Description
Dirty cabbage is everywhere on the internet right now, and I finally tested it myself to see if it earns the hype. This one-pan Cajun-style recipe swaps rice for cabbage, keeps the carbs low, and comes together in under 40 minutes. Here’s the full recipe, plus why it’s actually called dirty cabbage.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced (deseed for less heat)
- 1 small head green cabbage, cored and roughly chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2–3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1–2 lbs ground beef (1 lb works, but go heavier if you want it meatier)
- 3–4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Gator Dust recommended, but use what you trust)
- 1/2 cup bone broth (beef or chicken)
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños. Keep them separate and set aside.
- Core the cabbage and roughly chop it into bite-size pieces. You want pieces that soften but hold some body, don’t chop it too small or it’ll turn to mush.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then the onion, garlic, a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté until the onion turns translucent.
- Add the ground beef, garlic and Cajun seasoning right into that pan. Break it down with a spatula until it’s finely minced and starts to brown.
- Once the beef is browned, add the diced bell pepper and jalapeño. Pour in the bone broth, then add the cabbage and another pinch of salt. Cover and cook on medium heat.
- Let it steam, covered, for 10-15 minutes until the cabbage cooks down and softens.
- Remove the lid, mix everything well so the cabbage soaks up the juices and seasoning, then cook uncovered for another 3-4 minutes until most of the liquid has absorbed.
Notes
- Using 2 lbs of beef instead of 1 makes this heartier and closer to a full meal on its own. One pound keeps it lighter, closer to a loaded side.
- You can substitute ground chicken, turkey or pork for the ground beef.
- If you want the closer-to-original version, add sliced andouille sausage and a stalk or two of diced celery along with the onion, still in the same pan.
- Leftovers reheat well in a skillet with a splash of broth to loosen it back up.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: recipe
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Cajun