Southern Cabbage Recipe (Boiled Cabbage)

Modified: Nov 4, 2025 · Published: Sep 26, 2022 by Krysten Wilkes & Marrekus Wilkes · This post may contain affiliate links · 29 Comments

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This Southern cabbage recipe is a simple and delicious boiled cabbage recipe. It's cooked until tender in a flavorful broth with smoked turkey and soul food seasonings. Packed with savory flavor, this classic Southern side dish is always on our Sunday dinner table! You may also like our Southern fried cabbage with bacon recipe!

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Southern cabbage isn’t just about eating your greens—it’s about delicious soul food flavor!

Marrekus grew up in Memphis, where this cabbage recipe was on the table every week. Now, it’s a family favorite, just like our Southern baked mac and cheese, mixed greens and collard greens with smoked turkey or ham hocks. Everyone always comes back for seconds and thirds!

I really love how this Southern style cabbage with smoked turkey turns out tender, buttery, and just a little spicy. The key to perfect cabbage? Simmering it in a rich, flavorful broth. The longer it cooks, the softer and more delicious it gets.

What We Love About This Recipe

The best flavor – The cabbage is simmered in a rich, smoky broth, making it incredibly flavorful and it's perfectly seasoned.
Tender and buttery – The cabbage cooks down beautifully, soaking up all the delicious flavors.
A must-have side – Whether it’s for Sunday dinner or a holiday meal, this cabbage is always a hit!

What is boiled cabbage?

Boiled cabbage is a classic Southern side dish, full of rich, smoky flavor. It’s usually cooked with smoked turkey, ham hocks, or bacon to add extra depth. The cabbage is chopped or sliced, then simmered until tender, soaking up all the delicious seasonings and smoky goodness!

Ingredients

Fresh cabbage: Use a head of green cabbage, roughly chopped. Remove any tough outer leaves and the thick core for the best texture.
Water + smoked turkey: We used a smoked turkey leg, but smoked turkey wings, turkey tails, neck bones, or smoked ham hocks all work great. The smoked meat adds deep, savory flavor to the broth. If using ham hocks or neck bones, allow extra simmering time to fully tenderize the meat.
Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base: Adds flavor to the broth. You can also use chicken bouillon cubes or bouillon powder if that’s what you have on hand.
Seasonings: We use Diamond Crystal kosher salt (adjust if using another brand), black pepper, granulated garlic, lemon pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes
Apple cider vinegar: Helps balance the flavors and gives the cabbage a little tang.
Worcestershire sauce: Adds umami and depth to the broth. A little goes a long way!

a man showing how to cut cabbage on a cutting board

Tip: How to Cut Cabbage

Remove the outer leaves and peel off any wilted or damaged leaves of the cabbage head.
Then, slice in half vertically through the core. Take each half and cut it in half again, creating four wedges.
Place a wedge flat-side down, then slice it crosswise into thick strips.
Then give them a few more cuts across to create a rough chop.
This doesn't need to be perfect—just enough so the cabbage pieces are smaller and more manageable for boiling.
Rinse under cold water to remove any dirt or debris before cooking.

How to Make Southern Cabbage

adding turkey leg to pot of boiling water

Step 1: Heat water in a large pot (about 3-4 quarts, or enough to cover the entire leg).

Step 2: Add chicken bouillon, salt, pepper, garlic, lemon pepper, chili powder, paprika, and red pepper flakes.

pouring worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar into pot

Step 3: Add Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar.

Step 4: After one hour, remove the meat from the pot and separate it from the bone. Discard the bones and set the pulled meat aside.

Step 5: Cut cabbage wedges then do a rough chop; rinse to remove any grit.

Step 6: Add cabbage to the pot of broth and simmer for about 45 minutes, (cooking time will vary) or until it's fork-tender.

Southern cabbage with smoked turkey in a pot with a spoon

Step 7: Add the pulled turkey back to the pot before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Some of our favorite Southern dishes to pair with this cabbage recipe include smothered chicken and rice, smothered pork chops, fried pork chops, fried chicken, and fried fish.
It also goes great with Southern cornbread, pinto beans, and collard greens (like this collard greens and cabbage recipe).

How to Store Leftovers

Southern cabbage tastes even better the next day! The soul food seasonings have time to penetrate and the cabbage becomes more tender and infused with the rich flavors of the broth.

Allow cabbage to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container or a covered bowl. Make sure to store it in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.
Boiled cabbage can be safely refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.

Commonly Asked Questions

Is this Southern cabbage recipe spicy?

This recipe has a kick to it from the red pepper flakes. You can omit this ingredient if you'd like.

Can I use chicken broth instead of water?

Sure! We recommend low-sodium chicken broth if you plan to go that route.

What is the final texture of Southern cabbage?

This boiled cabbage recipe yields soft and tender cabbage. If you want the cabbage to be slightly crunchy, cook it for less time.

More Cabbage Recipes

Collard Greens and Cabbage are mixed greens cooked together and simmered in a flavorful smoky broth, with seasonings, onions, ham hocks, and red pepper flakes.
Easy Southern Fried Cabbage Recipe is another Southern favorite. Sliced cabbage is sautéed with onions, garlic, and often crispy bacon or smoked meat until it becomes tender and slightly caramelized. It's a simple and flavorful side dish.

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