Here’s another simple yet delicious recipe culled from Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Vegetables. The woman is a genius.
The finished dish is an awesome bowl of purple comfort food – tender, sweet, tart, and savory. It goes well with any protein so it’s a wonderful cabbage side dish to have in your repertoire.
Time to make Chez Panisse Braised Red Cabbage!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 red cabbage (green works great as well), outer wilted leaves and core removed, and sliced very thin
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons of duck fat (bacon grease would be delicious as well)
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ½ cup water
- 1 apple, peeled and grated
Equipment:
- All of my recommended kitchen tools are listed here.
Method:
The first thing I did was gather and chop up the ingredients.
I scooped out the duck fat…
…and melted it over medium heat in a large cast iron skillet.
Once the duck fat was melted, I sautéed the onions for about 5 minutes.
Next, I added the cabbage, vinegar, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and water.
I brought it up to a boil, put on a lid, lowered the heat, and simmered the cabbage for 20 minutes.
I peeled and grated a Fuji apple and added it to the cabbage mixture.
I mixed it in, put on the lid, and let it cook for 5 more minutes. I tasted the cabbage and adjusted for seasoning.
I love the combination of cabbage, apples, and sherry vinegar!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Chez Panisse Braised Red Cabbage

Ingredients
- 1 red cabbage outer wilted leaves and core removed, and sliced very thin
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons duck fat
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup water
- 1 apple peeled and grated
Instructions
- Gather and prepare your ingredients. Thinly slice the red cabbage and onion.
- Scoop out the duck fat and melt it on a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
- Once the duck fat is melted, sauté the onions for about 5 minutes. Then, add the cabbage, vinegar, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and water.
- Bring the pan to a boil, put on a lid, and lower the heat. Simmer the cabbage for 20 minutes.
- Peel and grate the apple (I like to use Fuji) and add it to the cabbage mixture. Mix the apple in, put the lid back on, and let it cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Taste the cabbage and adjust for seasoning. Serve immediately!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Why duck fat – can I substitute bacon grease, butter, ghee?
You can definitely use another fat—duck fat just tastes great!
When do you use the remaining two tablespoons of the duck fat?
Is it meant to be 3 tablespoons of duck fat or 3 tablespoons of sherry vinegar? According to your instructions there is unused duck fat…
3 tablespoons! I updated the recipe card!
Thanks for featuring Alice, the icon!! I added a bag of cranberries and used date syrup in place of maple. Delicious!!