Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Bacon & Balsamic

4.58 from 7 votes

Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Bacon & Balsamic

This warm, chef inspired red cabbage salad is topped with crispy bacon, feta cheese, and walnuts for a delicious and easy dinner or side dish. Made in under 15 minutes with 6 simple ingredients, this is going to be your new go-to salad recipe.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon cabbage recipe, easy cabbage salad, gluten free bacon cabbage salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 421kcal

Author: Chandice Probst

Cost: $10

Ingredients

16 ounces bacon
1 head red cabbage, large chopped into thin strips
1 cup Feta cheese
1 cup raw walnuts chopped
¼ cup gluten-free balsamic vinegar (get the thick, aged kind)
Real Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pan cook bacon until crisp
Transfer bacon to a plate to cool
Remove HALF, only HALF of the bacon grease from the pan
Add cabbage to the bacon grease and cook until slightly tender (It should still be a bright purple. If you overcook it you will lose the vibrant color and be left with a purple cabbage)
Add balsamic vinegar, chopped bacon and as many walnuts as you prefer and toss lightly
Transfer to a serving plate and top with Feta cheese and Real Salt to taste

Video

Notes

Storing and freezing

Storing: You can store this salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. After two days, the cabbage may become soggy. Do not add feta or walnuts until ready to serve.

Freezing: I would not recommend freezing this purple cabbage salad. It's best made fresh and only takes about 20 minutes.

Pro tip: Make sure you cook the cabbage uncovered to prevent it from getting too soggy. Allowing the cabbage to cook uncovered allows moisture to escape, keeping it the yummy texture we're looking for.

Do you wash red cabbage?

Yes you should wash red cabbage even though the outer layer isn't going to be eaten. Remove the outer layer, slice into pieces, then wash the pieces in a strainer. Make sure your cabbage is dried before cooking.

How do you know when red cabbage is cooked?

For this salad recipe, you'll know when the cabbage is cooked because it's slightly tender but still has it's vibrant purple color. This should take 6-9 minutes cooked on medium high heat.

Can you reheat cooked red cabbage?

Yes you can reheat this red cabbage by warming up in the microwave or cooking on the skillet again. Cooking on the skillet will give it a fresh taste but the microwave is easier.

Nutrition