This Keto Charred Cabbage Salad is a delicious low-carb side dish that's perfect for grilling season!

Sometimes you need a quick dinner, one that’s simple and quick, but all too many times those can be boring. That’s why we try and keep an over-the-top ridiculous side in the refrigerator for those times, just to liven things ups a bit. This Keto Charred Cabbage Salad is our go-to side dish lately.
Cabbage has so much to offer nutritionally, but we think it gets overlooked in the produce aisle. This is especially true for green cabbage, in part because it’s light in color and research has shown us dark leafy greens are more nutrient-dense (think iceberg lettuce vs spinach).
Cabbage, however, is remarkably nutrient-dense. It is absolutely packed with fiber which makes it worth its weight in gold if your version of the keto diet contains a lot of meat and cheese. Feel free to customize this recipe to suit your personal tastes as well, you can substitute red cabbage instead of green cabbage for more vitamin A, or use more or fewer jalapeños (or serranos!) depending on your spice tolerance.
This particular recipe is inspired by a grilled potato salad we used to make all the time. We daresay the cabbage version is even tastier, plus it's completely keto!
Ingredients You'll Need:
- cabbage - you can use green or red
- green onions
- bacon - omit if plant-based or use tempeh bacon!
- jalapeños - serranos are also great
- whole-grain mustard
- olive oil
- lemon juice - only use fresh!
How to store the Keto Charred Cabbage Salad:
This recipe makes 6 servings, so if you have leftovers some of the fat will solidify in the fridge. It’s probably personal preference, but you may want to toss it back in the skillet and warm it up. It’s tasty either way so feel free to eat it warm or cold.
Check out these other resources to read more about the awesome nutritional benefits of cabbage:
- 9 Surprising Health Benefits of Cabbage
- What Are the Health Benefits of Red Cabbage Vs. Green Cabbage?


Charred Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
- ½ large head of cabbage about 1.5 lbs
- 6 slices bacon omit if plant-based or use tempeh bacon
- 1 bunch green onions
- 2 jalapeños sliced
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking the bacon until crispy in a large cast iron skillet, reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat.
- Heat a large cast iron grill pan over high heat. Toss the green onions and cabbage steaks with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Grill 4-5 per side until charred on both sides.
- In a small jar shake together the mustard, remaining olive oil, and lemon juice. Pour over the cabbage salad and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Mary Morales says
I'm loving your blog! I'm also a huge cabbage afficionado, it's a big part of my keto life. On this recipe, I'm just wondering how you are cutting the cabbage...the direction mention grilling the cabbage in steak form, but the picture doesn't look like "steaks" to me...are you just chopping it after the grilling? I only have one 16" cast iron skillet...do you think I could just "grill" my cabbage in the reserved bacon fat in the same skillet that I cooked the bacon...maybe in batches? Thanks for your blog!
Alex Lester says
Thanks! I grilled the cabbage as steaks, cut into the thick slices. Once it wilts it sort of just falls apart into smaller pieces. Make sense?
Megan says
I stumbled upon this recipe a few days ago and knew I would have to make it! Spicy cabbage??? Sign me up!! I absolutely loved how it turned out! I would never have thought to combine these ingredients. I will definitely be making this many times again! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Sunny Walker says
Sounds amazing, AND I wonder what I was supposed to do with the reserved bacon fat (2 T) and the jalapeños...I assume slide the peppers and add them and the bacon to the cabbage before tossing. Maybe you meant to use the 2T bacon fat instead of the 2 T olive oil? Just wondering.
Lynnah says
Just wondering what to do about the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat?