Home / Food Bites & Articles / Janet's Notebook

Hearty Cabbage Recipes for Your Next Meal

Shoney's Bean and Beef Cabbage Soup

Sauteed or steamed, I love cabbage. It’s a great source of vitamins B and C and potassium. Cabbage is an unsung hero in my mind and gets a bad rap. It’s extremely popular on Just A Pinch, too, so this week I wanted to share a few of my favorite Blue Ribbon cabbage recipes.

Michelle Crawford’s (Crosby, TX) Cabbage Roll Casserole is a favorite amongst Just A Pinch members. It’s been pinched more than 10,000 times! I love cabbage rolls but hate making them. Michelle does too, so she turned them into a delicious casserole.

“I miss my grandma’s cabbage rolls,” shared Michelle. “But that’s a lot of work steaming each leaf, then filling and placing in another pan, so I turned it into this.” Michelle’s recipe is very simple. Cooking ground beef with Rotel makes the dish very flavorful.

“We love cabbage here at this household,” says Bea L. (Emerald Isle, NC). “My friend, Rudy, had the best cabbage I had ever tasted and she said that she baked hers in the oven rather than boiling it on top of the stove.” Inspired by Rudy, Bea shared her delicious version of Baked Cabbage.

Bea gives an option of a few spices to add to her baked cabbage. In the Test Kitchen, we tried paprika and red pepper. The cooking technique made for perfectly done cabbage and the spices gave it a slight kick. If you’re not a fan of heat, add a sprinkle of sugar for a slightly sweet cabbage. I suggested adding a few cubed red potatoes. It looked like Bea tried that with success. A great option to bulk up the side dish.

“This is my own ‘creation’ trying to copy the cabbage/bean/beef soup that was a signature dish at Shoney’s,” explains Jean Goss (Beaumont, TX). “I hope you enjoy!” I didn’t just enjoy this, I loved it! This is a hearty soup is full of flavor.

Along with the red beans, the mixture of ground meat and sausage gives Jean’s Bean and Beef Cabbage Soup a unique flavor. All the fresh veggies (like onion, bell pepper, celery, and cabbage) are what really make this soup yummy. Adding the cabbage at the end keeps it from getting too soggy. Great as a meal alone or paired with a sandwich.

If you’re looking for an easy corned beef and cabbage recipe, try Janette Suber’s (Sale City, GA) Fried Cabbage and Corned Beef. Janette simmers the cabbage in butter… how can that not be good?!

“My dad’s mother, my grandma, used to fix corned beef and cabbage with cornbread for him when he was younger (one of his favorite meals),” reveals Janette. “I took the recipe and changed it up a little and my dad, my family, and friends love it. This is a good stick to your ribs meal.” If you’re looking for something to make for St. Patrick’s Day, definitely try this recipe.

Dene Mitzel prepares her Steamed Cabbage with Smoked Sausage and Red Potatoes for New Year’s luck, but I think it’s so good it should be made year around. Her cabbage recipe is seriously delicious.

The sausage brings the recipe to a whole new level adding a fabulous smokey flavor. The starch from the potatoes adds great texture. It’s a simple, but flavorful meal.

Are you also a fan of cabbage? Make sure to share your favorite hearty cabbage recipe. Happy Pinching!