Slow Cooker Cabbage with Bacon

This slow cooker bacon and cabbage is an easy low carb side made with tender cabbage, smoky bacon, onion, garlic, and broth. I've found that sautéing the onion and garlic in the bacon grease first gives it much more flavor with very little extra effort.

Things to Know About Slow Cooker Cabbage

• You cook the cabbage on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours, or until it's cooked to your preference. Slow cookers can vary.
• Sautéing the onion and garlic in bacon grease first gives the cabbage a deeper smoky flavor.
• Cutting a whole cabbage into wedges gives you more texture (and works better!) The one time I made this with shredded cabbage, it turned into a soggy mess!
• This recipe is low carb, keto-friendly, and gluten-free. Pair it with a protein to make this a balanced meal.

Looking for more side dish recipes with bacon? I think you'll also love our Brussel sprouts casserole, air fryer bacon wrapped green beans, and cauliflower casserole with bacon.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please see the recipe card at the bottom for the exact quantities.

• Green cabbage: A whole head of green cabbage gives you the best texture. Cut it into small wedges so it softens evenly without disappearing into the broth.
• Bacon: Adds salty, smoky flavor throughout the dish. I like cooking a little extra so there's some left for garnish.
• Bacon grease: Used to sauté the onion and garlic before they go into the slow cooker. This is one of the easiest ways to build more flavor into the cabbage.
• Yellow onion: Sweet onion or red onion can also work.
• Garlic: Cook it briefly with the onions so it becomes fragrant without burning.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps balance the cabbage and broth.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth can be substituted if needed.
• Salt and black pepper

How to Cook Cabbage in the Slow Cooker

Step 1: Cook the bacon

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp.

Remove it from the pan and set it aside, reserving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.

If you're using precooked bacon, you can skip this step and use olive oil or another cooking oil for the onions.

Step 2: Sauté the onion and garlic

Add the chopped onion to the reserved bacon grease and cook over medium heat until softened.

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.

I think this extra step is worth it because it gives the finished cabbage much more flavor than adding raw onion and garlic directly to the crock pot.

Step 3: Assemble the slow cooker

Add the cabbage wedges, sautéed onion and garlic, bacon, butter, salt, pepper, and chicken broth to the slow cooker.

Try to distribute the bacon and onion throughout the cabbage rather than leaving everything on top.

Step 4: Slow cook

Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours, until the cabbage is tender.

Avoid lifting the lid repeatedly while it cooks since that releases heat and moisture and can increase the cooking time.

Serve warm with extra bacon and fresh parsley or dill if desired.

Recipe Tips

• Use cabbage wedges for better texture.
• Don't skip sautéing the onion. Cooking it in the bacon grease adds smoky flavor throughout the entire dish.
• Cook extra bacon for topping. A little crisp bacon added at the end gives the finished dish better texture.

Substitutions and Variations

Adding in more protein like kielbasa (turkey kielbasa is great too to keep this lighter), ham, or sausages is a great way to make this a macro friendly meal.

• Add kielbasa - Stir in sliced, sautéed kielbasa to make the cabbage heartier. One reader made it this way and turned it into a full dinner.
• Add ham or bratwurst - Diced cooked ham also works well and makes this more substantial. Lay lightly browned brats on top of the cabbage to cook.
• Make this with red cabbage instead of green
• Leave out the bacon - increase the salt to taste and perhaps add a dash of liquid smoke to get that smokey flavor.
• Add vegetables - Carrots or small-cut potatoes (or radishes for faux-tatos) can be added, although they may increase the cooking time and potatoes will increase the carb count.

What to Serve with Bacon and Cabbage

Slow cooker bacon and cabbage pairs well with air fryer bratwurst, pork steaks, chicken drumsticks, or ham. For a simple low carb dinner, serve it alongside a protein and one of our other low carb vegetable side dishes.

If you need cabbage in a hurry, our Instant Pot cabbage and bacon gives you a similar flavor in much less time.

Meal Prep and Storage

• Store leftover cabbage and bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm a larger batch gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker.
• Cooked cabbage can also be frozen. Store it in a freezer-safe container for up to several months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Macros

Per serving, this slow cooker bacon and cabbage has approximately:

• Calories: 90
• Protein: 3g
• Total carbs: 3g
• Fiber: 1g
• Net carbs: 2g
• Fat: 7g

With about 2 net carbs per serving, this is an easy low carb and keto-friendly side dish.

FAQs

How long does cabbage take to cook in a slow cooker?

Cabbage takes about 2-3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low in the slow cooker when cut into wedges. Use this time just as an estimate since Crock Pots can vary. Cook it until it's tender to your liking.

How do you add flavor to Crock Pot cabbage?

Bacon, bacon grease, onion, garlic, butter, and chicken broth add plenty of savory flavor to slow cooker cabbage. Sautéing the onion and garlic in the bacon grease before slow cooking gives the dish even more depth.

Is cabbage a good low carb side dish?

Yes. Cabbage is naturally low in carbohydrates and works well in low carb and keto-style meals. This recipe has about 2 net carbs per serving.

What meat goes well with cabbage and bacon?

Pork, ham, bratwurst, kielbasa, and roasted chicken all pair well with cabbage and bacon. You can also add ham or kielbasa directly to the slow cooker to make the recipe more substantial.

Easy Low Carb Vegetable Recipes

Looking for more low carb veggies using natural ingredients? We have tons!

• Easy roasted radishes
• Broccoli fritters
• Easy baked green beans
• Low carb cauliflower mac and cheese
• Cauliflower mashed potatoes
• Green bean casserole with cream cheese
• Pureed butternut squash
• Creamed spinach (with fresh spinach)

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