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Cabbage and Carrots
Updated: March 8, 2026
Published: March 16, 2021
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My cabbage and carrots side dish is a great addition to your St. Paddy’s Day celebration. It goes perfectly with my Crusted Corned Beef and my Irish Cheddar Potato Bake. It is simple to make and I consider it a major upgrade from the basic boiled cabbage you usually get with the holiday’s corned beef.
Summary
This cabbage and carrots side dish transforms humble vegetables into something truly special with a sweet and tangy glaze that’s worlds away from plain boiled cabbage. Tender cabbage wedges and baby carrots are bathed in a buttery sauce featuring dark brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and aromatic caraway seeds, while caramelized onions add depth and richness. It’s a simple one-pot recipe that delivers maximum flavor with minimal effort, making it the perfect companion to your St. Patrick’s Day feast or any hearty dinner throughout the year.
Why This Recipe Works
The magic of this recipe lies in the balance of flavors and the cooking technique. By boiling the cabbage and carrots together first, you ensure they’re perfectly tender without becoming mushy. Draining them thoroughly prevents a watery finish, allowing the butter-based glaze to cling to every piece. The combination of dark brown sugar and apple cider vinegar creates a sweet-tart flavor profile that cuts through the richness of traditional corned beef, while Dijon mustard adds complexity and a subtle kick. Caraway seeds bring that authentic Irish touch with their earthy, slightly licorice-like flavor that’s traditional in European cabbage dishes. The caramelized onions cooked in butter create a savory foundation that ties everything together, elevating this from a basic boiled vegetable to a memorable side dish.
Ingredients and Their Importance
Cabbage: The star of the dish, cabbage provides a mild, slightly sweet base that soaks up the flavorful glaze beautifully. Cutting it into wedges helps it maintain structure while cooking.
Baby Carrots: These add natural sweetness, bright color, and a tender-crisp texture that contrasts nicely with the softer cabbage. Their uniform size ensures even cooking.
Kerrygold Unsalted Butter: This Irish butter creates the rich, silky base for the glaze and adds a luxurious mouthfeel. Its higher fat content makes it especially flavorful.
Onion: Caramelized onions provide savory depth and a hint of natural sweetness that balances the tangy elements in the dish.
Dark Brown Sugar: The molasses notes in dark brown sugar add rich sweetness and help create a glossy glaze that caramelizes the vegetables.
Apple Cider Vinegar: This provides the essential tangy brightness that cuts through the richness and prevents the dish from being too sweet or heavy.
Dijon Mustard: The mustard adds complexity, a subtle kick, and helps emulsify the glaze so it coats the vegetables evenly.
Caraway Seeds: These traditional seeds bring an authentic Irish flavor with their warm, earthy taste and slight anise notes that complement cabbage perfectly.
Ingredient Substitutions
Cabbage: Savoy cabbage works well if you want a more delicate texture, or try Napa cabbage for a slightly sweeter, more tender result. Red cabbage will work but will change the color of your dish.
Baby Carrots: Regular carrots cut into 1-inch chunks or half-moon slices work perfectly. Just make sure pieces are similar in size for even cooking.
Kerrygold Butter: Any good-quality unsalted butter will work, or use vegan butter or olive oil for a dairy-free version.
Onion: Yellow onions can replace the medium onion, or try shallots for a more delicate, sweet flavor.
Dark Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar or even regular granulated sugar can work, though you’ll lose some of the deep molasses flavor. Maple syrup or honey can also substitute for a different flavor profile.
Apple Cider Vinegar: White wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or even white balsamic vinegar can substitute if needed.
Dijon Mustard: Whole grain mustard adds nice texture, or use yellow mustard for a milder flavor.
Caraway Seeds: Fennel seeds provide a similar licorice note, or omit them entirely if you’re not a fan of that flavor profile.
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How to make carrots and cabbage
- The dish starts with you cutting a head of cabbage into 2-inch wedges. Remember to remove the hard core first. Cut your baby carrots in half and add all these vegetables to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil on the stove and then reduce to low and cook for about 20 minutes until the carrots are tender. Drain the veggies well in a colander to get rid of extra water.
- In that same pot, melt the butter and add the onions and cook until they are soft and fragrant.
- Once the onions are soft and fragrant (about 4 minutes) add the cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and caraways seeds. Stir to combine.
- Bring the dressing to a boil and let cook for about one minute.
- Add the drained cabbage and carrots back into the pot with the dressing and toss everything to combine.
- Spoon into a bowl and serve. This is an easy recipe and a serious upgrade from your standard boiled cabbage and carrots. Enjoy!
What to Serve on Your Irish Buffet
Start with your traditional entree (be it Irish Lamb Stew, Corned Beef and Cabbage or a Shepherd’s Pie). You’ll want to add some Irish soda bread or my traditional Irish Barmbrack bread to the table and make sure you finish with my Irish Apple Cake or Bailey’s Irish Parfait for a true Irish feast.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover cabbage and carrots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The flavors actually deepen and meld overnight, making leftovers especially delicious. To reheat, warm gently in a skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval. Avoid reheating at high temperatures as this can make the cabbage mushy. If the dish seems dry when reheating, add a splash of water or a small pat of butter to refresh the glaze.
FAQ Section for Cabbage and Carrots Recipe
Yes, cabbage and carrots cook beautifully together. Start by boiling them in the same pot for about 20 minutes until the carrots are tender. The cabbage wedges and halved baby carrots have similar cooking times, making them perfect companions for a one-pot side dish.
Boil cabbage wedges and carrots together for approximately 20 minutes over low heat after bringing the water to a boil. The carrots should be fork-tender and the cabbage soft but not mushy when properly cooked.
This dish pairs perfectly with corned beef, particularly for St. Patrick’s Day dinners. It also complements Irish soda bread, Irish cheddar potato bake, traditional lamb stew, or any hearty protein dish.
Remove the hard core from the cabbage head, then cut it into 2-inch wedges. This size allows the cabbage to cook evenly while maintaining some structure and texture in the final dish.
Yes, you can prepare this dish up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Caraway seeds add an authentic Irish flavor profile with their slightly sweet, earthy, and licorice-like taste. They’re traditional in European cabbage dishes and help with digestion while complementing the sweetness of the carrots and brown sugar.
The sweet and tangy glaze made from dark brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard transforms basic boiled cabbage into a flavorful side dish. The caramelized onions and butter add richness that plain boiled cabbage lacks.
Absolutely. Use 2-3 medium regular carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks or half-moon slices to match the size of halved baby carrots. This ensures even cooking alongside the cabbage wedges.
Drain the cooked vegetables thoroughly in a colander after boiling, and let them sit for a minute to release excess moisture. This prevents the butter-sugar glaze from becoming diluted and ensures a better flavor concentration.
Green cabbage is ideal for this recipe as it holds its shape well during boiling and has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the tangy-sweet dressing. Savoy cabbage also works but may be more delicate.
Yes, substitute the Kerrygold butter with vegan butter or olive oil. The recipe will still deliver excellent flavor from the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and caraway seeds.
This recipe serves 8 people as a side dish, making it perfect for family dinners or St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Each serving is approximately 1 cup.
How to Serve This Dish
This cabbage and carrots side dish is incredibly versatile and works beautifully in many settings:
Perfect Pairings:
- Crusted corned beef or traditional boiled corned beef
- Irish cheddar potato bake or colcannon
- Traditional Irish lamb stew
- Baked fish and garlic chips
- Smoked Irish salmon
- Roasted pork loin or pork chops
- Grilled sausages or bratwurst
- Irish soda bread or Barmbrack bread
- Simple roasted chicken
Ideal Occasions:
- St. Patrick’s Day celebrations (of course!)
- Sunday family dinners
- Casual weeknight meals when you need a quick, healthy side
- Fall and winter gatherings
- Potluck dinners (this travels well and can be made ahead)
- Harvest celebrations
- Comfort food dinners on chilly evenings
- Meal prep for the week ahead
The dish works equally well for intimate family dinners and larger festive gatherings, making it a reliable go-to throughout the cooler months.
Did you enjoy this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to hear how you served it and what main entree you served it with.
If you’d like to try other Irish recipes, try one or all of these:
Cabbage and Carrots
Cabbage, carrots and caraway seeds get tossed with onions in a sweet and tangy dressing to make the perfect side dish for corned beef. This hits my St. Patrick's Day dinner table every year.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 Head of cabbage (about 2 lbs., cored and cut into 2-inch wedges
- 1 Cup Baby carrots cut in half
- 2 Tbsp. Kerrygold unsalted butter
- 1 Medium onion, chopped
- ¼ Cup Dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ Tsp. Caraway seeds
Instructions
- Add the cabbage and carrots to a large pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, and reduce heat to low and cook about 20 minutes until the carrots are soft. Drain in a colander.
- In that same pot, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions and cook about 4 minutes until soft. Add the sugar, vinegar, mustard, caraway seeds and salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the mixture boils, add back the cabbage and carrots and stir well to coat everything. Spoon in to a serving bowl ad enjoy!
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Meet Diane
Hi! I’m Diane. I started this site as a passion project. I love to cook, entertain, travel and laugh. (Who doesn’t love a good laugh?) Of course, being from New York, sarcasm rules!
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