Cabbage
An inexpensive, long-keeping vegetable that shines raw, cooked, or fermented.
Also known as: green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, napa cabbage
Overview
Cabbage is a humble, hard-working vegetable: cheap, nutritious, and remarkably long-keeping. The family runs from crunchy green and red heads to frilly savoy and tender napa, each with its own best uses.
It is equally at home raw in slaws, quickly stir-fried, slowly braised, or fermented into sauerkraut and kimchi. Few vegetables offer this much versatility for so little cost.
Culinary Uses
- Shredded raw into slaws and salads.
- Stir-fried or sauteed quickly over high heat.
- Braised slowly with apples, vinegar, or stock.
- Fermented into sauerkraut and kimchi, or wrapped around fillings.
Flavor Profile
- Mildly peppery and sweet raw, becoming sweeter and mellower when cooked.
- High-heat cooking brings out nutty, caramelized notes.
- Overcooking releases sulfurous aromas, so cook briskly or low and slow.
Storage
- Refrigerate a whole head in the crisper, where it keeps for weeks.
- Wrap cut cabbage tightly and use within a few days.
- Fermenting extends its life for months.
Preparation
- Quarter through the core, then cut out the tough core before shredding.
- Slice thinly for slaws and quick cooking.
- Salt shredded cabbage briefly to soften and season it for slaws.
- Blanch whole leaves to make them pliable for rolls.
Nutrition
Cabbage is very low in calories and high in fiber and vitamin C.
Red cabbage adds anthocyanin antioxidants that give it its color.
Abundant, especially in raw cabbage.
Supports blood clotting and bone health.
Aids digestion and adds bulk for few calories.
Antioxidant pigments in red cabbage.
Dietary Considerations
- Naturally vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
- Very low in calories and budget-friendly.
- Fermented cabbage adds gut-friendly probiotics.
Nutrition information is educational and approximate; it varies by variety, portion, and preparation, and is not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Common Pairings
Recipes with Cabbage
Soup Joumou
Haiti's symbolic freedom soup, traditionally served on Independence Day — a rich, golden squash-based soup with beef, vegetables, and pasta, celebrating liberation and community.
Senegalese Mafe
A comforting West African peanut stew from Senegal, slow-simmering beef with tomato and peanut butter into a thick, russet sauce studded with root vegetables and served over rice.
Thieboudienne
Senegal's national dish — a majestic one-pot of fish and vegetables braised in a spiced tomato broth, then used to cook broken rice until deeply flavored and tinged red. A true celebration meal.
Sri Lankan Kottu Roti
Sri Lanka's beloved street food — shredded godamba roti stir-fried with vegetables, egg, and fragrant curry spices to a rhythmic chop-chop on the griddle. Fast, savory, and endlessly adaptable.
Indonesian Vegetable Nasi Goreng
Indonesia's beloved fried rice, wok-tossed with sweet soy, garlic, and crunchy vegetables — a brilliant way to turn leftover rice into a fast, satisfying family dinner.
Malaysian Sayur Lodeh
A comforting Malaysian coconut vegetable curry with cabbage, green beans, and tofu in a gently spiced turmeric-coconut broth — vegan, colorful, and endlessly adaptable.
Haitian Legim
A hearty Haitian vegetable stew loaded with eggplant, cabbage, spinach, and carrots in a savory sauce — a nutritious, crowd-feeding staple that stretches every ingredient beautifully.
Senegalese Thieboudienne
Senegal’s national dish: seasoned fish simmered with an array of vegetables over broken rice in a rich tomato-tamarind sauce — a magnificent, budget-stretching one-pot feast.
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