Red cabbage

View fullsize

Brassica oleracea var. Capitata f. Rubra

Similar veggies:

White cabbage, oxheart cabbage

A quick introduction

Red cabbage, sometimes also called purple cabbage, is a variety of cabbage characterized by its deep purple and dark red colour. Its striking leaves are tightly packed into a fairly large head. Red cabbage is very often eaten raw, as it has an incredible crunchy texture that works perfectly for slaws, but it is also a popular veggie to pickle or braise. Red cabbage can sometimes be mistaken with radicchio, but radicchio leaves are way softer and less crispy than red cabbage.

Storage

Keeps well in the vegetable drawer of the fridge

Season

Summer to winter

Suggestions for preparation

If you would like to use the red cabbage raw start by discarding the tougher outer leaves (don't throw them out as they are delicious when slowly braised!), slice into quarters and chop it or shred it depending on what recipe you're planning on making.

Red cabbage can be braised just by simply cooking it on the stove with oil or butter. We like to add walnuts and raisins to it at the end, a delicious side dish for meats, potatoes, or roasted veggies.

For a simple pickle, shred the red cabbage and add it to a brine with equal parts vinegar and water, sugar, salt and any herbs or aromatics you desire. After 2 to 6 hours in a jar, the beautiful magenta pickled cabbage is ready and can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks! (try with falafel!)

Recipes

A recipe tip from one of our members: grilled cabbage with lemon & anchovies butter. Works especially well with small cabbages.

Kebab with mackerel and cabbage. Second recipe in the list and replace white cabbage for red cabbage, even prettier!

Master the art of roasting cabbage

Grilled cabbage with a spicy Thai dressing

Cabbage and caramelized onion quiche (the recipe uses skim milk but we see no reason for that :) )

Make sauerkraut or kimchi and make these kimchi dumplings or kimchi pancakes.

Polish potato, kielbasa, and cabbage soup (Kapusniak)

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancake)