Name: Creamy Cabbage and White Beans
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 medium white onion, sliced; 2 cans 2 cans of white beans, I used cannellini and butter beans; 300 ml vegetable stock; 500-700 g cabbage, sliced; 100 g frozen peas; 3 tbsp crème fraiche or sour cream

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A deliciously creamy mixed cabbage and white beans recipe that is so much more than just a vegetable side. The slightly crunchy cabbage along with the creamy beans and sauce makes eating your greens s much more enjoyable. This side dish is sure to steal the show and become the star of the meal!

creamy cabbage and white beans in saucepan

This creamy cabbage and white beans recipe is so easy to prepare and cook. You can easily have it on the table within 15 minutes.

The Humble Cabbage

Cabbage, I feel, can get a bad rep. You may even avoid it altogether.

Historically, cabbage has been associated with peasant food and can even bring up memories of very overcooked mushy school dinners (it certainly does for me). But with this creamy cabbage and white beans recipe that is all about to change.

Cabbages are part of the brassica family, which includes cauliflower, broccoli and sprouts. In fact, it is a huge veg category. But what I love about cabbage is that it is:

Widely available
In season all year round as there are so many varieties
Inexpensive
Full of fibre, essential vitamins and minerals
Rich in polyphenols which are great for supporting our gut microbiome

Why I love this Creamy cabbage and white beans dish

I genuinely love cabbage. It is a regular side dish in this house and we eat it all year round in all its wonderful varieties. However, I will admit that it sometimes needs other ingredients to help give it an extra kick.

Cabbages work really well soaking up additional flavours as well as with other ingredients like tinned beans. The softness and creamy texture of the white beans play against the crispness of the cabbage, giving this dish texture and interest. For additional flavour, this recipe also uses onion, creme fraiche and plenty of salt and pepper!

I love a quick and easy vegetable dish and this didn’t disappoint. Once the minimal prep is done, this side dish can be on the table in 10 minutes.

But most of all, what is great about this dish is that it is making the vegetables the star of the meal which makes eating more of them so much easier. And if you’re looking for more vegetable inspiration then take a look at these other tasty Salad and Side Recipes.

How do you cook cabbage so it’s not soggy?

The key with this cabbage and beans recipe is trying to ensure you maintain the crunchiness of the cabbage and not a horrid soggy mess. So the key, as with all vegetables is to not overcook it. The method of cooking in this recipe helps to ensure this as it is not totally immersed in liquid.

The cabbage simply steams gently in the vegetable stock, which means that it not only remains slightly crunchy but also it helps to retain all the nutrients.

What you will need to make Creamy Cabbage and White Beans

White onion
- adds a little extra depth of flavour and the white onion aesthetically works well with the white cabbage.
Cabbage
- Part of the brassica family, it is widely available, inexpensive and full of essential vitamins
- Use whichever cabbages are your favourite. I used white, pointed and savoy.
- The more types you use the wider the breadth of nutrients and diversity for your gut microbiome
White beans
- I used cannellini and butter beans – a great way of getting extra fibre and protein into your meals
Vegetable stock
- the stock allows the cabbage to be gently steamed, adding extra flavour and maintaining crispness
Frozen peas
- not essential but makes the dish look a little more interesting
Crème Fraiche or sour cream
- Adds to the creaminess of the tinned beans to make a richer sauce

How to make Creamy Cabbage and White Beans

This really couldn’t be easier to make. Simply start by frying off a sliced white onion in a little butter or extra virgin olive oil until soft. Then add in your vegetable stock and white beans with around a quarter of the water and stir well.

Next, add in your sliced white cabbage, stir again and cook with the lid on for about 5 minutes.

Finally, remove the lid, add the peas and cook on a moderate heat for another 3-5 minutes.

To finish stir in your crème fraiche and season well.

Serving Suggestions

grilled salmon on top of creamy cabbage and white beans

Try this side dish with small roast potatoes, and a piece of simple baked fish

It also makes a delicious vegetable to enjoy with your Sunday Roast.

If you like this then why not try these other delicious side dishes:

Diabetes Note

It can be hard to make vegetables exciting, but here I have really tried to make it the star of the meal, which is the real key to achieving a balanced plate.

This dish is brimming with fibre, essential vitamins and minerals plus has an extra protein kick with the addition of the beans.

The beans make it extra filling and do not have to be carb counted. All we carb counted for was the Crème Fraiche, which worked out at only 1g of carbs!

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