TikTok Viral Dirty Cabbage
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/656a0d67-a8a4-467c-941b-3b8fefa309f4
Original source: https://melissajorealrecipes.com/tiktok-viral-dirty-cabbage/
Recipe image: https://melissajorealrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/copy_525588F1-FDEB-4FFA-9A0A-2921F41FB2D5-scaled.jpeg

This Southern Smothered Cabbage is loaded with crispy bacon, mild Italian sausage, tender cabbage, peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, Sazón, and smoky Creole flavor. Everything simmers together in one skillet until the cabbage is tender and the sauce is rich, savory, and perfect for spooning over buttery white rice.
Yield: 8
Prep time: PT20M
Cook time: PT45M
Total time: PT65M

Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon
- 1  medium sweet onion (chopped)
- 1  Yellow bell pepper (chopped)
- 1  red bell pepper (chopped)
- 6–7   banana pepper rings or sliced pepperoncini rings
- ½ tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
- 1  packet Sazón seasoning
- 5 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 pound mild Italian bulk sausage
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
- 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
- A couple shakes of Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 14.5-ounce can  fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with the juices
- 1¾ cups water (or enough to completely fill the empty tomato can)
- 1  large green cabbage (cored and chopped)
- ½ tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Reserved cooked bacon (chopped, for finishing)
- Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

Instructions
1. [Step 1: Cook the Bacon] In a large cast-iron skillet or another deep, heavy-bottomed skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until it is crispy.
2. [Step 1: Cook the Bacon] Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving all of the rendered bacon grease in the skillet. Once the bacon is cool enough to handle, chop it and reserve it for the end.
3. [Step 1: Cook the Bacon] Melissa’s Tip: The bacon grease should be enough to cook the entire recipe. If your bacon did not render much fat, add a small drizzle of olive oil or a little butter.
4. [Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables] Add the chopped sweet onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and six or seven whole banana pepper rings to the bacon grease.
5. [Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables] Sprinkle in the Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning and the entire packet of Sazón.
6. [Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables] Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the onions are translucent with a little golden color.
7. [Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables] Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes, just until the garlic is fragrant.
8. [Step 3: Brown the Italian Sausage] Use your wooden spoon to push the cooked vegetables to one side of the skillet.
9. [Step 3: Brown the Italian Sausage] Add the Italian sausage to the empty side of the pan. Break the sausage apart with your spoon and cook until it is browned and fully cooked.
10. [Step 3: Brown the Italian Sausage] Once the sausage is cooked, stir it together with the sautéed vegetables.
11. [Step 4: Build the Flavor Base] Push the sausage and vegetables back to one side of the skillet, allowing the rendered fat to pool on the empty side.
12. [Step 4: Build the Flavor Base] Add the Better Than Bouillon Beef Base, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and brown sugar directly into the fat.
13. [Step 4: Build the Flavor Base] Stir the flavor base together and sauté it for 2–3 minutes, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and everything becomes rich and fragrant.
14. [Step 4: Build the Flavor Base] Mix the flavor base into the sausage and vegetables until everything in the skillet is evenly coated.
15. [Step 4: Build the Flavor Base] Sprinkle the flour evenly over the entire mixture. Stir continuously for another 2–3 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
16. [Step 5: Add the Tomatoes and Water] Pour the entire can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes into the skillet, including all of the juices.
17. [Step 5: Add the Tomatoes and Water] Fill the empty tomato can completely with water, which should equal about 1¾ cups, and pour the water into the skillet.
18. [Step 5: Add the Tomatoes and Water] Stir everything together and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
19. [Step 6: Prepare and Add the Cabbage] While the sauce is heating, remove any damaged outer leaves from the cabbage.
20. [Step 6: Prepare and Add the Cabbage] Cut the cabbage in half through the core, then cut each half in half again. Slice the tough core away from each section and chop the cabbage into chunky, bite-sized pieces.
21. [Step 6: Prepare and Add the Cabbage] Add the cabbage to the skillet. It will look like a ridiculous amount at first, but do not worry—it cooks down beautifully.
22. [Step 6: Prepare and Add the Cabbage] Gently press the cabbage into the sauce with your wooden spoon. Continue pressing, stirring, and folding the cabbage into the mixture as it begins to wilt.
23. [Step 7: Simmer the Cabbage] Bring everything to a steady simmer. You want the liquid gently bubbling, not boiling so hard that it starts jumping out of the skillet and redecorating your stove.
24. [Step 7: Simmer the Cabbage] Cook the cabbage uncovered for about 15 minutes. This allows the liquid to reduce and the flavors to become concentrated.
25. [Step 7: Simmer the Cabbage] Once much of the liquid has cooked down, cover the skillet and continue cooking until the cabbage reaches your preferred tenderness.
26. [Step 7: Simmer the Cabbage] If the cabbage is tender but the skillet still has more liquid than you would like, remove the lid and continue simmering until the sauce reduces to your liking.
27. [Step 7: Simmer the Cabbage] Melissa’s Tip: I like mine saucy enough to spoon over buttery white rice, but not so watery that the rice needs a life jacket. Every stove cooks differently, so use the consistency of the sauce and the tenderness of the cabbage as your guide.
28. [Step 8: Finish the Dish] Once the cabbage is tender and the sauce has reduced, stir in the reserved chopped bacon, plenty of fresh chopped parsley, and approximately ½ tablespoon of white wine vinegar.
29. [Step 8: Finish the Dish] The vinegar brightens all of those rich, smoky flavors and pulls the entire dish together.
30. [Step 8: Finish the Dish] Give everything one final stir and serve it hot over buttery white rice, or enjoy it straight from the skillet on its own.
31. [Melissa’s Easy Buttery White Rice] While the cabbage cooks, prepare the rice.
32. [Melissa’s Easy Buttery White Rice] Melt ½ stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
33. [Melissa’s Easy Buttery White Rice] Add 2 cups of white rice and stir for several minutes, until the grains are coated in butter and lightly toasted. Season the rice with a pinch of salt.
34. [Melissa’s Easy Buttery White Rice] Pour in 3½ cups of water and bring it to a boil.
35. [Melissa’s Easy Buttery White Rice] Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and allow the rice to gently steam until all of the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
36. [Melissa’s Easy Buttery White Rice] The rice should finish at about the same time as the cabbage, which is what I call a kitchen miracle.