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Red Cabbage and Apple (Rotkohl)



Hearty and healthy side dish with just the right amount of warming spice

Red Cabbage and Apple German Rotkohl
Red Cabbage and Apple German Rotkohl

Traditional German side dish served at Christmas

Red cabbage and apples, also known as Rotkohl, is a traditional German and Eastern European side dish served with roasted meat. Normally sitting alongside roasted duck at Christmas, this deliciously spiced red cabbage fits perfectly with chicken, pork, potatoes, carrots, and almost any other vegetable side dish.

Christmas roast dinner plate with chicken, pork, carrots, potatoes, red cabbage and chicken gravy

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Red Cabbage and Apple (German Rotkohl)

Nicely spiced red cabbage and apple side dish perfect for a Sunday roast side dish or Christmas dinner

  • Author: Justina Sullivan
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 Minutes
  • Total Time: 55 Minutes
  • Yield: 68 Servings 1x
  • Category: Vegetarian
  • Method: Stove Top Cooking
  • Cuisine: European

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 red cabbage (approx. 1.2 kg)
  • 2 apples
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Sea salt flakes
  • 2 red onions
  • 50g  butter
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 4 cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 4 juniper berries
  • 3 whole black peppercorns
  • 50ml chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions

  1. Slice the cabbage into very thin strips using a food processor, mandolin or knife.
  2. Peel onions, cut in half then slice red onion into thin strips.
  3. Remove the apple core and grate each piece with a box grater.
  4. Grind cloves, allspice, juniper berries, thyme and peppercorns into a powder.
  5. Heat a large saucepan with the butter, and gently fry red onions for a couple of minutes. Add cabbage and apple, toss around and continue to cook another 5 minutes until the cabbage starts to soften. 
  6. Add the ground spice mix, red wine vinegar and chicken or vegetable stock
  7. Combine, cover with a lid, and simmer for 45 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure the mixture doesn’t dry out (if so, then add some splashes of water.)
  8. Remove from heat, taste and season with salt If necessary. Serve hot!

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