Sauteed cabbage with beef (Paleo, Whole30, AIP)

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Gluten free, Grain free, Dairy free, Egg free, Nut free, Soy free, Corn free

I often cook with cabbage, from soups and cabbage steaks, to sauerkraut. However, cabbage has a reputation of being a blunt food for most people. If this is your experience, this recipe will change your mind. It is easy, affordable, and delicious all at the same time. You can use it as a side dish or make a whole meal by adding ground beef.

Cabbage has impressive health benefits, that will convince you to eat more of it. It’s rich in vitamins C, K and B6 and is a great source of folate, manganese, iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It has powerful antioxidants that protect against certain cancers, while its high phytonutrient content, helps heal stomach ulcers and prevent cancer cells from growing.

For this recipe, you will need one head of cabbage (white or red), salt, olive oil, and 1 pound of ground beef (optional). My secret ” ingredient “for this recipe  is a mandolin, which is not really an ingredient, or even a musical instrument in this case. I am talking about the kitchen accessory that let’s you make thin chips from any vegetables. I use it to shred the cabbage as fine as I want and very fast. You will just need to watch your fingers.

First, you wash you cabbage and take off the outside 3-4 leaves that are more rough or look unhealthy.

Cut cabbage in half, than quarters.

Using your mandolin on a thicker setting, shred each quarter of cabbage, carefully while watching your fingers. Mandolining (is that actually a thing?), is a dangerous business. If you don’t have a mandolin, use your knife and slice it as thin as you can.

In a cast-iron or non-stick skillet, add about 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the shredded cabbage to the skillet with about 1 tsp. of salt, cover it with a lid and turn heat on medium-low setting. Cook it for about 30-40 mins, and stirring occasionally until cabbage is soft.  If you can’t fit all cabbage in the skillet, after about 10 mins or once the cabbage cooks down a little bit, add the rest of it to the skillet.
Meanwhile, cook the ground beef with 1/4 tsp of salt in a different skillet. Once cooked, add the beef to the cabbage and cook together for another 5 mins or until cabbage is tender.

Notes:
Feel free to add any other spices, like garlic, pepper, or ginger (if you want to go a different direction).
If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you can omit the meat. The sauteed cabbage has a great flavor on it’s own.

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Sautee cabbage with ground beef

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

• 1 medium white cabbage
• 1-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 pound ground beef optional

Instructions

1. Wash you cabbage and take off the outside 3-4 leaves that are more rough or look unhealthy.
2. Cut cabbage in half, than quarters.
3. Using your mandolin on a thicker setting, shred each quarter of cabbage, carefully while watching your fingers. Mandolining (is that actually a thing?), is a dangerous business. If you don't have a mandolin, use your knife and slice it as thin as you can.
4. In a cast-iron or non-stick skillet, add about 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Add the shredded cabbage to the skillet with about 1 tsp. of salt, cover it with a lid and turn heat on medium-low setting.
5. Cook it for about 30-40 mins, and stirring occasionally until cabbage is soft. If you can't fit all cabbage in the skillet, after about 10 mins or once the cabbage cooks down a little bit, add the rest of it to the skillet.
6. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef with 1/4 tsp of salt in a different skillet. Once cooked, add the beef to the cabbage and cook together for another 5 mins or until cabbage is tender.