Cabbage: How to Enjoy This Versatile Veggie

Green cabbage is a commonly overlooked member of the cruciferous family of vegetables, but it’s just one of a wide variety of cabbages, all of which are nutritious, versatile, affordable, and (luckiest of all) quick and easy to prepare.

Cabbage is part of the Brassica family, also known as cruciferous vegetables. Other well-known crucifers include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Like most vegetables, cabbages and other Brassicas are rich in fiber, a variety of vitamins (like vitamins C, K, and folate), minerals (including calcium, potassium, and iron), and phytochemicals. Brassicas stand out as a uniquely rich source of glucosinolates, sulfur-containing phytochemicals that give these vegetables their distinct odor and taste.

Buying and Storing

Available year-round, cabbage is one of the least expensive vegetables by weight—often less than a dollar per pound. A single head yields many cups of shredded cabbage, with minimal waste. 

Choose heads that feel heavy for their size with fresh looking leaves, free of wilt, blemish, and browning. Store cabbage in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Seal uncut heads in a plastic bag or container, where they will last for weeks, and wrap cut portions tightly in plastic or silicone wraps for up to a week.

Packaged cabbage is sold chopped, sliced, or shredded for convenient use in slaws and salads, but they won’t last as long, and they cost a bit more. 

Ways to Use Cabbage

There are many ways to use cabbage. As with many vegetables, boiling and long cooking times can rob cabbage of some of its nutrients. To preserve nutrients, eat cabbage raw or use quicker cooking techniques, like steaming, microwaving, and stir-frying. These methods also minimize the sulfur smell that can be off-putting. For those who find cabbage and other crucifers bitter-tasting, roasting can give them a sweeter flavor.

Raw cabbage is famously used in slaws, shredded and lightly dressed, but it can also be added to or swapped for lettuce or other greens in salads, delivering a fresh twist and delightful crunch that stays crisp longer. Chopped cabbage stalks and leaves of firm varieties are a great stand in for celery in grain, chicken, and tuna salads. 

Cabbage can be used for other lettuce applications, like on tacos, sandwiches, and burgers. The leaves can be used as a wrap in place of bread, buns, and tortillas, and large leaves can be used in stuffed cabbage recipes. Be sure to save the stalks, which are great chopped and added to stir-fries or whole with dip. 

Cabbage is hardy enough to stand up to any cooking technique. Slice it into wedges and braise. Cut it into “steaks” and grill it. Chop it and sauté in place of ground meat in burritos, chilis, and stir-fries. Or steam wedges or shredded cabbage on their own or with other veggies, like carrots, onions, and bell peppers, and season with a little spice and vinegar for a quick and easy meal or side dish. 

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Photo: Shutterstock

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Photo: Shutterstock

Recipe: Braised Cabbage

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, thickly sliced
• 2 large carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 medium green or red cabbage, quarted lengthwise
• cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste (optional)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or oven-safe large lidded pot. 

3. Add onion and carrot slices and sauté until lightly browned.

4. Add cabbage quarters, cut side down and cook for 1 minute or until browned.

5. Pour broth over cabbage and add salt, if using, pepper, and red pepper, if using. 

6. Cover and place in the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn cabbage quarters over and bake until fork tender, about 5 more minutes. 

7. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Per serving: Calories: 93; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Total Carbohydrate: 7 g; Total Sugars: 3.5 g (Added, 0 g); Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Protein: 1 g; Sodium: 192 mg; Potassium: 365 mg; Calcium: 84 mg; Vitamin D: 0 mcg; Iron: 4 mg.

(Tbsp=tablespoons; tsp=teaspoon; g=grams; mg=milligrams; mcg= micrograms)

Recipe courtesy of Lori Zanteson 

This article originally appeared in the Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, published each month by the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.