10 Simple Ways To Cook Cabbage, Explained

At first thought, cabbage might not seem like the most inspiring of vegetables. It likely conjures up memories of less-than-appetizing childhood dinners for some, and many of us would rather reach for broccoli or cauliflower instead. But cabbage absolutely deserves a place on your plate. It's packed with nutrients, such as vitamin C, folate, and potassium, and it's amazingly versatile, too.

Now, we frequently see the leafy red or green shreds left raw and tossed into salads or slaws, where the cabbage's crunch can be preserved. But when cooked, cabbage takes on a sweeter, milder taste, and becomes wonderfully tender. With the right cooking techniques and a few simple add-ins, you can transform cabbage into something you'll crave again and again. Plus, there are various ways to prepare this humble veggie.

Each of these 10 cabbage cooking methods are super easy to follow, and will yield a slightly different texture and flavor. While most of these approaches call for white cabbage, feel free to switch things up and swap in another variety, such as red or savoy. Make sure to pair your leafy creation with some complementary sides, as well, such as roasted meats, mashed potatoes, or grilled fish.

If boiled cabbage sounds like the stuff of nightmares to you, perhaps you've simply never tried the dish done right. Boiling should never yield a soggy, tasteless result, after all; rather, it should leave the cabbage perfectly tender and crisp. While you can absolutely slice the cabbage up into thick shreds for this technique, we prefer to cut it into wedges. This makes for quick prep and easy portioning, whilst helping the veg to retain just the right level of bite.

To make boiled cabbage, start by removing the outer leaves and cutting it into quarters. Then, bring a large pot of water to boil, and add the wedges along with a good pinch of salt. It should take around 12 minutes of simmering for the cabbage to tenderize, after which you can drain and season it as desired. A simple drizzle of melted butter and sprinkling of salt and pepper are all you need to make this veggie shine, but don't hesitate to jazz things up with some additional toppings. This can include fresh herbs, shredded cheese, or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Grilling cabbage is a fantastic way to bring out its natural sweetness, giving the exterior a glorious char. It's also a quick, fuss-free method that's ideal if you're cooking other elements of your meal on the grill, like steak, shrimp, or chicken. Plus, this cooking method allows the cabbage to retain more of those all-important nutrients than boiling or steaming, and you'll be amazed at the rich depth of flavor it can provide.

Grilled cabbage turns out beautifully tender, while retaining some of that satisfying natural crunch. To do so, prep the cabbage by slicing it into quarters. Next, brush each wedge with a little oil and sprinkle it with salt, then place the cabbage onto your preheated grill. Cook the pieces over medium-high heat for around six to eight minutes per side until nicely charred.

The warm, caramelized cabbage will serve as a delicious canvas for dressing up with some flavorful toppings. Try spooning a zesty homemade chimichurri over each wedge, or instead finishing it off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Crumbled bacon, and cheeses such as feta or Parmesan are also great for enhancing the cabbage. For a more aromatic approach, you could even whip up a spicy Thai-inspired dressing with fish sauce, garlic, lime juice, and herbs.

You might've had a go at making cauliflower steaks, and cabbage is another veggie with a shape that lends itself well to this cooking method. By maximizing the surface area of each slice, you create an effective base for seasoning and topping as desired, and there's plenty of room for creativity here.

There are a few different approaches to consider. As long as you focus on slicing the whole cabbage into large, circular cross-sections, the steps that follow are very much open to interpretation. For a hands-off approach, brush the slices with oil, season them, and bake them in the oven until golden and tender. You can also cook the steaks in a grill pan to give them those signature grill lines. If you have an outdoor grill, this approach will work brilliantly, and inject the cabbage with heaps of smoky, charred flavor, too.

One of our favorite ways to garnish cabbage steaks is with a simple combination of furikake seasoning and chopped green onions. However, you can craft just about any flavor profile you fancy. You can rub the slices with warming spices like paprika, cumin, or cayenne pepper before cooking, or brush them with a rich, garlicky butter post-cooking. Drizzling the warm steaks with a honey-balsamic vinaigrette is another wonderfully fresh and flavorful way to enhance them. Your cabbage steaks will make a fitting accompaniment to a whole host of savory foods, as well, such as grilled chicken, fried eggs, and other roasted veggies.

This delightfully hassle-free way to cook cabbage is one of the most popular methods for good reason. Steaming the veggie will take mere minutes, and let its mild, slightly sweet flavor shine. This leaves you with the option to season it simply, or go all out with extra add-ins.

Multiple types of cabbage are suitable for steaming, including red, white, savoy, and napa varieties. Just slice the veg up thinly, or cut it into wedges, and pop it into your steamer basket. Sliced cabbage will be ready in around four minutes, and wedges will need a little longer — up to ten minutes, depending on their size.

Once your cabbage is ready for sprucing up, consider tossing it with melted butter, salt, and pepper to create a comforting and versatile side dish. You can also give it a citrusy boost by squeezing over some lemon juice, which would fit in especially well alongside the nutty richness of grated Parmesan. Soy sauce can inject the cabbage with a delicious dose of umami flavor, and you could totally pair this with a drizzle of chili-infused oil, some minced and sauteed garlic and ginger, and chopped green onions.

Potatoes aren't the only vegetable that can be used to craft a creamy, cheese-loaded gratin. This decadent side dish puts the cabbage center stage, turning the simple leafy wedges into something altogether more satisfying.

Cabbage au gratin can be made in a baking dish or skillet. For the former, you'll first roast cabbage wedges on a baking sheet, while the latter sees them pan-seared. A key component of a gratin is a silky cream mixture, which you can infuse with aromatics like garlic and onion, or herbs such as rosemary and thyme. Pour this over the golden cabbage pieces in the dish or skillet, and finish with lashings of shredded cheese (cheddar or gouda will work brilliantly here). There's also the option to scatter some panko breadcrumbs on top, and a final blast under the broiler will help you achieve an irresistibly golden finish.

This hearty dish will complement an array of other sides, from slices of crusty garlic bread to fresh, zingy salads and roasted meats. It's a particularly great option for serving alongside other vegetarian-friendly dishes, such as nut roasts, honey-glazed carrots, and mashed potatoes.

Stuffing tender cabbage leaves with a medley of savory goodies is a fantastically nutritious way to craft a batch of wraps. The leaves are robust enough to hold a generous portion of grains, meats, or vegetables, yet still offer a pleasing texture and mild sweetness that won't overpower the flavor of the filling ingredients.

Before filling the cabbage leaves, trim down the tough stems and give them a quick blanch in some boiling water to soften them up. A delicious filling option for these cabbage rolls is a mixture of cooked rice and a selection of vibrant sauteed veggies, seasoned with warming spices like garam masala and cumin. Add a mound of your mixture to the center of a leaf, then fold the sides inwards to wrap everything up into a tight roll. The assembled wraps can then be cooked in an air fryer, the oven, or a skillet until they're golden brown on the outside. We love mixing up an umami-rich sauce made with sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and chili to drizzle over the steaming rolls before serving.

Ground meat, such as pork or beef, makes another great add-in here, especially when it's paired with diced onion and fragrant herbs. Try adding the raw mixture to the blanched leaves, rolling everything up, and simmering the stuffed cabbage in a tangy tomato sauce until the filling is cooked through and the leaves are tender.

Cabbage is totally underrated as a soup ingredient. After all, the veggie is a nutritious and budget-friendly tool for bulking out a broth, bringing plenty of texture while effortlessly soaking up other savory flavors. It can easily be paired with a wide range of vegetables, proteins, and seasonings, so whatever kind of soup you're in the mood for, cabbage will fit right in.

This cabbage and lentil curry soup is a firm favorite of ours. It's packed with cozy, aromatic flavors like cumin, garlic, turmeric, and mustard seeds. For a burst of color and natural sweetness, we also throw in carrots and red bell pepper alongside the chopped cabbage, with everything simmered in a tangy tomato-infused broth until tender.

Alternatively, you could pair the cabbage with other types of legumes, such as chickpeas, white beans, or even soy beans. Meat-wise, shredded chicken or ground beef would taste wonderful. And the addition of diced potatoes, pearl barley, or wild rice can all transform the cabbage soup into a heartier, well-rounded meal.

This leafy veggie is the perfect candidate for stir frying. When sauteed in a pan over high heat, the cabbage retains a moreish bite, and this method presents plenty of opportunity to enhance the tender-crisp slices with other proteins, veggies, sauces, and seasonings.

To ensure even cooking, its best to cut your cabbage into thin slices. You could go for classic red or white, or perhaps a napa cabbage, which offers a more delicate and sweet flavor. For a classic Southern-style cabbage stir fry, try sauteing the cabbage with bacon, garlic, onion, bell pepper, and celery, and seasoning the vibrant medley with Creole spices. You could also whip up a Chinese-inspired dish by cooking cabbage with ingredients such as soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and Chinese black vinegar, then finishing it with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

The key is to keep the heat high and stir frequently; your cabbage should be ready to enjoy in around three minutes this way. Adding any liquid ingredients earlier on in the cooking process will give the cabbage a more tender texture, as will covering the pan. Conversely, waiting to stir in sauces until the end will keep things on the crunchier side, so feel free to experiment with different approaches here.

One of the heartiest ways to serve cabbage is roasted and topped with crispy breadcrumbs. We know how great oven-baking is for amping up the natural caramelized sweetness of veggies, and cabbage is truly transformed when cooked this way.

Slicing the cabbage into quarters is your best bet here, and the pre-roasting prep is nice and simple. Brush each wedge with oil, then sprinkle it with some seasonings, such as garlic powder, oregano, paprika, and chili powder. Another great option is to coat the cabbage with a flavor-packed glaze. Try brushing over a mixture of melted butter and miso paste for a hit of umami tang, or go for a combination of fiery gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil.

At this point, you can add the mouth-watering crunchy topping by stirring panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and scattering it atop the prepared cabbage. All that's left to do then is roast it in the oven until golden and tender. The resulting crunchy delight strikes the perfect balance between elegance and comfort. You can serve it with everything from juicy steaks and cozy casseroles to creamy pastas and delicate baked fish. We guarantee it'll have any sceptic converted into a cabbage lover.

When braised, cabbage takes on a whole new depth of flavor. This technique involves simmering the veggie slices in a rich, savory liquid, allowing it to absorb all of that brothy goodness. This is a versatile cooking method too, since there are plenty of options to consider when it comes to choosing your selection of braising ingredients.

Red cabbage is a popular choice for braising, boasting a vibrant color that makes it a real standout as part of a festive spread. It'll look even more glorious when cooked in red wine, which is ideal for infusing with warming cinnamon. You can balance the wine's acidity with a dash of brown sugar, and add sliced onions to inject some aromatic depth. Chicken or vegetable stock works brilliantly, too, as does creamy coconut milk. And, incorporating whole spices such as caraway seeds or peppercorns is another great way to give the liquid a flavor boost. Just combine your chosen ingredients in a high-sided pan with the finely chopped cabbage (around one cup of liquid per cabbage is ideal), then simply let the mixture simmer until the cabbage is tender and the liquid has reduced.

To give the cabbage some extra richness, you can also briefly saute it in melted butter before you add the braising liquid. Or, try stirring through some heavy cream towards the end of the cooking process.