Traditional German Savoy Cabbage and Potatoes (Wirsing untereinander)

Creamy mashed potatoes garnished with parsley and herbs.

Traditional German Savoy Cabbage and Potatoes (Wirsing untereinander)

This traditional german savoy cabbage and potatoes is a comforting side dish made with tender cabbage, roughly mashed potatoes, butter, onion, and nutmeg. It's an easy way to use leftover cabbage and pairs well with sausages, pork chops, or Jägerschnitzel.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings 6 servings

Calories 34

Ingredients

400–500 g approximately 1 lb Savoy cabbage , shredded
600 g 1⅓ lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons 28 g butter
120 ml ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
75 g 2½ oz smoked bacon or pancetta (I prefer pancetta!), diced (Optional)
Additional butter or a splash of warm milk Optional

Instructions

Peel and cube the potatoes, then cook in salted boiling water for 15–20 minutes, until fork-tender.
Meanwhile, remove any particularly tough ribs from the Savoy cabbage and shred it into thin strips. Finely chop the onion.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes, until soft. If using bacon/pancetta, fry it first alongside the onion and reduce the butter amount if our meat is very fatty.
Add the shredded cabbage and cook for 2–3 minutes. Pour in the broth, cover, and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the cabbage softens and gets tender. The borth should just about evaporate at this point, but it’s ok if a little of it is left. If you see there’s a lot of it left, uncover and let any excess broth evaporate.
Drain and roughly mash the potatoes. Fold in the cooked cabbage mixture.
Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and mix until combined. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and add a little more butter if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Crucial Success Tips

Shred the cabbage fairly thinly. This helps it soften quickly and blend nicely with the potatoes. I like to use the ugliest parts of my cabbage for this dish, and especially the inner parts that aren’t appropriate for just any dish.

Don't add too much broth. You want the cabbage tender, but the finished dish shouldn't be watery.

Keep the potatoes slightly chunky. Wirsing Untereinander is supposed to be rustic, not a completely smooth mash.

Don't skip the nutmeg. Just a little gives the dish that familiar traditional German flavor. But also don’t add too much, you don’t want it to be overpowering.

What to Serve with Wirsing Untereinander

This is an excellent accompaniment to German Frikadellen, sausages, pork chops, or Jägerschnitzel.

For our cooking project, I'd serve it with the porcini Jägerschnitzel below. The potatoes are perfect for soaking up the gravy!

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