Published: Apr 4, 2025 · Modified: Apr 7, 2025 by LaKita · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Southern Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon

A comforting Southern side dish made with green cabbage, bacon, and a tangy-sweet sauce. This Sweet and Sour Cabbage is always a crowd-pleaser.

Before You Cook, Read This!

💬The Vibe: Smoky, tangy, and just the right touch of sweetness. This side dish brings all the down-home charm with bold, comforting flavor in every bite.

🔑What You Gotta Know: Bacon grease is the flavor foundation, don’t skip it! That smoky richness combines with vinegar and brown sugar to create a sweet-and-sour sauce that clings perfectly to the tender cabbage.

🍴Best Bite Alert: Serve it warm with crumbled crispy bacon on top. It’s perfect next to cornbread, pork chops, or anything off the Sunday dinner table. Want a little kick? A dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes takes it over the top.

Overhead view of finished sweet and sour cabbage in white braiser on marble surface.

If you’ve never tried sweet and sour cabbage, you’re in for a treat! This simple Southern side dish combines fresh green cabbage, crispy bacon, and a sweet-tangy sauce that brings all the comfort food vibes. It’s humble, hearty, and packed with flavor. Perfect to pair with your favorite main dishes or to serve up with a slice of warm cornbread.

Try it with Southern Cornbread or alongside classics like Ham, Green Beans, and Potatoes or some Easy Candied Yams.

The combination of cabbage and bacon is hard to beat, and this version kicks it up a notch with a balanced sweet and sour sauce made with vinegar and brown sugar. It’s an easy, down-home recipe that brings big flavor with minimal effort.

Let's get started!

Ingredients You'll Need

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make cabbage in separate bowls on marble surface.

Green Cabbage - A fresh head of cabbage is ideal. Cut it into thin slices or chunks. Pre-chopped bagged cabbage works too, just make sure it’s plain green cabbage without other veggies.
Bacon - Use your favorite bacon. Original flavor brings out the best smoky flavor in this dish.
All-Purpose Flour - Helps thicken the sauce. Regular white flour is perfect here.
Brown Sugar - Adds just the right touch of sweetness. Light or dark brown sugar both work.
Vinegar - Adds that signature tang! Apple cider vinegar is great, but white or rice vinegar also works well.
Water - Combines with the vinegar and sugar to make the sauce and softens the cabbage while cooking.
Chopped Onion - White onion is mild and slightly sweet, but yellow onion works too if that’s what you have on hand.
Salt & Ground Black Pepper - Essential seasoning to bring everything together.

👉🏾 See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Boil the chopped cabbage in a large pot for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Overhead view of water and sliced cabbage in a large pot.

Step 2: Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove and blot with paper towels. Leave the grease in the skillet.

Overhead view of cooked bacon in a small bowl and measuring cup with bacon grease in it on marble surface.

Step 3: Stir in flour and brown sugar to form a paste, then whisk in vinegar, water, onions, salt, and pepper.

Overhead view of sweet and sour sauce in white braiser pan.

Step 4: Add the cabbage back to the skillet and toss with the sauce. Chop the bacon and add it on top.

Bacon added to cabbage in large white braiser pan.

Step 5: Mix everything together, heat through, and serve warm. Enjoy!

Finished sweet and sour cabbage combined with chopped bacon in large white braiser pan.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Do not overcook the cabbage, or it will be mushy.
The thickness and head of the cabbage will cause the cooking time to vary. When boiling the cabbage, try it to make sure it is to your desired level of tenderness. We want it to be tender but still have a bite to it.
Instead of buying the prepared bag of cabbage, use a fresh head of green cabbage and prepare it yourself. Use a sharp knife and a cutting board. Begin cutting from the top of the cabbage and work your way down toward the stalk/stem. Make the slices as thick or thin as you prefer.
One small head of cabbage should be more than enough to have the five cups needed to make this recipe.
To make it spicy, add some crushed red pepper or your favorite hot sauce.
You may substitute the green cabbage for red cabbage instead if you prefer.

Storage Tips

Storage. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating. Before serving, reheat in a saucepan over medium-high heat until warm, stirring often. The cabbage may also be reheated in the microwave in a microwave-safe container.

Freezing. Unfortunately, this particular cabbage recipe does not freeze well and is best enjoyed within a few days of preparation.

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Small bowl with single serving of cabbage in it beside a fork.

Want More Southern Recipes? Try These:

If you try this Sweet and Sour Cabbage, be sure to leave a rating and comment below to let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you paired it with or any twists you added.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use red cabbage instead of green?

Yes, you can! Red cabbage works well and gives the dish a beautiful, deep color. The flavor is slightly more peppery, but it still pairs nicely with the sweet and sour sauce. Just know that the final color may be more vibrant once cooked.

What type of vinegar is best for sweet and sour cabbage?

Apple cider vinegar is my go-to for this recipe. It has a mellow tang that pairs beautifully with brown sugar and bacon. But if that’s not what you have on hand, white distilled vinegar or even rice vinegar will still give you that essential sour bite.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! Sweet and sour cabbage can be made a day in advance. Just store it in the fridge and reheat it gently on the stovetop before serving. The flavors actually deepen a bit overnight.

Why is my cabbage mushy?

It was likely boiled too long or cooked over high heat in the skillet for too long. You want to parboil the cabbage just until it starts to soften, then finish it gently in the sauce to keep a tender, slightly crisp texture.

📖 Recipe

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

LaKita Anderson

A comforting Southern side dish made with green cabbage, bacon, and a tangy-sweet sauce. This Sweet and Sour Cabbage is always a crowd-pleaser.

4.74 from 23 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 96 kcal

Equipment

1 large pot or Dutch oven
1 large skillet or braiser

Ingredients

6 cups roughly chopped green cabbage
½ cup cooked bacon, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar (light or dark)
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup water
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Begin the recipe by cooking the 6 cups of chopped cabbage in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then drain off the water. This step will help to slightly soften the cabbage, but also still allow it to remain slightly crispy.
*Boil enough water to cover the cabbage and then add the prepared shredded cabbage. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until slightly tender. Set aside.
Using a large skillet or the same pan, cook the ½ cup of bacon until it's well done and carefully remove it from the pan. Blot it with a paper towel to remove the excess oil.
Mix the leftover bacon fat with the 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour and 3 tablespoons brown sugar. Add in the ¼ cup vinegar, ½ cup water, ¼ cup chopped onion, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Add the cabbage back to the pan with the sauce and gently toss to combine and coat the cabbage in the sauce mixture. Chop the bacon into small pieces and place it on top of the cooked cabbage.
Mix everything together until combined and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until heated thoroughly. Serve warm and enjoy!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days

Video

Notes

Do not overcook the cabbage or it will be mushy.
The thickness and head of the cabbage will cause the cooking time to vary. When boiling the cabbage, try it to make sure it is to your desired level of tenderness. We want it to be tender but still have a bite to it.
Instead of buying the prepared bag of cabbage, use a fresh head of green cabbage and prepare it yourself. Use a sharp knife and cutting board. Begin cutting from the top of the cabbage and work your way down toward the stalk/stem. Make the slices as thick or thin as you prefer.
One small head of cabbage should be more than enough to have the five cups needed to make this recipe.
To make it spicy, add some crushed red pepper or your favorite hot sauce.
You may substitute the green cabbage for red cabbage instead if you prefer.

Calories: 96kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 4gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 271mgPotassium: 187mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 73IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

Southern Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Bacon

Before You Cook, Read This!

Ingredients You'll Need

Step By Step Instructions

Recipe Tips & Tricks