Slow-Cooked Cabbage with Smoked Bacon and Dill

This rustic, Eastern European slow-cooked cabbage is one of my all-time favorite comfort dishes. It’s deeply nourishing, surprisingly simple to make, and relies on just a handful of humble ingredients that transform into something truly special. Naturally sweet cabbage, gently cooked until soft and silky, takes on a subtle smokiness from the bacon and a bright, fresh finish from generous handfuls of dill.

Eastern European Comfort Food

I may be biased — I grew up with these flavors in Romania — but the sweet-and-sour balance, the mellow richness, and the familiar aroma filling the kitchen feel like home to me. It’s the kind of food that’s grounding and comforting, yet light enough to enjoy often. Best of all, it’s endlessly adaptable, making it easy to personalize and bring into your own kitchen, no matter where you’re cooking from.

I find myself craving this dish — or some variation of it — again and again. Sometimes I make it with chicken, sometimes just plain cabbage, and other times I add a small amount of good-quality, thick-cut smoked bacon for that familiar flavor I grew up with. Pancetta or guanciale work beautifully here too.

The cabbage is slowly cooked, without added liquid, for up to an hour, until it becomes soft, sweet, and deeply flavorful. At the end, a splash of apple cider vinegar brings a bright, tangy contrast that balances the cabbage’s natural sweetness, while fresh dill ties everything together with its floral, herbaceous notes.

You can skip the bacon altogether and use a touch of smoked paprika instead, or swap in chicken or another protein, but the non-negotiable trio remains the same: cabbage, apple cider vinegar, and fresh dill.

In Romania, this dish is often made with larger cuts of smoked meat — pork ribs, pork leg, or pork belly. In those cases, the cooking process changes slightly, as the meat needs more time to become tender. I personally prefer the cabbage to keep a bit of texture rather than turn completely soft, which is why bacon works so well here: it adds plenty of flavor without extending the cooking time.

A Nourishing Meal

Despite its humble appearance, this dish is surprisingly nourishing and deeply satisfying. At the end of this post — just after the recipe card — you’ll find a nutrition card with estimated values per serving. One serving of this slow-cooked cabbage with smoked bacon and dill provides approximately 14 grams of protein and 10 grams of dietary fiber, along with a wide range of micronutrients, for just over 300 calories.

More Bacon?

In this dish, I use the bacon more as a condiment than a main ingredient — though, let’s be honest, more bacon does mean more flavor (also more protein and fats). Feel free to be generous if that’s your style, and especially if you have a good quality, pasture-raised bacon.

Ingredients

• 1 very large white cabbage (or 2 smaller ones)
• 2 yellow or sweet onions
• A handful of thick-cut smoked bacon, pancetta, or guanciale, diced (about 100g)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or 2–3 tablespoons tomato passata
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, or more to taste
• A generous bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped

Instructions

Shred the cabbage — I like to roughly chop mine for more texture, but feel free to slice it finer if you prefer. As a side note, my Romanian parents will not approve of my cabbage-cutting skills. 😊

Thinly slice the onions.

Heat a large cast-iron pan or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced bacon or pancetta and cook gently until some of the fat renders. Add the olive oil and cook for a few more minutes, until the bacon starts to turn golden.

Add the onions and sauté until soft, fragrant, and just beginning to caramelize.

Start adding the cabbage in batches, as much as fits comfortably in the pan. Gently press it down, season lightly with salt, cover, and let it cook for a few minutes until it wilts and reduces in volume. Repeat until all the cabbage is added.

If you are worried that this is too much cabbage, don’t be. By the end of the cooking process, you will be left with one-third of it, which is perfect for four servings.

Stir in the paprika, black pepper, bay leaf, thyme, and tomato paste or passata. Add about 1 tablespoon of water, mix well, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking — this is where a large cast-iron pan / Dutch oven really shines.

Cook until the cabbage is soft and deeply flavorful, about 40–45 minutes, depending on how tender you like it.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or paprika if needed. Finish with apple cider vinegar for that essential sweet-and-sour balance, then fold in the fresh dill.

Serve as is for a light, nourishing meal, or top with sour cream, cottage cheese, or your favorite sausages for something heartier.

Serving Slow-Cooked Cabbage

In Romania, we usually serve this with a spicy chili — but Sriracha or Tabasco work too — and a spoonful of sour cream. For a heartier meal, we often add some homemade sausages on the side.

Traditionally, this dish is served with polenta. Since I rarely eat corn, millet polenta is an option — it has a similar comforting quality, but feels lighter and works beautifully with the sweet-and-sour cabbage.

Enjoy!

More Cabbage Recipes

• Cabbage Pancakes with Sweet Potato and Asparagus
• Sauteed Cabbage with Fennel and Leeks
• Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Chickpeas and Tahini Sauce
• Napa Cabbage Stir-Fry with Mushrooms and Miso
• Romanian Cabbage Rolls with Sorghum and Paprika
• Scandinavian Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

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