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Red Cabbage with Cranberries

Red Cabbage with Cranberries (Plant-Based Recipe)

Bright, bold, and bursting with flavour! This vegan red cabbage with cranberries is the ultimate side dish—tangy, sweet, and spiced to perfection. Perfect for cosy dinners, festive feasts, or a wholesome snack, it's a healthy, oil-free recipe you'll make on repeat 🌱🍎💜

Prep Time: 15 Mins | Cook Time: 90 Mins

Total Time: 1 Hour & 45 Mins | Servings: Adjustable

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Red Cabbage with sprouts

Never have I ever made something as beautiful as vegan red cabbage with cranberries. If you’ve got a family member who thinks this versatile veggie is boring, give them a taste of this. Tart cranberries. Sweet apples. And a delicious seasoning of cinnamon & maple syrup 🤤

Table of Contents

Red Cabbage

Why This Recipe Works

Nutritious

Cabbage is super nutritious on its own… and combined with cranberries, the dish makes for a super healthy snack. It’s also—

  • Gluten-free

  • Low-calorie

  • Protein-rich

  • Oil-free

  • Sugar-free

Yummy

The crunch. The tartness. The natural sweetness. Plant-based spiced cabbage is everything you would ever expect from a delicious mid-day snack.

Easy Recipe

Don’t be put off by the cook time—it’s mostly hands off. You just need to prep the ingredients, the rest will be simmering, mostly.

Cabbage

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Cabbage. Red cabbage, of course. I always try to look for a small to medium-sized head; one that feels heavy for its size. Bonus points if the leaves are tightly packed (an indication of freshness). See Tip 1👇🏼

Fresh cranberries. For tartness—and a beautiful colour. Let’s not forget the extra nutrition they bring! Fresh, plump berries work best. Frozen can be used, too, but you have to thaw them first. See Tip 2👇🏼

Apple (chopped small). Cuts through the tangy flavour of berries to create a lovely balance. I like Gala for their sweet taste, but the choice depends on the contrast you want to create. Granny Smith, for example, is great for a sweet + tart combo. See Tip 3👇🏼

Red onion. Other varieties also taste good, but I prefer red onion because it goes so well with the colour of cabbage and cranberries ❤️ See Tip 4👇🏼

Maple syrup. Enhances the fruitiness without making the dish too sweet. Organic is best.

Cinnamon stick. My favourite spice. When simmered, it ties the fruity & savoury flavours so beautifully. If you don’t have a stick, powdered will do the job.

Bay leaves. For a subtle herbal flavour. I add it at the beginning and remove it before serving.

Red wine vinegar. An acidic ingredient to make sure the dish isn’t too sweet, too tart, or too savoury. It also helps deglaze the pan because we won’t use any oil. See Tip 5👇🏼

Orange juice. Squeeze it fresh or use bottled, but don’t skip it, or you’ll miss out on the bright flavours of the dish 😬

Helpful Equipment

  • Sharp Knife

  • Pot

Red Cabbage and Cranberries

How to Make Vegan Spiced Red Cabbage

Add all the ingredients to a pan on medium heat; reduce it to low when the liquid starts boiling. See Tip 7👇🏼

Stir occasionally, but keep the lid on. Depending on how long on the hob and to taste, you can add extra liquid.

That’s it. Enjoy 💜 😋

Bowl of red cabbage

Variations, Ideas & Notes

Substitutions

  • Green cabbage instead of red (will lack the colour, but the texture will work).

  • Red currants instead of red cranberries.

  • Pear instead of apple.

  • Shallots instead of red onion.

  • Agave syrup instead of maple syrup.

  • Pumpkin pie spice instead of a cinnamon stick (for holiday goodness).

  • Rosemary instead of bay leaves.

  • Apple cider vinegar instead of red wine.

  • Lemon juice instead of orange juice.

Optional Add-ons

  • Dried fruits

  • Star anise

  • Pomegranate seeds

  • Toasted nuts

  • Miso paste

  • Smoked paprika

Red cabbage on a plate

Pro Tips For This Recipe

  1. Though it takes extra effort, cutting the cabbage as finely as possible ensures even cooking—and better absorption of flavours. I use a mandoline slicer to make things easy, but you can also do it with your hand.

  2. I would recommend adding the cranberries midway through cooking; you don’t want them to disintegrate too much.

  3. When picking apples for this recipe, always go for the ones labelled “good for cooking.”

  4. Keep the onions super thin. We don’t want to overpower the dish.

  5. It’s best to add the vinegar in stages; start with 2-3 tbsps, and increase gradually.

  6. Cranberries are not necessary, but lovely at Christmas, adding to the festive theme 🎄🍅

Vegan Red Cabbage with Cranberries

Frequently Asked Questions

How to serve plant-based red cabbage with cranberries?

I absolutely love to enjoy this dish with some fresh nut roast—makes for such a delicious Christmas dinner. You’d also love to have your bowl of spiced red cabbage with mushroom & chestnut Wellington (another classic fav in our home). Or, you can even try it with something like…

Why did my cabbage lose colour?

Red cabbage loses its colour slightly during the early stage of cooking, but it becomes darker by the end—especially if you use vinegar to preserve the colour. If you want your cabbage to be extra bright red, some grated beetroot can help.

How to cut red cabbage for this recipe?

You can use a food processor if you want; I prefer a mandoline cutter. Also, make sure to remove the outer, tough layer. We don’t need that.

Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?

You can use a food processor if you want; I prefer a mandoline cutter. Also, make sure to remove the outer, tough layer. We don’t need that.

How to store red cabbage with cranberries?

It’s perfect for meal prep because the flavours develop even more after a day. Add it to an airtight jar, and it will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days 😁

Did You Love the Recipe as Much as I Do?

Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating on the recipe card—and don’t forget to tag me @vegan.susy on Instagram to show me your 👩🏻‍🍳MasterChef creation 🤗

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