Irish Bacon and Cabbage Recipe - A Spicy Perspective (2024)

Irish Bacon and Cabbage Recipemade with only 5 ingredients. Make this tantalizing side dish for Saint Patrick’s Day, or for dinner any night of the week!

Why We Love This Irish Cabbage and Bacon Recipe

Today’s Irish Cabbage and Bacon is based on a classic Irish dish usually made with large slabs of bacon (pork belly) boiled down into a rich fatty broth that the cabbage is later stewed in.

As I’m not Irish, I have a hard time swallowing the idea ofboiling porkin water.

Instead, I decided to make a quickie version, using the same ingredients, but a slightly different cooking method. This way, we get bacon that is slightly crispy, with tender, al dente cabbage with a bit of extra flavor from the onion, salt, pepper and mustard seeds!

If you need an easy meal to serve up around St. Patrick’s day, you definitely have to try this Irish cabbage and bacon recipe!

Ingredients You Need

MyIrish Bacon and Cabbage is made with only5 simple ingredients:

• Thick-cut Bacon – diced into smaller pieces
• Large Green Cabbage – cut into 12 wedges
• Large Onion – diced
• Chicken Broth – for added flavor
• Mustard Seeds – adds a bit of a kick
• Salt and Black Pepper – To taste (or add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick!)

How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Place a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat to medium-high heat. Cut the bacon strips into 4 pieces each with a knife. Separate the bacon pieces and place them in the pot. Stir and fry until the bacon is cooked, but not fully crispy.

Meanwhile, peel the onion and cut it into 8 wedges. Then cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut the cabbage into 12 wedges. Once the bacon is mostly cooked, add the onion to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes to soften.

Add the cabbage, chicken broth, and mustard seeds. Stir to move the cabbage to the bottom of the pot and bring the bacon upward.

Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the thickest parts of the cabbage have a tender silky texture. Stir once or twice while cooking. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

Serve in a bowl with whole-grain mustard on the side, if desired.

Tips & Tricks

• Get the bacon just slightly crispy! You don’t want super crispy bacon in this recipe because it will be harder to eat! So make sure it is slightly crispy, but not too much.
• Serve with whole grain mustard! The mustard seeds in this recipe will shine with a little extra whole grain mustard on the side.
• Goes well with potatoes! To turn this into a hearty meal, serve with some roasted potatoes!

See The (Printable) Recipe Card Below For How To Make Irish Bacon and Cabbage. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This Irish bacon and cabbage would to well alone, as a side dish, or with a few dish dishes to create a whole meal! I just know that this fried bacon and cabbage would go amazingly with creamy mashed potatoes or some crispy roasted potatoes!

You can also serve this as a savory side dish with grilled ham steaks, smoked pork chops, or even steak!

For an Irish feast, pair it with Irish potato pie, bangers and mash, or savory cottage pie!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Cut Cabbage for Frying?

How you cut the cabbage is totally up to you. Keep in mind that cabbage shrinks significantly once it is cooked! If you cut it into very small pieces, it won’t have that much texture once it is cooked. I like to first cut mine in half, then remove the core. After that, I simply slice each half into 6 smaller wedges. If you want them to be smaller, you can cut each wedge in half! Totally up to you!

How Long Does This Fried Cabbage Recipe Last In The Fridge?

You can store the leftover pan-fried cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat these leftovers in a large skillet instead of a microwave.

What Do I Serve With This Recipe?

Although you can serve this cooked cabbage recipe as a side dish with corned beef, proportionally there is alotof bacon in this recipe. Enough protein to make it a main dish in my opinion.

In Ireland, it’s often served as the main course with mustard and boiled potatoes.

Should I Drain The Bacon Fat/Bacon Drippings?

No need to pull out paper towels to pat the bacon dry. The bacon grease that comes off the bacon slices will only be a few ounces, and it will help create the flavor of the recipe and enhance the taste as the cabbage cooks in it. That is what makes this a delicious fried cabbage with bacon recipe!

Can I Make A Smaller Portion?

Of course, you can. You can find a small head of cabbage to use for this recipe and then cut the rest of the ingredients in half. This low-carb dish can be based on the size of the cabbage head you find!

Other Easy Irish Recipes You Might Like:

• Irish Creamy Cauliflower Soup
• Irish Potato Pie
• Irish Pub Cheese (Beer Cheese Dip)
• Crisp and Savory Irish Potato Pie
• One Pan Slow Cooker Shepherds Pie
• Garlic Irish Boxty Potato Pancakes
• Bangers and Mash (Sausage and Mashed Potatoes)
• Savory Breakfast Scones
• Cottage Pie Recipe (Shepherd’s Pie)

Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information for this vegetable side dish including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, and vitamin c percentages.