Cabbage Casserole with Bacon

Fresh cabbage in a creamy sauce with onion, bacon and crunchy cracker topping, this old school cabbage casserole makes for the perfect side dish!

 

What to Gather

This cabbage casserole ingredient list is a little lengthy, but all of the ingredients are easily found at your local grocery store. A full list of ingredients with measurements is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Green cabbage – Some recipes use braised the cabbage, others throw it in raw, simply massaged or even boiled. Ours is sauteed in butter, an then with onion and garlic to really infuse the whole dish with homey flavor.
• Sweet onion – I like the sweetness of a yellow onion to help balance out the flavor of the cabbage. However, you could also use a white onion if you prefer.
• Fresh garlic – Minced garlic adds so much flavor to this casserole. Fresh garlic is always preferred over the pre-minced, jarred version.
• Unsalted butter – Using unsalted butter helps to control the salt content of a recipe. We use it for both sautéing the cabbage and onion, and also the crunchy cracker topping.
• Condensed cream of soup – I almost always have a cream of something in the pantry. This recipes is forgiving, so you can use celery, chicken or mushroom soup.
• Cheddar cheese – It’s always best to freshly shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an additive that doesn’t allow it to melt smoothly. We mix the cheese into the casserole as well as add it to the crunchy cracker topping.
• Bacon – You want this to be already cooked and crumbled. It’s easier to crumble bacon when it’s crispy. Try making your bacon in the oven!
• Mayonnaise – In addition to the condensed soup, this adds an element of creaminess to this casserole, as well as a tang.
• Salt and pepper – I used a simple blend of coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to season this cabbage casserole.
• Ritz crackers – When mixed with melted butter and cheddar cheese, crunchy, buttery crackers make the perfect topping for this casserole.

Let’s Make It

You are gong to love how easy it is to make this simple cabbage casserole with bacon.

1. Prepare oven and baking dish. Preheat the oven and coat a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray or vegetable shortening, set aside.
2. Sauté cabbage, onion and garlic. Chop or shred the cabbage into ½ inch strips and break it apart. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cabbage and onion, cooking until it starts to soften and become fragrant, but still holds it shape. Add the garlic, cooking for an additional minute.
3. Combine with remaining ingredients. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the condensed soup of choice, cheddar cheese, bacon, mayonnaise, salt and pepper until combine. Spoon this mixture into the prepared casserole dish, spreading to make it even. Set aside.
4. Make topping. In another small bowl, combine the topping ingredients of melted butter, cheddar cheese and Ritz crackers. Spoon this evenly over the cabbage casserole.
5. Bake until the topping is a golden brown. Remove and allow to set for ten minutes before serving. Top with chopped flat parsley, if desired.

Make It A Meal

You can serve this cabbage casserole with just about anything you’d like to! It makes a great side dish for any Irish dish, like homemade corned beef, guinness cheddar meatloaf, or instant pot corned beef.

You can serve it alongside other side dishes like irish colcannon, potatoes o’brien, or even a nice green side salad. The options are endless!

Storage and Freezing

How to Store

You can store any leftover cabbage casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay for up to five days.

Can I Freeze Squash Casserole?

Technically, yes you can freeze cabbage casserole but that darn water is going to get you again! It will most likely defrost to be a little soggy and limp.

More Cabbage Recipes

Whether for St. Patrick’s Day or any day of the year, these cabbage recipes are all full of flavor and make the perfect side dishes for any meal.