Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage–an easy side dish recipe with only 3 main ingredients. Buttered cabbage is just what it sounds like! Braised cabbage with butter. It’s delightful and even if you’re not a cabbage lover you might be surprised at how tasty this cabbage is!
Both Crockpot and Instant Pot instructions are listed in the recipe card below.

Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage
Buttered cabbage is a simple, yet delicious dish that is easy to prepare and can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a main course. This humble dish has been a staple of Irish cuisine for centuries.
Buttered cabbage can be a great way to add some veggies to your diet. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and is particularly high in vitamin C and fiber. It is also low in calories.
When cooked with butter, cabbage takes on a rich, creamy flavor that is irresistible. Skyler and I wanted to eat the entire pot of cabbage by ourselves!
Cabbage is also very budget-friendly. Which is good these days because groceries are super expensive! You can pair it with a protein or grain dish or add it into soups or stews for additional nutrition and texture.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Chicken broth–to bring the pot to pressure. You’ll only need a half cup because the cabbage releases a lot of moisture and will help the pot come to pressure.
- Cabbage–I use green cabbage. You can also use red cabbage.
- Butter–I use unsalted butter but salted is fine too.
- Salt and pepper–I like kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.
Steps
- Pour the broth into Instant Pot.
- Remove and discard the core of the cabbage and chop the rest into bite-sized pieces. Add cabbage and butter into the pot.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
How to core a cabbage:
The core is the tough, fibrous part that runs through the center of the cabbage, and removing it makes it easier to chop and cook the leaves. Here’s how to core a cabbage:
- Start by removing the loose outer leaves of the cabbage. These leaves are usually tough and may have dirt or debris on them, so it’s best to discard them.
- Turn the cabbage so that the stem end is facing up. You should be able to see the core of the cabbage at this point.
- Use a sharp knife* to cut a circle around the core, about 1-2 inches deep. Be careful not to cut too deep or you may remove too much of the cabbage.
- Use your hands to gently pull the core out of the cabbage. It should come out easily if you’ve cut deep enough.
- Once the core is removed, you can chop or slice the cabbage as needed for your recipe.
If you are struggling to remove the core, you can also try cutting the cabbage into quarters or eighths and then removing the core from each section. This can make it easier to get a clean cut around the core.
How long does it take to cook cabbage in a pressure cooker?
The first time I made buttered cabbage in the Instant Pot I used a 5 minute pressure cook time. I found this to be too long and the cabbage (especially the stuff on the bottom of the pot) was mushy. I prefer a 3 minute pressure cook time with a quick release. My pressure cooker takes about 7-10 minutes to come to pressure with this recipe. So total time takes about 15 minutes (but it’s all hands off time!).
Notes/Tips
- Buttered cabbage makes a great side dish for roast chicken, beef or corned beef. You can also enjoy it as a main course by adding in some browned, sliced smoked sausage.
- One of the great things about buttered cabbage is that it is easy to customize to your taste. You can experiment with different herbs and spices to add extra flavor, or try adding some garlic or onion for a more savory dish. You can also add some chopped apple or raisins to the pan for a slightly sweet twist.
- You can use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
- This recipe is gluten-free.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot. For a 3 quart pot you’ll need to use half of a cabbage to fit.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Instant Pot Recipes with Cabbage
Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
An easy way to enjoy all the flavors of cabbage rolls. This soup will be your family’s new favorite!
Instant Pot St. Patty’s Day Corned Beef and Cabbage
Tender sliced corned beef served with cabbage, red potatoes and carrots. Only 6 ingredients are needed to create this delicious one pot meal.
Instant Pot Lazy Stuffed Cabbage
All the flavors of stuffed cabbage in a super fast and easy stew. This is a delicious and healthy dinner that will fill you up!
Instant Pot Cajun Chicken, Sausage and Cabbage
Bites of chicken and smoked sausage with potatoes, onions and cabbage flavored with cajun seasoning.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Instant Pot or Crockpot Buttered Cabbage
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
An easy side dish recipe with only 3 main ingredients. Buttered cabbage is just what it sounds like! Braised cabbage with butter. It’s delightful and even if you’re not a cabbage lover you might be surprised at how tasty this cabbage is!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 medium head of cabbage
- 4 Tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Pour the broth into Instant Pot.
- Remove and discard the core of the cabbage and chop the rest into bite-sized pieces. Add cabbage and butter into the pot.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 3 minutes. When time is up move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Pour the broth into slow cooker.
- Remove and discard the core of the cabbage and chop the rest into bite-sized pieces. Add cabbage and butter into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
- Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
- Category: Side
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Oh my! How delicious. Won’t be boiling cabbage on the stove anymore. I don’t usually deviate from Karen’s recipe but I did add 1 tsp bacon drippings to this. Best. Cabbage. Ever.
★★★★★
bacon drippings…mmmmmm!
Ohh, Karen!!! I love this dish, but haven’t had it since a restaurant chain I used to frequent closed! I’ve missed it, and here you are…sharing the recipe with us/meee! Yaah!
While I haven’t made ‘yours’ yet, I know from experience that it will be AWESOME!
Thank you so much!
J
★★★★★
I hope you love it!!!
Thank you so much for all the great recipes. I have made many and like them all…At 81 I cook everyday for my husband & myself and use my instant pot frequently which saves me lots of time and gives us many delicious & lots of variety from your recipes. Keep up the good work.,.😉
This is so nice to hear! Thank you Carol!
Great variance ! For years we have made sweet and sour cabbage.
Shred cabbage real thin cook in IP or boiling water until cooked , add sugar and white vinegar until you get the right sweet and sour taste.
Great what you can do with CABBAGE
★★★★
cabbage really is awesome! yours sounds great!