Irish Bacon and Cabbage
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 3, 2025 Irish Bacon and Cabbage Recipe made with only 5 ingredients. Make this tantalizing side dish for Saint Patrick’s Day, or for dinner any night of the week!
Why We Love Irish Cabbage and Bacon
Disclaimer: Today’s Irish Cabbage and Bacon is based on a classic Irish dish usually made with large slabs of pork (pork belly) boiled down into a rich fatty broth that the cabbage is later stewed in.
As I’m not Irish, I have a hard time swallowing the idea of boiling pork in water.
Instead, I decided to make a quickie version, an Americanized alternative, using the same ingredients, but a different cooking method. This way, we get actual bacon that is slightly crispy, with tender, al dente cabbage with a bit of extra flavor from the onion, salt, pepper, and mustard seeds!
If you need an easy meal to serve up around St. Patrick’s Day, you have to try this Irish cabbage and bacon recipe. It is completely irresistible!
Ingredients You Need
My Irish Bacon and Cabbage is made with only 5 simple ingredients:
- Thick-cut Bacon – diced into smaller pieces
- Large Green Cabbage – cut into 12 wedges
- Large Onion – diced
- Chicken Broth – for added flavor
- Mustard Seeds – adds a bit of a kick
- Salt and Black Pepper – To taste (or add red pepper flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick!)
How to Make Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Place a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat to medium-high heat. Cut the bacon strips into 4 pieces, each with a knife. Separate the bacon pieces and place them in the pot. Stir and fry until the bacon is cooked, but not fully crispy.
Meanwhile, peel the onion and cut it into 8 wedges. Then, cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut the cabbage into 12 wedges. Once the bacon is mostly cooked, add the onion to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes to soften.
Add the cabbage, chicken broth, and mustard seeds. Stir to move the cabbage to the bottom of the pot and bring the bacon upward.
Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the thickest parts of the cabbage have a tender silky texture. Stir once or twice while cooking. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.
Serve in a bowl with whole-grain mustard on the side, if desired.
Tips & Tricks
- Get the bacon just slightly crispy! You don’t want super crispy bacon in this recipe because it will be harder to eat! So make sure it is slightly crispy, but not too much.
- Serve with whole-grain mustard! The mustard seeds in this recipe will shine with a bit of extra whole-grain mustard on the side.
- Goes well with potatoes! To turn this into a hearty meal, serve with some roasted potatoes!
See The (Printable) Recipe Card Below For How To Make Irish Bacon and Cabbage. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This Irish bacon and cabbage would do well alone, as a side dish, or with a few other dishes to create a whole meal! Fried bacon and cabbage goes amazingly well with creamy mashed potatoes or crispy roasted potatoes!
You can also serve this as a savory side dish with baked ham, smoked pork chops, or even steak! This simple cabbage dish pairs beautifully with hearty proteins. For another rustic dinner featuring cabbage, try our Kielbasa and Sauerkraut recipe.
For an Irish feast, pair it with Irish Potato Pie, Irish corned beef stew, Baked Corned Beef and Cabbage in the Oven, or savory Cottage Pie!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Cut Cabbage for Frying?
How you cut the cabbage is totally up to you. Keep in mind that cabbage shrinks significantly once it is cooked! If you cut it into very small pieces, it won’t have that much texture once it is cooked. I like to first cut mine in half, then remove the core. After that, I simply slice each half into 6 smaller wedges. If you want them to be smaller, you can cut each wedge in half! Totally up to you!
How Long Does This Fried Cabbage Recipe Last In The Fridge?
You can store the leftover pan-fried cabbage in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat these leftovers in a large skillet instead of a microwave.
What Do I Serve With This Recipe?
Although you can serve this cooked cabbage recipe as a side dish with corned beef, proportionally there is a lot of bacon in this recipe. Enough protein to make it a main dish in my opinion.
In Ireland, it’s often served as the main course with mustard and boiled potatoes.
Should I Drain The Bacon Fat/Bacon Drippings?
No need to pull out paper towels to pat the bacon dry. The bacon grease that comes off the bacon slices will only be a few ounces, and it will help create the flavor of the recipe and enhance the taste as the cabbage cooks in it. That is what makes this a delicious fried cabbage with bacon recipe!
Can I Make A Smaller Portion?
Of course, you can. You can find a small head of cabbage to use for this recipe and then cut the rest of the ingredients in half. This low-carb dish can be based on the size of the cabbage head you find!
Other Easy Irish Recipes You Might Like:
- Irish Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Irish Potato Pie
- Irish Pub Cheese (Beer Cheese Dip)
- Crisp and Savory Irish Potato Pie
- One Pan Slow Cooker Shepherds Pie
- Garlic Irish Boxty Potato Pancakes
- Irish Cheese Toasties (Cheese on Toast)
- Cottage Pie Recipe (Shepherd’s Pie)
Check the printable recipe card below for the nutrition information for this vegetable side dish including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, and vitamin c percentages.
Irish Bacon and Cabbage Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 24 ounces thick-cut bacon
- 1 large green cabbage
- 1 large onion
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Cut the bacon strips into 4 pieces each. Separate the bacon pieces and place in the pot. Stir and sizzle until the bacon is cooked, but not fully crispy.
- Meanwhile, peel the onion and cut it into 8 wedges. Then cut the cabbage in half and remove the core. Cut the cabbage into 12 wedges. Once the bacon is mostly cooked, add the onion to the pot and sauté for 3-4 minutes to soften.
- Add the cabbage, chicken broth, and mustard seeds. Stir to move the cabbage to the bottom of the pot and bring the bacon upward. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the thickest parts of the cabbage are tender. Stir once or twice while cooking. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve with whole grain mustard on the side, if desired.
This is The. Most. Delicious. Cabbage. Recipe. Ever! So simple to make. So flavorful. People I know who don’t like cabbage to begin with like this recipe.
WOW. Made this tonight for St. Patrick’s Day. My husband said it should be in the regular rotation, not just the “token Irish veggie” once a year! It was seriously that tasty. 4/5 kids ate it up and that is an impressive percentage!
Made this for my Supper Club this past weekend and it was very good. Even a guest who doesn’t like pork enjoyed it. The sauce was great.
I made this humane & vegan, by simply using vegetable broth, and vegan bac-UN. I cut the recipe down, to make one serving (4 oz. of cabbage). I also made a savory herb, mustard/pureed white bean (vegan protein) sauce, to go on it, & served it over quartered, boiled baby potatoes, for a nutritionally complete (protein, starch, & vegetable) dish. I serve it with fruit for dessert, for a complete meal. If one doesn’t want to use pureed white beans as a protein, it could be served just as a vegetable, with other vegan starches & proteins served separately. I cooked the vegan bac-UN in olive oil, then sauteed the onion, after the bac-UN was removed, cooled, crumbled & set aside, to add as the last step, as a garnish.
Thank you for popping in and reminding us of our inhumanity.
Agreed!
Oh. My. Word!!!
Laughed so hard when I saw your response.
I will be making this tonight as it looks yummy. I do not have access to Irish bacon and my children hate corned beef. Scottish by background, but will honor the Celts today.
Thank you for posting this quick, doable recipe. Fingers crossed my picky eater (who loves bacon) will eat this.
I never tried this before and after reading this amazing post I think I must give it a try.
Such a great recipe. Perfect for St. Patty’s day coming up. Your instructions were so clear and helpful. Thanks for sharing.
It was a huge hit!! Really tasty and easy to make!
Definitely making this for st Patrick’s day! So good!
I had a half a head of green cabbage left over and this was a delicious way to use it up!
This looks so good! I could jump in that bowl. I love the addition of the mustard seeds!
This looks fantastic! Did you use brown mustard seeds? Also, any tips for making ahead and reheating for a party?
Thanks in advance!!
Hi Richard,
Yes, I used brown mustard seeds. However, the color doesn’t really matter here. Use what you have. As for making this ahead. I wouldn’t make it more than a day in advance. Cabbage turns funky faster than most veggies, once cooked.
I cannot wait to make this again. So stinking delicious.