pressure and ran the cooking cycle, carefully release the pressure using the quick release with the venting knob. Allow the pressure to fully release before unlocking and removing the lid. Serve immediately when done.
My quick and easy Instant Pot braised cabbage is served perfectly alongside smoked or grilled bratwursts, jägerschnitzel, or any of your favorite main courses! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Use your favorite apple for this recipe! I like to use a sweeter apple like Gala or Honeycrisp, but you can even use a tarter apple like Granny Smith for a less-sweet taste!
- If you can, use freshly grated nutmeg. Fresh nutmeg has so much flavor compared to pre-ground nutmeg!
- Don’t have an Instant Pot? You can make this recipe in a large pot, just adjust the cooking time so that the cabbage is fully tender when served!
🥡 Storing & Reheating
My braised red cabbage will keep for about 5 to 7 days in your refrigerator when stored in an airtight container.
If you’d like to extend the shelf-life of this braised cabbage, transfer to an airtight container or freezer storage bag and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Reheating Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage
When you’re ready to eat leftovers, simply warm up the braised cabbage in a skillet over medium heat until thoroughly warmed. You can also microwave servings in 30-second intervals on high, stirring in between, until the cabbage has been warmed through.
😋 More Fantastic Recipes
- Air Fryer Lamb Chops
- Cabbage Soup with Kielbasa
- Baked Avocado Chicken
- Baked Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Sauteed Green Beans
📋 Recipe
Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoon light brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ cup yellow onion (minced or diced, about ½ a medium onion or 1 small onion - or white onion)
- ½ cup apple (peeled and thinly sliced or chopped)
- 2 lbs red cabbage (1 medium head of red cabbage, washed and sliced)
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to the 'Saute' function and melt the butter. Add the apple cider vinegar, light brown sugar, and seasoning (salt, ground nutmeg, and ground allspice) then stir to combine.2 tablespoon butter, 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoon light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- Once the sauce is combined add the minced or diced onion and the sliced apples. Stir to coat then add the sliced red cabbage and combine all ingredients.¼ cup yellow onion, ½ cup apple, 2 lbs red cabbage
- Place the Instant Pot lid on and seal securely then make sure that the venting knob is in the sealed position. Use the 'Manual' setting to cook the cabbage on high for 3 minutes.
- After your Instant Pot has built pressure and ran the cooking cycle, carefully release the pressure using the quick release with the venting knob. Allow the pressure to fully release before unlocking and removing the lid.
- Serve immediately when done.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- Use your favorite apple for this recipe! I like to use a sweeter apple like Gala or Honeycrisp, but you can even use a tarter apple like Granny Smith for a less-sweet taste!
- If you can, use freshly grated nutmeg. Fresh nutmeg has so much flavor compared to pre-ground nutmeg!
- Don’t have an Instant Pot? You can make this recipe in a large pot, just adjust the cooking time so that the cabbage is fully tender when served!
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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