Green Cabbage
Green cabbage is a dense, tightly layered head vegetable found in cuisines worldwide, eaten raw in slaws, fermented into sauerkraut, braised slowly, or stuffed whole-leaf. It's an exceptional keeper and one of the most versatile vegetables in the kitchen.
How to buy
Choose heads that feel heavy and firm with tightly packed, unblemished leaves; outer leaves should look crisp, not wilted or browning. A little looseness in the outer leaves is normal, but the head overall should feel dense.
How to store
Refrigerate whole, unwashed, in the crisper drawer, where it keeps for several weeks -- one of the best-keeping vegetables available. Once cut, wrap the remaining head tightly and use within a week.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Mild with a slightly peppery, sulfurous edge raw. Slow cooking sweetens and mellows it considerably, while boiling or overcooking brings the sulfurous notes back out more strongly.
- Texture
- Crisp and crunchy raw. Braising or stewing softens it into something silky; overboiling turns it watery and limp.
- Aroma
- A mild cabbage smell raw that grows noticeably more sulfurous the longer it's cooked, especially when boiled.
How to prepare
- Shredded for slaw — Thinly sliced raw and tossed with a dressing for a crunchy salad.
- Braised — Cooked slowly in fat or liquid until soft and sweet.
- Stuffed — Leaves blanched until pliable, then rolled around a filling and simmered or baked.
- Fermented — Shredded and salted, then left to ferment into sauerkraut or kimchi-style pickles.
- Stir-fried — Cut into pieces and cooked quickly over high heat so it stays slightly crisp.
Classic dishes
American
- Coleslaw — Shredded raw cabbage tossed with a creamy or vinegar-based dressing, a classic barbecue side.
- Fried cabbage with bacon — Cabbage cooked in rendered bacon fat until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Cabbage and noodles — A simple comfort dish of buttered egg noodles tossed with soft, caramelized cabbage.
Chinese
- Stir-fried cabbage with garlic — Cabbage pieces stir-fried quickly with garlic and a touch of soy for a simple home side.
Japanese
- Okonomiyaki — A savory cabbage-filled pancake topped with sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes.
Indian
- Cabbage poriyal — A South Indian stir-fry of shredded cabbage with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and coconut.
- Cabbage thoran — A Kerala-style dry cabbage dish cooked with grated coconut and spices.
Greek
- Lahanosalata — A shredded cabbage and carrot salad dressed in lemon and olive oil.
Korean
- Quick cabbage kimchi — A fast-fermenting kimchi made with cabbage, gochugaru, and garlic instead of napa cabbage.
Vietnamese
- Gỏi bắp cải — A Vietnamese shredded cabbage salad dressed with fish sauce, lime, and herbs.
Middle Eastern
- Lahana sarma — Cabbage leaves rolled around a spiced rice or meat filling and simmered.
German
- Sauerkraut — Shredded cabbage salted and fermented slowly into a tangy, long-keeping condiment.
- Krautsalat — A warm or cold German cabbage salad dressed in vinegar and sometimes bacon fat.
- Cabbage and potato stew — Cabbage simmered with potato and sometimes sausage into a simple, filling stew.
Cajun & Creole
- Cabbage and sausage — Cabbage simmered with smoked sausage and seasonings into a hearty Southern dish.
British & Irish
- Colcannon — Mashed potato folded through with cooked cabbage or kale and butter.
- Bubble and squeak — Leftover cabbage and potato fried together into a crisp, savory cake.
Substitutions
- Brussels Sprouts — Shredded or shaved sprouts can substitute in slaws, though they carry a slightly nuttier, more bitter edge than cabbage.