Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage: An Easy & Tasty German Side Dish! (2024)

This Instant Pot braised red cabbage is a German side dish that goes great with bratwursts or any of your favorite German main dishes! Red cabbage, onion, and apples are cooked with an amazing sauce right in an Instant Pot. It’s super easy to make, incredibly delicious, and ready on the table in less than 25 minutes!

Easy Braised Red Cabbage Recipe

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!

❤️ Why This Recipe Works!

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!

🥘 Instant Pot Braised Cabbage Ingredients

This simple braised red cabbage recipe uses apple cider vinegar to add a delicious tangy flavor to the sauce and tenderize the cabbage. Other than that, all it takes is some simple seasonings and a few ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen!

• Butter - 2tablespoons ofbutter or use a butter substitute. You can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe, whatever you prefer!
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 3tablespoons ofapple cider vinegar or use an apple cider vinegar substitute.
• Light Brown Sugar – 3 tablespoons of light brown sugar. Make sure the brown sugar is packed for the most accurate measurement!
• Salt - ¼teaspoon ofsalt.
• Ground Nutmeg - ⅛teaspoon ofground nutmeg.
• Ground Allspice - ⅛teaspoon ofground allspice.
• Yellow Onion - ¼cup ofyellow or white onion, minced or finely diced.
• Apple - ½ cup of apple. Peel and thinly slice or chop the apple for the braised cabbage. *See notes.
• Red Cabbage – 2pounds ofred cabbage, washed and sliced (1 medium head of red cabbage).

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage

This incredibly easy recipe uses an Instant Pot, but you can use whatever brand of pressure cooker you may have! You will also need some measuring spoons, measuring cups, and a wooden spoon to get started.

This recipe will make about 4 servings, but you can always double the ingredients if needed. Make sure that you don't overcrowd your Instant Pot.

1. Make sauce. Set your Instant Pot or pressure cooker to the 'Saute' function and melt 2 tablespoons (28grams) of butter. Add 3 tablespoons (44milliliters) of apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons (36 grams) of light brown sugar, and seasoning- ¼ teaspoon (1.5grams) of salt, ⅛ teaspoon (0.25gram) of ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon (0.25gram) of ground allspice. Stir to combine.
2. Add ingredients. Once the sauce is combined, add ¼ cup of minced or finely diced yellow onion (40 grams) and ½ cup (63 grams)of peeled, sliced apples. Then, stir the mixture to coat and add 2 pounds of sliced red cabbage (907 grams). Once you’ve added the cabbage, stir to combine all the ingredients.
3. Seal. Place the lid of the Instant Pot on and seal it securely, making sure that the 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.
4. Release pressure. After your Instant Pot has built pressure and runs 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.
5. Serve. Serve immediately when done.

🍴 What To Serve With

My quick and easy Instant Pot braised cabbage is served perfectly alongside smoked bratwursts or grilled bratwursts, jägerschnitzel, or any of your favorite main courses! Enjoy!

💭 Tips & 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.

Freezing Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage

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.

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❓ FAQ

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📖 Recipe Card