It's high time we stop overlooking cabbage. An endlessly versatile vegetable, our best cabbage recipes are anything but basic. Whether you're using the the thicker outer greens or the tender inner leaves, there's so much you can do with a head of cabbage. Some of our favorite dishes, from salads to pastas, spotlight the crucifer for its texture and flavor. Ready to start? From dolmas to tacos to slaw, here are more than two dozen cabbage recipes from around the globe to get you excited about the underrated vegetable.
Grilled-Cabbage Caesar Salad
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Juicy, succulent corned beef meets delicately poached winter vegetables in this new classic. Get the recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage »
Korean Kimchi Stew with Pork Belly and Tofu (Kimchi-jjigae)
Lamb-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Green Tahini
At Mokonuts in Paris, cabbage leaves are stuffed with lamb and herbs and and drizzled with lemony tahini sauce. Get the recipe for Lamb-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Green Tahini »
Homemade Pasta With Spicy Cabbage and Bacon
Cabbage is a staple vegetable in Slovenia; here it is wilted in bacon fat and spiced with cayenne before being tossed with homemade noodle dough for this traditional pasta dish. Get the recipe for Homemade Pasta With Spicy Cabbage and Bacon »
Green Cabbage Salad with Hazelnuts
This crunchy salad combines the juice from grilled cabbage with vinegar and browned butter and tosses the resulting vinaigrette with raw cabbage and hazelnuts for an all-season slaw. Get the recipe for Green Cabbage Salad with Hazelnuts »
Armenian Stuffed Cabbage (Dolmas)
Cabbage Fritters (Cabbage Vepadu)
Cookbook author Madhur Jaffery describes these spidery-looking cabbage-and-peanut fritters as looking like little Medusa heads, “with the strands of shredded cabbage providing a crunchy, unruly halo.” A popular item in the mess halls of the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, they can be served as part of a meal or as a crunchy snack.
Spicy Cabbage and Chorizo Soup
This riff on the traditional Portuguese soup, Caldo verde, replaces the more common kale with savoy cabbage and spices things up with chile flakes. Get the recipe for Spicy Cabbage and Chorizo Soup »
Duck Borscht with Fermented Tomato Sauce
Van Valkenberg Hot Slaw
Coleslaw gets a makeover as a filling and hearty casserole that test kitchen assistant Sarah Ruth Maier grew up eating at family functions. Get the recipe for Van Valkenberg Hot Slaw »
Tennessee-Style Mustard Coleslaw
The classic mayonnaise-based coleslaw cabbage recipe is bolstered here by the addition of mustard. Get the recipe for Tennessee-Style Mustard Coleslaw »
Cauliflower, Cabbage, and Carrot Achaar (Malaysian-Style Pickle)
This Malaysian-style mixed vegetable pickle is made with a rempah, or spice paste, stirred into the brine for an extra boost of flavor and texture. Get the recipe for Cauliflower, Cabbage, and Carrot Achaar (Malaysian-Style Pickle) »
Jose Garces' Fish Tacos
Jose Garces’ Fish Tacos
Charred Cabbage Slaw
In this offbeat slaw from chef Chris Shepherd of Underbelly in Houston, raw red cabbage adds a textural contrast to the grilled green cabbage, and a zippy, spicy-sweet-salty dressing goes well with the charred bits. Get the recipe for Charred Cabbage Slaw »
Spicy Haitian Cabbage Slaw
Bacon Fried Rice
Bacon Fried Rice
Pork and Kimchi Potstickers
Some zesty kimchi can bring your typical dumplings to the next level and enhance the pork filling’s savoriness. Get the recipe for Pork and Kimchi Potstickers »
Braised Red Cabbage
Adding a grated russet potato to this braise helps to temper the sour sweetness of the cabbage. Get the recipe for Braised Red Cabbage »
Hawaiian-Style Sesame Cabbage Salad
Cabbage salads featuring dried noodles are a staple of Hawaiian home cooking, adding crunch, texture, and sweetness to this terrifically versatile slaw. Get the recipe for Hawaiian-Style Sesame Cabbage Salad »
Spiced Red Cabbage With Apples and Cranberries
Spiced Red Cabbage
Korean Mung Bean Pancakes with Dipping Sauce (Bindaeduk Cho Kanjang)
These savory Korean pancakes are made from a batter of ground mung beans flecked with pork, scallions, and pungent kimchi. Get the recipe for Korean Mung Bean Pancakes with Dipping Sauce (Bindaeduk Cho Kanjang) »
The Ultimate Stuffed Cabbage (Lou Fassum)
Lou fassum is most dramatic when presented whole, then sliced into thick wedges. Serving the pieces with a stock-based glaze is optional. The dish can also be drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs, or ladled with chicken stock and topped with a dusting of grated cheese. Serve with mashed or roasted potatoes if desired. Get the recipe for The Ultimate Stuffed Cabbage (Lou Fassum) »
Cider-Braised Red Cabbage
Braised cabbage, a common side dish in Germany, classically has both sweet and sour flavors. In chef Thomas Ferlesch’s version from Werkstatt restaurant in Brooklyn, a generous amount of fat—he prefers to use lard or duck fat for their rich texture—and juicy red wine round out the tart flavors of cranberry, vinegar, and apple cider. Get the recipe for Cider-Braised Red Cabbage »
Pan-Seared white Fish with Mussels, Cabbage Shoots, and Cream
Pan-Seared white Fish with Mussels, Cabbage Shoots, and Cream
FAQs
Although you get different nutrients if you cook or ferment it, raw red cabbage in particular might give you the best nutritional boost per serving. Slice it very thinly and leave it for about 10 minutes to help bring out the fullest, most complex flavors. Then add it to salads or sandwiches or turn it into coleslaw.
Does cabbage make you gassy? ›
While cabbage offers lots of vitamins and minerals your body needs, there can be a downside to eating cabbage. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea. It's best to slowly introduce these vegetables into your diet and gradually increase your intake.
What is the sweetest cabbage? ›
One of the milder flavored cabbages, Napa can be eaten raw or cooked and is softer and sweeter than the other varieties. Sometimes referred to as Chinese cabbage, bok choy is actually not a true cabbage but is Chinese chard.
Is Fried cabbage good for you? ›
You can enjoy cabbage cooked or raw, but it's crucial you prepare it the right way to reap its health benefits. Avoid cooking cabbage, which can reduce its nutrients. Opt for quick-cooking methods like stir-frying or chopping it up and eating it raw in a salad or slaw.
What does eating cabbage everyday do to your body? ›
Packed with phytosterols (plant sterols) and insoluble fiber, cabbage can help keep your digestive system healthy and bowel movements regular. It fuels the good bacteria in your gut that protects your immune system and produces essential nutrients.
How many times a week should you eat cabbage? ›
To get the most benefit, try to consume ½ to ¾ cup cooked or 1 ½ cup raw cabbage per day at least 5 days per week. This is pretty easy to do since there are so many ways to prepare cabbage. Traditional methods of steaming or boiling cabbage can extract flavor and nutrients.
How do you cook cabbage so it's not gassy? ›
A few whole cloves added to the boiling water for cabbage impart a delicately complementary flavor and aroma and may help to prevent gas during digestion. Other sweet spices that may be carminative include allspice, cinnamon and ginger.
Is cabbage bad for your gut? ›
May Help with Better Gut Health
As a natural source of dietary fiber, cabbage aids digestion and promotes regular bowel movements, reducing the risk of constipation. Furthermore, cabbage is a natural source of prebiotics, an indigestible fiber that acts as “fuel” for live and beneficial probiotics.
What does cabbage do to your stomach? ›
It helps improve digestion
This crunchy vegetable is full of gut-friendly insoluble fiber, a type of carbohydrate that can't be broken down in the intestines. Insoluble fiber helps keep the digestive system healthy by adding bulk to stool and promoting regular bowel movements ( 24 ).
Is Napa cabbage healthier than regular cabbage? ›
Both are excellent sources of important vitamins and minerals. Regular cabbage contains more calcium, zinc and potassium than napa, but napa cabbage contains higher levels of vitamins A, B3, iron and copper. Napa is also lower in sodium than regular cabbage.
WHAT IS CAVOLO NERO? Cavolo nero, also known as Tuscan kale or black kale, is a brassica that's very similar to kale. It originates from Italy but is now grown in the UK. Its name, which means 'black cabbage' in Italian, alludes to its strikingly dark green colour.
Which cabbage has the best flavor? ›
Conehead cabbage
They're sweeter and smaller than a standard green cabbage and have a distinct cone-like shape, she says. Shred these up into a raw cabbage slaw to make the most out of their delicious flavor. “If you see them, you should try them,” she encourages.
Is cabbage good for your hair? ›
Cabbage is high in nutrients, such as vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron, and sulfur. Cabbage is high in vitamin A, which provides antioxidants that stimulates hair growth. Cabbage nourishes your hair and makes it smooth and shining.
Can dogs eat cabbage? ›
All varieties of cabbage are not only tasty to your dog, they are also very healthy. Cabbage helps your dog's digestive system and is good for their skin. It can cause flatulence (gas) in dogs, so remember to feed cabbage in small amounts, and introduce it into their diet slowly.
Can I freeze cabbage? ›
Once the cabbage is cut, whether in strips or leaves, or in any other size and shape, you can either freeze it right away or blanch it, drain it, and then freeze it. It's important to make sure the blanched cabbage is as dry as possible before frozen to avoid freezer burn.
Is cabbage healthier eaten raw or cooked? ›
According to Scientific American, cooking cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage helps them release indole, an organic compound that can fight off precancerous cells. Raw cruciferous vegetables have also been known to cause digestive problems for some people.
Is cabbage healthier boiled or raw? ›
Cooking cabbage can destroy some of its Vitamin C content. Raw cabbage retains more of this important antioxidant vitamin. Cooked cabbage is higher in antioxidants called glucosinolates. Cooking helps break down the cell walls in cabbage to release more of these compounds.
Is cabbage healthy or cooked or raw? ›
Eating cabbage has been linked to health benefits including antioxidant effects, immune system support, and lowering the risk of some health conditions including cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Cabbage can be eaten in ways such as raw, cooked, juiced, or fermented.
Is cabbage still healthy if you cook it? ›
Cooking cabbage can affect its nutritional value by reducing levels of certain nutrients, particularly vitamin C and some antioxidants. However, it can also make other nutrients, such as calcium and iron, more available for the body to absorb.
