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Looking for real comfort food that uses fresh cabbage? You need to try our creamy Southern cabbage casserole. It's a truly satisfying casserole--just like a hug!
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Ingredients
- Shredded Cabbage: red or green
- Vidalia Onion: sauteed in butter
- White Sauce: butter, flour, salt, white pepper, and whole milk
- Mayo: to make it creamier
- Cheese: extra sharp cheddar, cream cheese
- Toppings: corn flakes, Ritz crackers, saltine crackers, bread crumbs, or pork rinds
- Spices: salt, white pepper, cayenne
Questions
How can I shred cabbage?
- Remove the loose leaves.
- Cut off the stem, so the bottom is flat.
- Slice in half from top to bottom, then slice into quarters.
- Remove stem and core from each wedge with one diagonal cut.
- Put the flat part of wedge on cutting board and slice.
- To shorten each piece, cut in half horizontally.
- If you want it, run the knife through shreds.
How many calories are in this dish?
To calculate the calories for this recipe, we divided the ingredients into 10 equal serving sizes. One serving has 366 calories and 16.2g of carbs. This recipe is also high in vitamin C and calcium. For more nutritional information, scroll to the end of the recipe card.
What meat goes with this recipe?
This recipe is very versatile since it can be served as a side dish with a variety of main dish meats. Try it with roasted pork, braised lamb, corned beef, roasted turkey, or kielbasa sausage.
How long does it take to cook?
Once the casserole has been assembled, it takes 30 minutes to cook at 350 F.
What vegetables goes with this recipe?
Eastern European countries like to serve carrots and parsnips on the side with this vegetable, as they are two root vegetables that can grow well in their climate, and taste wonderful together. In the United States, it is more common to see mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes served along side this dish.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
Yes, you can make this casserole a day in advance until the end of step 3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350 F, combine the crushed corn flakes with melted butter, and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Can you freeze this recipe?
This version shouldn't be frozen because it contains white sauce and mayo, but it can be stored in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
How to Make
Gather all the ingredients for the casserole. Chop the onion and cabbage, then grate the cheddar cheese.
To make your own white sauce, you'll need butter, flour, white pepper, salt, and whole milk.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until it starts to foam.
Sprinkle on the flour a little bit at a time, then and whisk it in until it's smooth. Cook the roux for 2 to 3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Add the salt and white pepper and cook for another 30 seconds to one minute.
Gradually pour in the whole milk, whisking between each addition so the white sauce doesn't become lumpy.
Once all the milk is incorporated, turn the heat just past medium and whisk until it starts to reach a boil.
Turn the heat down to medium low and whisk for a few minutes until it's thickened. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, as it will thicken more.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium high heat. Saute the sweet onion until it's soft and lightly browned, then remove the skillet from the heat.
Place the corn flakes in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You'll want 2 cups of crushed corn flakes.
Place 1 cup of crushed corn flakes on the bottom of the casserole dish. There's no need to butter the pan, as this recipe has plenty of butter already and it won't stick.
Add the chopped red cabbage on top of the crushed corn flakes.
Sprinkle the sauteed onion evenly on top.
Slowly pour ¼ cup of melted butter over top of the casserole.
Once the white sauce has cooled a bit, stir in the ½ cup of mayo.
Evenly spread the mayo and white sauce mixture with a spatula. If you are planning on adding cooked meat, this would be the step. Read about meat suggestions under pro tips below.
Sprinkle on the extra sharp white cheddar cheese.
Pour ¼ of melted butter over top of 1 cup of crushed corn flakes. Stir until the corn flakes are well coated.
Sprinkle the buttery corn flakes evenly on top of the casserole dish.
Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top in a 350 F oven.
Serve while the casserole is still warm as a side dish or a meatless main course.
Variations
- Want to add meat? Try crumbled bacon, shredded pork, spicy sausage, or browned ground beef.
- Want a different topping? Try breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese, or crushed Ritz crackers.
- Want more substance? Add 2 cups of cooked rice.
- Don't want a white sauce? Try 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups warm heavy cream with paprika, sugar, and cayenne.
- Want more veggies? Try chopped celery and grated carrots.
- Want a cheesy white sauce? Stir in ½ cup Parmesan and add a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
- Want this more keto friendly? Replace the white sauce with sour cream, add cooked ground beef, grated cheese, cayenne and pork rinds.
- Like nuts? Add chopped walnuts to the topping.
Pro Tips
- Want a different cabbage? Use green or savoy.
- Like your cabbage soft and tender? Pre-cook the shredded cabbage with the onions for 10 minutes.
Recommended Tools
- Set of Whisks: make perfectly smooth sauces and dressings with these sturdy whisks.
- Glass Casserole Dish: this simple glass dish is a nice size for casseroles and sides.
- Emeril Lagasse 2-Quart Saucepan: this heavy-bottomed pot cooks food evenly.
- Box Grater: we love this sharp grater for shredding cheese and other ingredients.
- Silicone Spatulas: these handy tools are perfect for scraping out jars and bowls.
Other Delicious Cabbage Recipes
The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.
PrintRecipe
Creamy Southern Cabbage Casserole
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Creamy Southern cabbage casserole is an easy low carb recipe that is also vegetarian. Shredded red cabbage, sauteed sweet onion, cheese, and a homemade white sauce are layered in this old fashioned baked side dish. This is comfort food with a hug!
Ingredients
For the White Sauce
- 4 tablespoons salted butter (56g)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cups whole milk (475 ml)
For the Casserole
- 8 tablespoons salted butter (115g)
- 1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped (217g)
- 2 cups crushed corn flakes (75g)
- 4 cups shredded red cabbage (352g)
- ½ cup mayonnaise (114g)
- ¼ cup whole milk, optional (60 ml)
- 2 ½ cups extra sharp white cheddar, grated (175g)
Instructions
Making the White Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in the flour and let it cook 2-3 minutes, then sprinkle on the salt and pepper and let the spices bloom for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the milk a little at a time, whisking constantly.
- Turn up the heat just past medium and whisk until the sauce boils, reduce heat to medium low, and let the sauce thicken.
- Remove the white sauce from the heat. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Making the Casserole
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until lightly browned, roughly 7 minutes.
- Sprinkle half of the crushed corn flakes in the bottom of your casserole dish. Place all the shredded red cabbage next, followed by the cooked onion. Pour 4 tablespoons of the melted butter over the the shredded cabbage and onion.
- Blend the mayo with the white sauce, adding more milk if it is too thick, then evenly pour the sauce over the cabbage and onion mixture. Sprinkle the grated cheese on the top of the casserole.
- Mix the remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter with the rest of the crushed corn flakes and sprinkle on top of the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 F or until golden on top.
Notes
- Use green or savoy cabbage to change up the color and texture.
- Pre-cook the shredded cabbage with the onions for 10 minutes to have soft and tender cabbage.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cheesy cabbage casserole, creamed cabbage with cheese
This recipe was originally published on August 24, 2017.
Dianna Pape
I have ritz crackers and mozzarella cheese....will that work?
Emma
Yes, those substitutions will work just fine, Dianna. A cheddar cheese would taste better than mozzarella, but feel free to try it if you like. Happy cooking!
Alex
I like the chewy cornflakes! The cabbage is crunchy and adds color and lots of flavor. The white sauce is creamy and delicious. Yum, yum! I will give this recipe 100 stars! 🌟
★★★★★
Emma
Awww, thanks, Alex!! 😊 Anything with butter, cheese, and cabbage is a winner for me, too!
Beth
This casserole looks so colorful with the purple cabbage! The cabbage is crunchy, the sauce makes it creamy, and the corn flakes are crispy. It is definitely a nice casserole!
★★★★★
Emma
I love the color combination of the purple cabbage and the yellow corn flakes. It's been one of my favorite casseroles for several years. Thanks for your comment, Beth!