Easy side dish: Red cabbage braised in garlic butter

Seasonal food during the northern European winter months doesn't have to be just beets, leeks and carrots – it can also be this incredibly satisfying red cabbage braised in garlic flavoured plant-based margarine.

Red cabbage is cheap and cheerful, and amongst other health benefits, rich in antioxidants. For a few winters now we've enjoyed it in a raw coleslaw-type salad, which I love, but the way cabbage sweetens and softens when it's cooked... It's just so underrated!

This cabbage recipe quickly levels up any weekday dinner in colour and in nutrition. In her original recipe for Garlic Butter Warm Red Cabbage Salad the author, Nagi, garnishes the dish with 3 tablespoons of roughly chopped pistachios, which makes the dish fancy enough for company.

Red cabbage braised in garlic butter

Serves 4-6

1/2 mid-sized red cabbage (about 500 g), thinly sliced
50 g plant-based margarine
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh or frozen parsley

1 tsp salt

200 g frozen spinach, thawed
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Slice the cabbage.

In a pot, let the margarine melt with the minced garlic. Let it sizzle for a few seconds (but don't let the margarine or the garlic brown), then stir in the parsley and salt. Fold in the cabbage, and let it simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until it's wilted but not soft and over-cooked. Remove the pot off the heat and stir in spinach and balsamic vinegar. 

It's still delicious when served the next day!