A one-pan Asian-inspired spiced skillet meal with cabbage and bacon as the star ingredients.
This is a speedy dinner meal idea that is perfect all year long. I prepare it when I'm late, in a hurry, or starving.
TL;DR
This bacon and cabbage dish was initially inspired by my fast chicken and cabbage stir fry.
Minimal ingredients, but it's a flavorful dish that won't disappoint whether you love cabbage with bacon or classic Asian flavor combinations.
Ingredient Notes
- Cabbage — chopped white, green, or purple cabbage. I use about ½ a white cabbage head. You may switch the cabbage with napa cabbage (aka Chinese cabbage) too, and in that case you can reduce the cooking time at the end, since napa cabbage cooks through faster.
- Oil — I use either a neutral vegetable oil as in canola or sunflower oil or a more flavor Asian oil such as a sesame oil or a peanut oil.
- Bacon Cubes or pieces — I prefer lean bacon pieces. You can get salted or unsalted bacon, and in that case you will have to adjust the salt flavors at the end.
- Sugar — Helps balance out the other savory, umami, tangy, and salty flavors.
- Soy Sauce — A common liquid dark soy sauce, such as Kikkoman will do. You can try other soy sauce types too, such as a Thai mushroom soy sauce.
- Vinegar — To balance out the flavors. Get a rice vinegar, or a white wine vinegar can do the trick too.
- Salt — Very optional. Taste first to see if your dish even needs salt. Soy sauce and bacon can be salty enough.
- Chili Flakes — To top off your meal to give it a spicy kick and for the aesthetics. You can adjust the quantity.
Process Overview
Step 1
Chop the fresh cabbage.
Step 2
Fry the bacon in oil in a skillet crisp.
Add the seasoning, the sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar.
Step 3
Stir in cabbage, and sauté until soft.
Adjust salt seasoning and top with chili flakes.
📖 Recipe
Spiced Asian Cabbage Bacon Skillet Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ Head Cabbage
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- ¾ Cup Bacon Cubes or Pieces
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
- Pinch Salt to taste, optional
- 2 Teaspoons Red Chili Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Roughly chop up half of a clean cabbage head. Keep aside.½ Head Cabbage
- Heat your skillet with the oil and stir in the bacon. Fry the bacon for a few minutes over a medium-high heat setting until they are a bit crisp.1 Tablespoon Oil, ¾ Cup Bacon Cubes
- Reduce the stove heat to the lowest setting or take it from the heat temporarily and stir in the sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Mix it all in over a medium heat setting until the sugar has melted.1 Teaspoon Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce, 1 Tablespoon Vinegar
- Add the cabbage to the skillet and keep on a high heat setting. Mix it a bit and watch the cabbage reduce a bit in size so that you can start to stir-fry the cabbage with 2 spatulas. Cook down cabbage and control the heat until the cabbage looks cooked.
- Take from the heat and adjust salt seasoning if needed (bacon and soy sauce are salty).Pinch Salt
- Top with red chili pepper flakes and serve up hot.2 Teaspoons Red Chili Pepper Flakes
Equipment
- 8" Chef Knife
- Large Skillet
- 1 Wood or Bamboo Spatula to stir cook cabbage
Nutrition
Serving
Serve this over steamed or boiled rice. A simple fried rice is another serving idea, such as a frozen vegetable fried rice or an egg fried rice.
We love our spiced bacon and cabbage simply with bread or Asian flatbreads.
You can add another vegetable side dish to this meal. For example, Sichuan-style green beans, Asian cucumber salad, stir-fried bok choy or spiced stir-fried zucchini.
Storing
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container.
You are better off preparing it from scratch than freezing this bacon and cabbage meal.
Yet, to make meal prepping easier for the week or weeks ahead, you may freeze it in batches.
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