Vegan German Red Cabbage with Apples, Caramelized Chestnuts and Walnuts

Hands down the best red cabbage recipe ever!

Out of all Christmas dishes, red cabbage is the best one. There, I said it and nothing can change my mind. Besides, this red cabbage is based on my mom’s recipe, which makes it even better. (If that’s even possible.)

It has everything you’d ever want; crisp caramelized chestnut and walnut pieces, a fresh sweet and sour taste and an incredibly juicy texture. Granted, making this dish takes a while, but it’s so worth it, trust me.

 
 

and here is the recipe for my all-time-favorite:

Vegan German Red Cabbage with Apples, Caramelized Chestnuts and Walnuts

 

Ingredients:

for the red cabbage:

  • 750g fresh purple cabbage

  • 1-2 shallots or onions

  • 2 sour apples (e.g. boskop)

  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil* or vegan butter

  • 2 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 200ml vegan red wine (e.g. merlot)

  • 450ml vegetable stock

  • 30ml apple cider vinegar

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 5 cloves

  • 3 dried juniper berries

  • 2 tbsp vegan onion lard (if you can’t find something like that, replace with vegan butter and optionally more onions!)

  • 2 tbsp black currant jam

for the caramelized chestnuts and walnuts:

  • 200g cooked chestnuts

  • 100g walnuts

  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil or vegan butter

  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

Instructions: 

  1. Finely chop or grate the purple cabbage, apples and shallots and start by sautéing the shallots with the 2 tbsp of oil in a big pot.

  2. Add purple cabbage and apples together with 2 tsp of salt and a pinch of black pepper and let everything sauté together for a couple more minutes.

  3. Add red wine, veggie stock and apple cider vinegar and place a teabag or spice sachet filled with the bay leaf, cloves and juniper berries inside as well. Let everything come to a boil.

  4. Mix in the jam and vegan lard or vegan butter and let everything simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour with the lid on.

  5. Then turn off the heat, let the mix cool down and place it into the fridge overnight* (depending on your preference you can take out the spice sachet now or on the next day before continuing with the recipe.)

  6. On the next day chop up the pre-cooked chestnuts and walnuts, add them to a pan together with oil and maple syrup or brown sugar and let them roast and then caramelize.

  7. Mix the chestnuts and walnuts into the cabbage and heat everything up one more time, letting it all simmer for about 15 more minutes. (If needed, add some more water or wine while reheating!)

  8. Lastly add some more salt and black pepper to taste and serve the red cabbage alongside this festive puff pastry roll or potatoes. Done!

 
 

This, and good bread, is the peak of German food for me.

 

*Notes:

  1. I’m using a rapeseed oil with butter aroma because I really like the butter-y taste and smell it gives to the dish but of course vegan butter or any other neutral vegetable oil will work just as well!

  2. Letting the red cabbage chill overnight and then heating it up again is the key to the perfect soft and juicy texture, but if that’s too much of an effort for you, then you can of course mix in the chestnuts and walnuts directly and serve it the same day as well (been there, done that).

 

Did you make this recipe?

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