Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage

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Instant pot braised red cabbage is a quick, sweet, tangy side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, duck, sausages or pork – ready in just 5 minutes under pressure.

Wooden spoon of homemade braised red cabbage made in pressure cooker.

Every time I make braised red cabbage I use my mom’s recipe. She’s been making it this way for years and everyone in our family loves it. Now as much as I love making it I like to simplify things for myself. That was why I made it in my electric pressure cooker.

Making braised red cabbage is simple and more importantly it saves you time and energy. You don’t need to be standing at the pot, checking if there is enough water in the pot or if the cabbage is done.

This recipe is perfect for anyone who loves simplifying the cooking process without losing flavors!

Now we love serving braised red cabbage with roasted chicken, duck or pork and mashed potato flatbread or traditional Slovakian steamed bread that is very similar to chinese steamed buns but the options are endless.

Quartered red cabbage heads.

How to make braised red cabbage in instant pot

In this case it is important to do all the prep before actually doing anything else. Because once you turn on the pressure cooker, things will go fast and you won’t have time to do any prepping.

Cut the onion finely. Shred the cabbage. First, half it and remove the hard middle part. Then with a sharp knife, shred the cabbage. I like to shred it as thin as possible but this is just my preference.

Now turn on the Instant Pot and press SAUTE. Adjust the heat to medium and add sugar. Wait until the sugar turns brown. Don’t mix though. Once it’s brown, add oil and onion. Sauté the onion for a few minutes before adding the cabbage.

Shredded red cabbage in the glass bowl.

Then add caraway seeds, salt, water and cover the lid. Now lock the lid and turn the steam release valve to SEALING. Then all you have to do is adjust the time on MANUAL mode to 5 minutes and let the pressure cooker do its magic.

Yes, making braised red cabbage takes about 10 minutes of active cooking time.

Now I recommend waiting 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually (this might not be needed as the pin might be down already at this stage). Because this pressure cooker braised cabbage is cooked under pressure, the liquid does not evaporate.

If you feel like there is too much liquid to your liking, press the SAUTE button and cook off some of the liquid. About 5 minutes should be enough.

By the way, caraway seeds look very similar to cumin seeds but they taste completely different. Make sure you use the right seeds here (if you need some more info, click here: The difference between caraway seeds and cumin seeds).

Shredded red cabbage in the pressure cooker instant pot.

Useful tips

  • Salt, sugar and vinegar should be added to your taste. Some might like it more acidic while others sweeter (like me) so make sure to taste it at the end and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
  • Vegetable oil can be substituted with sunflower oil.
  • This Instant Pot braised red cabbage can be stored in the freezer as well! I simply spoon it into Ziploc bags and take out only as much as I need!
Juicy pressure cooker braised red cabbage in bowl with wooden spoon.

Check out more easy instant pot recipes on my blog. This will bring you directly to a selection of my most favorite dishes.

Watch how to make instant pot braised red cabbage

Wooden spoon with Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage
Print Pin Rate
5 from 13 votes

Instant Pot Braised Red Cabbage

Instant pot braised red cabbage is a quick, sweet, tangy side dish that pairs perfectly with chicken, duck, sausages or pork – ready in just 5 minutes under pressure.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Julia

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion , small
  • 1 red cabbage (about 1.5 pounds/700 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

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Instructions 

  • Dice the onion. Cut the cabbage in half, remove the hard parts and shred thinly.
  • When you have everything prepared turn on Instant Pot and press SAUTE (normal heat). Add the sugar and shake the inner pot so that the sugar is spread evenly across the bottom. Leave the sugar to melt and wait until it caramelizes (turns brown) but make sure not to burn it.
  • Now pour in the oil and add onion. Mix and sauté for a minute before adding shredded cabbage, water, caraway seeds and salt. Stir well.
  • Lock the lid and turn the steam release valve to SEALING. Press MANUAL button, adjust the pressure to high (if needed) and time to 5 minutes.
  • When the time is up, wait 10 minutes before releasing the pressure manually. The steam is hot so be careful and use a damp kitchen towel to do so.
  • Now add vinegar and mix well. Taste it and season to your taste by adding more salt, sugar or vinegar.
  • Optional: If you feel like there is too much liquid, turn on the SAUTE button and let it cook for a further 5 minutes.
  • Best served warm!

Notes

  1. This recipe was created for a 6-quart/6-liter Instant Pot.
  2. The cooking time does not include the time needed for the pot to come to its pressure and release it. Add another 15-20 minutes.
  3. Add salt, sugar and vinegar to your taste. I don’t recommend omitting the vinegar as it gives the cabbage its unique flavor.
  4. Vegetable oil can be used instead of sunflower oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 166 kcal (8%), Carbohydrates: 24 g (8%), Protein: 2 g (4%), Fat: 7 g (11%), Fiber: 4 g (17%), Sugar: 16 g (18%), Vitamin A: 1955 IU (39%), Vitamin C: 101.8 mg (123%), Calcium: 89 mg (9%), Iron: 1.6 mg (9%)
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: International
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment and rating below or tag me on Instagram @happyfoodstube.
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Instant Pot | Recipes | Side Dishes | Vegetarian Recipes
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22 Comments

  1. I used green cabbage since it was in my fridge & needed to be used up. It turned out great!5 stars

  2. I didn’t have any white wine vinegar so I used apple cider vinegar and it was awesome. Followed the instructions and it was perfect.5 stars

  3. This recipe is exceptional. Delicious—the caraway seeds are the star. I cooked it for 20 mins, and left it for 20 mins..and it was perfection. Thank you!5 stars

    1. Thanks so much for finding time for leaving feedback, Joe! The caraway seeds are a must to achieve the best flavor :)

  4. I am doing a roast chicken tomorrow night and was looking for an idea for a side dish, this will go perfectly! Thanks for the recipe, it looks so quick and tasty!5 stars

  5. Ooh I love braised cabbage but never thought to cook it in the Instant Pot. Thanks for the inspiration!5 stars

  6. I am looking forward to trying this recipe for the upcoming holiday season. It is a perfect accompaniment to a holiday meal.5 stars

  7. Can’t wait to try this! I’ve been loving cabbage lately but have never had it braised. Love how quick and easy this is in the Instant Pot.5 stars

  8. We always make this at Christmas and making it in the instant pot would save us room on the hob. Great idea!5 stars

  9. I can’t wait to try this! I LOVE braised red cabbage and had some just the other day at one of my favorite restaurants during Octoberfest. Thanks for sharing, looks fabulous!5 stars