Scandinavian Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage: Sugar-Free and Festive!

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage is a beloved go-to side dish for festive meals in Denmark and across Scandinavia. Since my husband is Danish, I had fun converting this traditional recipe to a sugar-free, more nutritious version.

We’ve infused the dish with warming spices like cinnamon and cloves, giving it a comforting and festive touch. With its perfect balance of tangy and sweet flavors, this dish will surely become a new favorite at your festive table.

Give red cabbage a festive makeover, Danish style

I was first introduced to this Danish staple when spending the first Christmas with my now Danish husband. It was a jarred version, which we warmed up before serving. While I was already a fan of cabbage, the Romanian way of cooking is quite different. I loved the soft texture, festive flavors, and the perfect sweet-and-sour balance.

This was over a decade ago, and since then, we have been making this side dish for holidays.

This recipe is similar to German red cabbage, but it is infused with warming spices, which gives it a special festive Scandinavian flavor.

Making a sugar-free version

The traditional recipe is made with sugar, but I use a natural, low-calorie sweetener to add some sweetness. You can check the list here with my favorite natural sweeteners, but you can use allulose or monk fruit. You will only need one tablespoon.

If you prefer to stick to some type of sugar, don’t use more than one tablespoon for this quantity.

More sweetness will come from cloves and cinnamon, the apple, and the aged balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients for this sweet and sour red cabbage recipe

One medium head of cabbage makes about 4 servings, but it can be stretched to more servings if there are more side dishes served.

• 1 red cabbage head, thinly sliced/shredded
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon allulose (or monk fruit)
• 10 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick
• 1 apple, cut into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon aged Modena balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• a few tablespoons of filtered water

How to make this Scandinavian sweet and sour cabbage recipe

• Start with a large dry skillet on low to medium heat. Add the shredded red cabbage, red wine vinegar, allulose (or sweetener), cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Toss well, cover, and warm up until it starts sizzling, then lower the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for about 30 minutes, and check and stir it every 10 minutes and add about 2 tablespoons of water at a time. We don’t want the cabbage to stick to the pan, but we also don’t want a lot of liquid. Braise for 30 minutes, then add the cubed apple.
• Cover and braise for ten more minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar (the thick one). Serve immediately.
• You can prepare this dish in advance, store it in the refrigerator and warm it before serving.

How to serve this sweet and sour red cabbage?

This is the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu, but who says you can’t have it any other time? I love to make this dish to serve it, next to steamed broccoli, with our Lectin-Free Scandinavian Meatballs with Curry Sauce.

It goes well next to pot roast, pork chops, spare ribs, or with the special Danish pork roast with crackling.

Enjoy!

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