Cabbage Fritters | Crispy Fried or Oven Baked Patties
Quick cabbage fritters, pan fried or baked. Crispy outside, tender inside. They make a perfect veggie snack, side, or meal prep breakfast. Kids will love them too! As a busy mom, I love that they’re ready in under one hour and can be packed in lunch-boxes.
A few years back I tossed some leftover shredded cabbage into an egg stir-fry and loved the flavor so much I turned it into these easy patties. Over time they’ve become a fridge staple in our house, alternating with my grated potato fritters. And, judging by the well over 235 K shares the recipe has quietly collected, they’ve found their way onto plenty of other breakfast tables too.
As an integrative nutrition coach who’s focusing on building healthy plates and hunting for budget friendly ways to pack extra veggies into a meal, I love that these fritters taste like comfort food yet deliver fiber, antioxidants, and satiety in every bite.
These Cabbage Fritters Belong in Your Meal Plan
- Easy to Make, One-Bowl: They come together in just five minutes, especially when you have some leftover shredded cabbage or some cabbage and carrot salad in your fridge, you’re just five minutes away from whipping them up.
- Budget Friendly: Cabbage and carrots keep grocery costs low.
- Fast Weeknight Veggie Patties: 15 min prep, 35 min cook (for a large batch).
- Fits Most Diets: low carb, dairy free and kid approved. Easily transform into gluten free.
- Great for Meal Prep: Stash in the fridge, reheat in minutes or enjoy cold. For more veggie forward mains, see my Potato Crab Fritters.
Ingredients for Cabbage Fritters
| What You Need | Swap Ideas |
|---|---|
| 16 oz shredded cabbage (~7 cups) | Pre-shredded slaw mix works. |
| 2 med-small carrots, grated | Zucchini or sweet potato. |
| 3 large eggs | 2 eggs + 2 Tbsp flax “egg” for lighter texture. |
| 4-5 Tbsp flour, all purpose | Cassava, almond, arrowroot or gluten free blend. |
| 2-3 scallions or 1 small onion | Shallot or leeks. |
| 2 garlic cloves, minced | ½ tsp garlic powder. |
| Seasonings: 1 tsp salt+½ tsp each (pepper, paprika, coriander). Smoked paprika will yield a smoky flavor. | Smoked paprika for BBQ vibe. |
| 3-4 Tbsp ghee or avocado oil for frying | Coconut oil or animal fat. |
See all measurements and instructions in the recipe card:
Cabbage Fritters Recipe
Ingredients
Cabbage Fritter "Batter"
- 16 oz shredded cabbage
- 2 med-small carrots - grated
- 2-3 scallions - or 1 regular onion
- 3 large eggs
- 4-5 tbsp flour - see notes for gluten free or grain free
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
Seasonings
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp black pepper - ground
- ½ tsp paprika - or smoked paprika
- ½ tsp coriander - ground, optional
- 3-4 tbsp fat for frying - ghee or oil of your choice
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients (wash and cut)
- Shred the cabbage with a mandoline slicer (for fine uniform shreds). You will need 16 oz, about 7 packed cups. Or about 1/3 of a medium head of cabbage.
- Thinly slice 2-3 scallions (or a regular onion).
- Grate the carrots with a box grater.
- Mince the garlic or use the finer side of a box grater.
Combine all the ingredients
- In a large bowl add all prepared ingredients and toss lightly to combine and coat everything with egg. You can use your hands. Don’t use force while mixing, you don’t want to draw too much water from the cabbage.
- Note: The cabbage mixture might look like a slaw at first, without much hope for sticking together, but don’t worry, the fritters will hold together once fried.
Shape the cabbage fritters and fry
- Heat a non-stick skillet (I use a 10″ ceramic coated skillet) on medium low heat (my stove know is at 3) for 3 minutes or so.
- Add fat for frying, let it heat for 1 minute. I’m using ghee, but you could use any healthier heat resistant oils like avocado oil or grape-seed oil.
- Form a ball in your hands and place it in the heated skillet. Press down with a spatula or your hands (while arranging the sided) to flatten. The thinner the better it will cook inside.
- Fry 3 minutes per side. Or until the surface is golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the remaining fritter mixture, adding more oil/ghee as needed. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
To Bake The Cabbage Fritters:
Preheat the oven to 420F/215C and prepare a pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Portion the cabbage patties into “balls” and press lightly to flatten. Then bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes (total), flipping the baked cabbage fritters once halfway through. For a crispier crust, broil at the last minute of baking.Tips for Perfect Cabbage Fritters
- TIP: While frying the cabbage fritters you may notice some liquid accumulating at the bottom of the bowl. That is the egg, flour and some cabbage juice mixed together. Don’t discard that slurry liquid. That actually acts as a binding agent. Before you scoop a new batch try to gently incorporate the liquid back in the mixture, and quickly place the cabbage “ball” into the skillet before it drips. The quicker you finish the “batter” the better. Use two skillets if necessary.
- Flour: use any you like. Gluten free flours also works. As grain free flours you can use cassava, arrowroot or almond flour. Use one type or a mix of two or more. The finer (starchier) the better.
- Cheese: grated feta, parmesan or cheddar are all great (or a dairy free version). I recommend about 1/2 to 3/4 cup.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
How To Make Cabbage Fritters (Step-by Step)
Step 1. Prepare and mix:
- Slice or shred: andoline the cabbage, with a mandoline slicer (for fine uniform shreds). You will need 16 oz, about 7 packed cups. Or about 1/3 of a medium head of cabbage. Grate carrot, slice scallions and mince garlic.
- Mix The “Batter’: toss veggies, eggs, flour, and seasonings in a large bowl. Lightly mix with a spatula or your hand – no squeezing water out. Don’t use force while mixing, you don’t want to draw too much water from the cabbage.
Step 2. Shape & Fry
- Heat 1 Tbsp ghee (or avocado oil) in a skillet over medium-low (my stove knob is at 3) for 3 minutes or so (I use a 10″ ceramic coated skillet).
- Scoop ¼-cup “balls,” press into ½-inch patties and tuck in the edges. The thinner the better it will cook inside.
- Cook 3 min per side until golden and crispy. Repeat with the remaining fritter mixture, adding more oil/ghee as needed.
Pro tip: The cabbage mixture might look like a slaw at first, without much hope for sticking together, but don’t worry, the fritters will hold together once fried. The first cabbage patties might be a little fragile, but the hold will improve while you continue.
How To Bake: preheat the oven to 420 F/ 215C and prepare a pan with lightly greased parchment paper. Portion the cabbage patties into “balls” and press lightly to flatten. Bake for 20-23 minutes (total), flipping the baked cabbage fritters once halfway through. For a crispier crust, broil at the last minute of baking.
Tips for Crispy Cabbage Patties
- If your cabbage is very tender (often the bright-green, younger leaves), squeeze out the excess moisture so the fritters don’t turn soggy. For crisper patties, choose a paler, firmer cabbage: its sturdier texture holds up better.
- Keep the Juice: Any slurry at bowl bottom is the natural binder, stir it back in before scooping.
- As you progress with frying the cabbage fritters, the heat in the skillet will increase, so you might need to turn it down a bit if the fritters cook too fast and the middle is till raw. Also keep in mind a lower heat will make them too soggy, so try to find the “perfect” middle temperature.
- Oven Finish: If your last batch feels soft, pop all patties onto a sheet pan and broil 1 minute.
- Batch Faster: Two skillets cut cook time in half.
Flavor Variations & Add-Ins
- Keto Cabbage Fritters: Use almond + parmesan in place of flour.
- Spicy Cabbage-Onion Patties: Add ½ tsp crushed chili flakes and double the scallions.
- Cheesy Croquettes: Fold shredded cheese into batter: grated feta, parmesan or cheddar are all great (or a dairy free version). I recommend about 1/2 to 3/4 cup.
- Veggie Swap: Substitute equal volume grated zucchini (squeezed dry) or potato.
- Add flavor with extra spices like chili flakes, coriander, cumin, turmeric.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Storing leftovers: the cabbage fritters will last in the fridge for about 4-6 days.
- Freezing: freeze and store in the freezer for up to 3 months (after cooking). Cool entirely before placing them in a single layer on a baking tray to freeze, then transfer to a sealed bag.
- Thawing: The best way to defrost is to allow the cabbage patties to thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: Place it in a skillet set on low heat, until heated through. Or in a preheated oven at 350F for 15 minutes.
Serving Ideas
- Stack with avocado slices and hot sauce for breakfast.
- Serve with a side of sliced fresh vegetables (or pickled) for a quick snack.
- Serve alongside my Creamy Avocado Kale And Egg Salad or with a hearty chicken salad for lunch.
- Dip in maple sweetened honey-mustard or spicy yogurt along with sliced veggies for a party appetizer.
- Swap for burger buns around grilled chicken, chicken fritters or veggie and meat patties.
Tried these cabbage fritters? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Hit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to rate it or leave a quick comment below with your Experience. your tips help other readers Get The Hang Of crispy veggie patties!!
Frequently Asked Questions
You could try this recipe with an egg alternative like a flaxseed egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water (as 1 egg substitution). You might also need more flour to bind everything, add gradually. Mix and leave to thicken for 10 minutes. I haven’t tried this, though, so I can’t guarantee results.
Only if it’s dripping wet. Light shredding usually keeps moisture in check.
Yes. Once cooked, let them cool (don’t keep them stacked) and store in the fridge.
The raw cabbage doesn’t keep it’s structure well once frozen. It’s best to cook the cabbage patties first and then freeze.
Pan was too hot or batter too dry. Stir bowl juice back in and drop heat a bit.
If you’re in the mood for something heartier, use them as a veggie side for a heartier lunch or dinner. Here are some options below to choose from:
More Fritter Recipes
- Pumpkin Fritters (sweet fritters perfect as a snack or dessert);
- Potato Fritters (delicious grated potato fritters that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside);
- Chicken Fritters, these are great for a protein-packed meal;
- Potato Fritters With Crab Meat (perfect as finger food for crowds).
Other Cabbage Recipes To Enjoy
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VERY good recipe! Keeping this on rotation! I topped with a White Wine Mushroom Garlic Sauce and everybody loved it! Can’t quite figure out how a third of a medium cabbage is 7 packed cups though. That means a whole medium Cabbage would be 21 packed cups!
I made these today my husband and I love them!
Is there a specific dipping sauce that would go with this?
Any creamy sweet and sour sauce.
Your recipe doesn’t have directions for baking the fritters.
It’s in the FAQ section of the post.
My family just adores these cabbage fritters, I’m also adding some grated potatoes …its absolutely delicious