Cabbage in the Kitchen

When it comes to bang for your buck, look no further than delicious cabbage!  Whether you prefer green cabbage, red cabbage, napa cabbage, or savoy cabbage, this veggie is inexpensive and goes a long way.  You can get a lot of use out of one head of cabbage, and it stores well so you don’t have to cook it all at once.  Plus, the variety of ways to prepare and enjoy this staple are impressive to say the least!  Cabbage is just so versatile – it makes an appearance in cuisine from all around the world!  It can be prepared in many different ways such as braised, boiled, grilled, or pickled; there is also roasted cabbage, sautéed cabbage, and stir-fried cabbage, plus you can enjoy it steamed, stewed, stuffed, or even eaten raw.  You can make a large pot of cabbage soup, or add it to stews and salads.  It can be made into cabbage rolls, slaw, or fermented into sauerkraut or kimchi.  Large cabbage leaves, especially outer leaves, work great as a vessel for eating other foods (e.g., replacing taco shells or sandwich wraps in place of tortillas).  This can be accomplished with raw leaves or by using lightly steamed leaves.  You can even use cabbage to create “steaks” by cutting thick cabbage wedges cross-wise and roasting.  And, one of my personal faves is substituting noodles in pasta dishes with braised or steamed cabbage cut into long thin strips.  As a prep time-saver, you can also buy pre-shredded bags of cabbage at your local grocer.  This is a great option to have at home for a quick, nutritious addition to any meal. The possibilities are endless with this cruciferous veggie. 

If you don’t think you like cabbage, you just haven’t found the right way to prepare it! In fact, some people hate the smell of cooked cabbage but this is likely a result of over-cooking.  The longer you cook cabbage, the smellier it becomes.  If the odor is what has been preventing you from feasting on this nutritious veggie, give it another chance this time making sure not to cook it for too long! When it comes down to it, there is no need to save cabbage only to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day alongside corned beef and soda bread, this veggie makes for a perfect vegetable side dish any day of the year! Not only is it yummy, but it’s also a great source of glucosinolates, vitamin K, and vitamin C – all while being low in carbs and total fat. Win-win!