German Cabbage and Dumplings
Cozy and comforting dish featuring caramelized cabbage and soft dumplings, perfect for a cool autumn evening.
Ingredients
Cabbage Base
- 1 medium medium green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced About 2–3 lb
- 2 tbsp olive oil or butter For sautéing
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp caraway seeds Optional
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 slices smoked turkey bacon, chopped
Dumpling Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat the oil or butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped smoked turkey bacon and cook until slightly crisp.
- Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, caraway seeds, and smoked paprika, cooking for another minute.
- Add the sliced cabbage, toss to coat, and sauté until it begins to soften (about 8 minutes).
Simmering
- Pour in the broth, water, and add the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes until the cabbage is tender and flavorful.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Making Dumplings
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in milk and beaten egg until just combined; don’t overmix. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
Cooking Dumplings with Cabbage
- Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the simmering cabbage in the pot, leaving space between each.
- Cover and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes until dumplings are cooked through and springy.
- Remove bay leaf, give everything a gentle stir so dumplings sit on top of the cabbage, and serve warm.
Notes
Keep the simmer gentle: rapid boiling can make dumplings dense. Cold butter for dumplings yields the best texture. You can prepare the cabbage base a day ahead and reheat gently before adding fresh dumplings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 15gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 800mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4g
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