Creamy, Cheesy Southern Cabbage Casserole

This creamy, cheesy cabbage casserole is an excellent vegetable side dish.  Chopped cabbage is baked in a simple, creamy cheese sauce and topped with crushed Ritz crackers and cheddar cheese.  This is a great holiday side dish for a large gathering. It goes great with ham, turkey and salmon!   

Quick Notes:  This post was originally published in June 2018.  I’ve updated the post and added new photos.  In addition, this post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement for details. Thank you.

Welcome to My Kitchen Serenity! When I told my husband I was making a cabbage casserole, he cringed.  He isn’t a fan of cabbage, which I honestly don’t understand.  I am a huge fan of this cruciferous superstar, and I love it whether it’s smothered with bacon or in a dreamy casserole like this recipe! 

Why you should make this recipe

I love how simple this dish is to assemble, especially considering all of the little store bought “cheats” that make it extra fast.

Canned cream of mushroom soup and mayonnaise are mixed together for a super creamy sauce that clings to all the cabbage pieces perfectly with almost no effort.

TIP: If you’re trying to be a true Southerner, be sure to get a mayonnaise brand like Dukes or Blue Plate. We will also accept Hellman’s/Best Foods as a substitute.

Crushed Ritz crackers and grated cheese add a wonderfully crunchy texture that is ubiquitous on any Southern casserole. 

TIME-SAVING TIP: In a rush? Buy some pre-grated cheese and frozen chopped onions to shave even more time off of your prep!

Since cabbage is always available at your grocery store or farmer’s market, this is one of my staple casserole recipes. We love to eat it at Church potlucks, for Sunday suppers and it almost inevitably makes its way onto our Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter spreads.  

This recipe for cabbage casserole is perfect for a crowd because it makes a huge portion and it’s a budget friendly side dish. This recipe averages about $12 for all of the ingredients, meaning it’s just over a dollar per serving. 

Ingredients for Cabbage Casserole

You likely already have some of the ingredients on hand such as the salt, pepper, cayenne, and butter (butter is the most expensive ingredient for this recipe).

Store brands can save you even more money on the cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, and crackers.

Aside from those elements, you’ll just need a head of cabbage and some finely chopped white onion. If you’re feeling pressed for time, you can absolutely use a few bags of shredded cabbage* and frozen chopped onions.

*Just know that the smaller pieces of cabbage will slightly change the consistency of the final dish and will cook more quickly than their chopped counterparts.

How to Make Cabbage Casserole

This cabbage casserole recipe is an easy throw-together simple vegetable side dish that promises to make any occasion special. 

Note:  Do you prefer crispy or crunchy cabbage?  If you like it crispy and crunchy, then don’t pre-cook the cabbage.  If you like it soft and tender, then pre-cook it before assembling the casserole.  You can boil the chopped cabbage in a pot of water or pan fry for about 5-8 minutes.  Drain. Then, proceed with the recipe directions. 

STEP 1:  Rinse head of cabbage under cool water first.  Chop the cabbage into 1-inch squares or strips.  Discard the hard core and end piece.  See note above.  Finely chop the onion (if you prefer, you can saute or microwave the chopped onion first, to soften it up).  Place cabbage and onion into a large casserole dish.  Pour half a stick of melted butter over the cabbage. Mix well.

STEP 2:  Mix the soup, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl.  The cream of mushroom soup mixed with mayonnaise creates a super smooth, velvety texture.  Then pour into the casserole dish and mix well with the cabbage. 

STEP 3:  Mix the crushed crackers with the cheese and spread on top of the casserole. 

STEP 4:  Pour remaining melted butter on top of cracker-cheese mixture.  The cheesy cracker topping gives it that special final touch.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How should I serve this cabbage casserole?

The most common meats to serve with cabbage casserole are ham, chicken or turkey, and fish (see my Easy Grilled or Broiled BBQ Salmon recipe).  Sausage and cabbage go really well together, too.  Serve smoked sausage links, whole or sliced, next to your cabbage casserole.

Can I add ground beef to this casserole?

There are many cabbage casserole recipes that call for cooked ground beef.  So, if you’re interested in a more hearty cabbage casserole that’s also a meal, add 1 pound cooked and drained ground beef to the casserole before baking. I would also suggest adding 1/2 cup beef broth to ensure the casserole doesn’t get dry from the beef.  Bake as directed.

Can I make this cabbage casserole ahead of time?

You sure can! There are two ways to make this casserole ahead of time, depending on how long you’d like to hold it for. If you are making this ahead of time, be sure to reserve the cracker and cheese topping until you are prepared to bake it for the first time. Read below for my suggestions on how to refrigerate or freeze your cabbage casserole:

• Storing in the Fridge  

Store any leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I prefer to use BPA-free glass containers with locking lids.  Check out this 18-piece set of glass food storage containers with locking lids from Bayco, available now on Amazon.

• Storing in the Freezer

Cabbage freezes very well!  Allow the casserole to completely cool off.  Then place into a freezer container or sealable plastic freezer bag (write the date on the bag so you can easily remember it). Frozen cabbage casserole will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge the day before you plan to eat if. Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the oven or microwave.

What else can I make with cabbage?

Got a head of cabbage…now what? Make a casserole like this one! Some other ideas for how to prepare cabbage: The ever so popular Egg Roll in a Bowl is always a delicious meal choice!  Try this Southern Fried Cabbage recipe from Immaculate Bites….cooked with garlic and bacon….delicious!

Need more holiday side dish inspiration? Check out these other recipes:

• Cheesy Mexican Cornbread
• Easy Baked Beans
• Easy Zucchini Pie
• Southern Cornbread Dressing
• Easy Dirty Rice
• Creamy Squash Casserole

If you tried this cabbage casserole recipe, please comment and rate it below so I know how it turned out. I love hearing from you!

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Creamy Cheesy Cabbage Casserole Recipe

Cabbage casserole with a creamy sauce and cheesy cracker topping. This cabbage casserole recipe is perfect for any large get together and is a great side dish. Goes great with ham and turkey! 

4.67 from 9 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 431kcal

Ingredients

• 1 head cabbage, chopped into 1-inch squares or strips See Recipe Note
• 1 stick butter, halved, melted
• 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) See Recipe Note
• 1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• dash of cayenne, optional
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 sleeve ritz crackers, roughly crushed (not too fine, you want bits and pieces of crackers)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Rinse head of cabbage under cool water first.  Chop the cabbage into 1-inch squares or strips.  Discard the hard core and end piece.  READ RECIPE NOTES (A & B) BELOW.
• Place cabbage and chopped onion into a large casserole dish (9 x 13).  Pour half a stick of melted butter over the cabbage. Mix well.
• Mix the soup, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl.  A whisk works well for this.
• Pour into the casserole dish and mix well with the cabbage.
• Mix the crushed crackers and cheese and pour on top of the soup mixture.
• Drizzle the remaining 1/2 stick melted butter on top of the cracker and cheese mixture.  Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until the cracker topping is crispy browned.

Notes

(A)  If you like cabbage crispy and crunchy, then don't pre-cook the cabbage.  If you like it soft and tender, then pre-cook it before putting the casserole together.  You can boil the chopped cabbage or pan fry for about 5-8 minutes. Thoroughly drain.  Then, proceed with the recipe directions.  (B) If you finely chop the onion (i.e., mince it), you don't need to saute it first. I like to mince the onion, but some people prefer larger pieces of onion, in that case, consider cooking the onion in a skillet or microwave to soften it up.  (C) Store cooked cabbage casserole in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Nutrition

Serving: 4.7oz | Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 590mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g

Note:  Different brands will vary on the nutritional information provided, so keep that in mind.  For the most part, they should be fairly close.  Use a site like MyFitnessPal.com or HappyForks.com to figure out this information based on the brands or ingredients you used.

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Original photographs of June 2018!