Instant pot buttered cabbage is an easy side dish that tastes delicious! Make this tender cabbage side dish in the instant pot in minutes.

I was sold on the instant pot after making instant pot mac and cheese and instant pot stir fry for the first time and couldn’t wait to try more recipes. We quickly discovered more favorites like this instant pot creamy pasta.
Cabbage in the instant pot is surprisingly delicious!
I loved steamed broccoli in the instant pot and knew I wanted to try more vegetables like instant pot cauliflower and more.
The high pressure makes the cabbage tender and soft, and you really can’t go wrong with classic flavors like minced garlic, onion, and butter of course.
All you need is just a few minutes of prep to make this easy cabbage side dish!
Ingredients to make buttered cabbage
- green cabbage: red cabbage would not be a good substitute here as it is more bitter.
- yellow onion – sweet and mellow flavor that pairs perfectly with the buttery cabbage
- garlic – minced fresh whole garlic cloves are always best!
- unsalted butter – I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can add salt to taste myself
- salt & pepper – to taste. You really want to use fresh ground black pepper if you have it. You just can’t beat the flavor of fresh ground pepper!

How to make cabbage in the instant pot
Step 1: core the cabbage and roughly chop into pieces. Set aside.
Step 2: Turn the instant pot to sautee and add 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Add the minced garlic and sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Be careful not to burn as the pressure cooker cooks fast.
Step 3: Add the vegetable broth and remaining butter to the instant pot, then place the chopped cabbage on top.
Step 4: Place the lid on the instant pot and set to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
Hit cancel, then do a quick release.
Step 5: once the pin has dropped, remove the lid safely from the instant pot and add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
Stir and serve with a slotted spoon.

This recipe is so delicious! Perfect as an easy side dish when you need something fast.
It is so buttery and soft and the texture is amazing in the instant pot!
What size cabbage to use
For this recipe, I used a small sized head of green cabbage.
As you can see from the picture above, it only reaches about half way up the instant pot.
If you have a larger head of cabbage, here is what you do to adjust the recipe:
- vegetable broth amount: stays the same. There is plenty of broth in this recipe.
- butter: if you have a bigger cabbage head, consider adding another 1-2 tablespoons of butter to add more flavor.
- cook time: stays the same. It will just take a little longer to come to pressure.

How long to cook the cabbage
For this recipe, I found 7 minutes on high pressure to be perfect to cook the cabbage.
The cabbage was soft, but still had a little texture.
For firmer cabbage: decrease the instant pot time by 1-2 minutes.
For softer cabbage: increase the pressure cook time by 1-3 minutes.
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Instant Pot Cabbage
Instant pot buttered cabbage is an easy side dish that tastes delicious! Make tender buttery cabbage in the instant pot in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 small head of green cabbage, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Turn the instant pot to sautee. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter along with the sliced onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Be careful not to burn.
- Add the vegetable broth and remaining 4 tablespoons of butter the the instant pot
- Place the chopped cabbage on top and put the lid on the instant pot. Set to sealing.
- Cook on high (manual) for 7 minutes, press cancel, then do a quick release
- Once the pin drops, remove the lid, and salt and pepper to taste. Fresh ground pepper is the best choice here! Serve with a slotted spoon. (see notes below for more tips)
Notes
1. If your head of cabbage is larger, you can add 1-2 more tablespoons of butter, but the vegetable broth should still be fine at 1 cup.
2. For softer cabbage, cook an additional 1-3 minutes on high pressure. For cabbage with more crunch, you can lower the time to 5-6 minutes, if you want.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 97Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 163mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g