This old fashioned cabbage casserole offers delicious tenderness alongside a satisfying crunchy topping.

This makes it an excellent low-carb choice for a vegetarian side dish or a meatless weekday meal that's enjoyable throughout the year.

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Ingredients For Old Fashion Cabbage Casserole

Green cabbage - I prefer regular green cabbage for its taste, but alternatives like savoy cabbage, Chinese cabbage, or even red cabbage can be used in this recipe.
Cream of mushroom soup - Store-bought or homemade versions both work well. Alternatively, cream celery soup or chicken soup can be used.
Mayonnaise - Mayo is ideal for great texture and blending, but use thicker sour cream instead.
Yellow onion -Yellow onions caramelize nicely in the dish, but sweet onions can be used as a substitute.
Butter - For smooth texture and for mixing the topping.
Salt and black pepper - For a fun variation, try my homemade celery salt, garlic powder, ground cumin, paprika (smoky or sweet), dried thyme, cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
Cheese - Mild or sharp cheddar cheese works wonderfully for its melting properties in the cabbage casserole. However, you can opt for other hard cheeses that melt well, such as gouda, gruyere, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, mozzarella, Swiss, or hard goat cheese.
Crispy topping - I typically use Schar or similar crackers (Ritz crackers) for the topping. Mix them with butter for a delightful topping. Please note that original Ritz crackers are not gluten-free.

ingredients for green cabbage casserole.

This recipe has been featured in the popular cabbage lovers collection: 40+ best cabbage recipes.

How To Make Old Fashioned Cabbage Casserole

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
Saute cabbage. Chop the cabbage into coarse pieces. In a large nonstick pan, melt the butter.
Add onion. Add the cabbage and onion, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes while stirring frequently, until it starts to cook down.

At the end of cooking, season the mixture with salt and pepper according to your taste.
Transfer the cooked cabbage mixture into the prepared baking dish. Set aside.
Make the creamy sauce. Combine the mushroom soup and mayonnaise in a small bowl, stirring well. Spread this mixture evenly over the cabbage.
Mix the topping ingredients. In another bowl, mix the melted butter, cheese, and cracker crumbs.
Sprinkle this mixture over the casserole.
Bake in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping turns golden brown.

combining ingredients for cabbage casserole topping in a bowl.

Related: Fried cabbage with bacon

Do You Need To Cook Cabbage Before Baking In The Oven?

Cooking the cabbage before baking enhances its flavor significantly. While you can place the cabbage directly into the casserole, it will lack the additional depth of flavor.
Sautéing the cabbage with onion in a skillet with butter will infuse flavor and caramelize the cabbage, enriching its taste.

Expert Tip

Sauteing cabbage reduces its volume and eliminates excess liquid.

Skipping this step may lead to excess liquid, altering the flavor profile significantly.

Related: Braised Cabbage

Tips For The Best old Fashioned Cabbage Casserole

I like to chop the cabbage into larger pieces, around 1 ½ inches in cubes, as it tends to retain more juiciness and flavor.
Want to make it more filling? Add 1-2 bags of cooked minute rice to your cabbage bake.

What To Serve With Old Fashioned Cabbage Casserole

Storing Leftovers

To Store. In an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. If you have leftover cabbage, check out my guide on how to store how to store cabbage.
Make Ahead. If preparing in advance, it's best to keep the different components of the casserole separate. Precook the cabbage and combine the casserole ingredients following the recipe, excluding the cracker topping. Once assembled, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days or freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- When you're ready to bake, bring the dish to room temperature. If it is frozen, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add the cracker topping just before baking, then follow the baking instructions provided in the recipe
To Freeze. For up to 2-3 months. Before enjoying, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it in the oven.

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Julia